Every time Iron Orchid Designs releases new products there’s always a buzz and excitement! It was no different with the 2023 Spring release. IOD rolled out so many great designs! I decided I’d see if I could make ten easy projects with the IOD 2023 spring release.
Here are some of the designs that were included in the spring release that I used for these projects:
- Bungalow Transfer
- Millot’s Pages Transfer
- Melange Paint Inlay
- La Campgane Stamp
- Antiquities Stamp
- Toadstool Mould
- Hidden Hollow Mould
- Dewdrop Pond Mould
I started with the transfers. Fusion’s Manor Green was the perfect backdrop for Bungalow, a gorgeous, moody transfer. It was easy to piece together some of the eight individual pages to create one jungle scene.
When I saw the images on the Millot’s Pages transfer, I fell in love with the mushrooms. I knew they’d be perfect on the drawers of a hutch. This hutch was painted in Cathedral Taupe and Lichen.
I pulled some of the eggs from the Millot’s Pages transfer to create these gallery-inspired coasters. They got three coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat to ensure durability.
Millot’s Pages also inspired the butterfly gallery. I started by painting one of the 8″ IOD gallery blanks in Ash. I used Amazing Cast Resin to pour frame castings from the Frames mould. Those were painted in Vintage Gold with Black wax. Inside each frame was painted white and then a butterfly transfer was applied. The crackle stamp from Vintage Textures gave each “painting” the perfect vintage look. This was probably my most favorite project!
Millot’s Pages was good for one more project! I saw this saying on the internet and knew I needed to pull the root vegetables for this one! I used a n 8″ x10″ IOD gallery blank painted in Casement for the foundation. I stamped the saying on across the top with the Letterpress stamp and IOD’s black ink and then laid out and applied the veggies on the bottom. How stinkin’ cute is this!
Next I cracked open the stamps. Have you seen the La Campagna stamp? Oh, what a gorgeous stamp set! I started with IOD’s black ink and stamped the rooster onto a vintage ironstone platter. I used the Oceans Deep ink to stamp the flowers on another platter. Once the ink dries it’s permanent but not food safe so these are just great decor pieces!
I used the flowers from the La Campagna stamp and IOD’s black ink to stamp some drop cloth for a fresh cushion cover for a stool. Once I stapled the fabric over the foam onto a board, we screwed the board to the top of the stool and then hot glued the fringe to cover the seam. What a super easy project that makes a big statement!
The Antiquities stamp has so many fun images. I decided to use a few of those to stamp a set of coasters. This is a quick and easy project that makes a great gift! I stamped with IOD’s black ink and waited for the ink to dry before applying three coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat.
Have you tried paint inlays yet? The Melange Paint Inlay is a great one to start with because it contains a lot of smaller images that provide an easy place to jump in! I had a vintage picnic basket and decided that Melange would be perfect for the top. I painted the top in two coats of Prairie Sunset. Paint inlays are typically applied into wet paint and I’ve had good success applying them in Fusion, but I really love using the Transfer Gel instead. So after the paint dried, I brushed on a semi-thick coat of Transfer Gel and laid the inlay into the wet gel. You can see a tutorial of the full process here. Once the inlay is applied and dried, I spritzed on a thin coat of Tough Coat before brushing on a final coat. Picnic baskets aren’t just for picnics. They make great decor while providing additional storage!
Finally it was time to play with the amazing moulds! These new moulds are AM MAZ ING! I started by making a cute door hanger. After staining the wood round with Chocolate paint and water, I made castings from the Hidden Hollow, Toadstools, and Dewdrop Pond moulds. Since this would hang outdoors, I used Amazing Cast Resin. I wanted to spell out “Hello” so I used the Victoria mould.
Here’s a tip! To help get the resin in the tiny spaces of the Victoria mould, use a pipette to manage exactly how much resin you inject without overfill.
It’s fun to paint the mould castings! I used Fusion for all of these and then Antique glaze to make the details pop. I used leftovers from previous transfers to add color and backdrop for the moulds but you could use decoupage, too! Once the moulds were in place, I nailed twigs in place to help frame the scene. Moss and ribbon added the final touches! How cute is this for a front door!
I had so much fun with these moulds I wanted to use them again and found a funky ceramic vase at Goodwill. It would be perfect! After giving the vase a good clean, I used a sponge to brush on a thin coat of Ultra Grip. Ultra Grip is a bonding primer that ensures that paint will stick to the slick ceramic. I cast figures from the Toadstool, Dewdrop Pond, and Hidden Hollow moulds with Amazing Cast Resin. I was able to heat the castings with a heat gun to make them pliable to fit the curve of the vase. I always use Tacky Glue to glue my castings onto my projects.
Then the whole vase was painted in Fusion’s Chateau. It’s such a pretty stone color. Once the paint dried, I mixed up some Clear Glaze with Bayberry to glaze the pot and give it a mossy look. Now it is perfect for flowers or greenery in any room!
So that’s the whirlwind tour! Ten fun projects with IOD’s 2023 Spring Release was a fun challenge. The crazy thing is, there are SO MANY MORE things you could do! I’m curious, though. Which one of these is your favorite??
