Gel Medium Transfer

It's pretty much transferring a picture over onto something like a piece of metal or wood. All it takes is a printer and gel medium from Micheal's. This is fun to do and since the holiday's are just around the corner, it's just tacky enough to make a great present for the parents!

What to Get:
Gel medium
Piece of wood
Inkjet printer

How-To:
1. Print a picture of your choosing off your computer using an inkjet printer (an obnoxious one of you if you feel so inclined)
2. Apply gel medium to the front of the picture and lay face down on your piece of wood
3. Let dry. Spray with water and let soak for a few minutes.
4. Last step! Slowly but firmly rub the back until the paper comes off and you have an either beautifully decorated piece of wood or creepy plaque with your face all over it!

http://www.lilblueboo.com/2011/06/gel-transfer-puzzle-a-tutorial.html

Enameling

Enameling isn't really that easy of a process only because it involves a kiln (they are very expensive). It's the process of giving metal an almost glass glaze. The beauty of enamel is that there is so many options on what you can do with it. Enamel can have different textures and patterns by using different colors or stencils. The only stipulations is that enamel can't be used on anything but copper, steel, and silver, and it can't be used on anything soldered. It's versatile and can add a spruce to any metal products.

What to Get:
piece of copper, silver or steel
base coat
assorted enamels (any colors)
hairspray
sifter
trivet
magazine pages
pumis powder
scotch brite pad
baking soda

How-To:
1. Clean metal with baking soda, pumis powder and scotch brite pad
**don't touch after cleaned**
2. Preheat the kiln to 1500 degrees
3. Lay the magazine pages under your trivet before starting to enamel
**the magazine pages have a glossiness that keeps the enamel from sticking**
4. Use a sifter to gently and evenly coat the metal with first a base coat (very expensive. Do not mix with other enamel colors)
5. Slowly spray hairspray over the base coat to help it stick
6. Sift desired color or colors
onto piece
**replace magazine pages after every color**
**optional to do both sides**
7. Use a tool to place the trivet in the kiln like long metal tongs, NEVER USE YOUR HANDS.
8. The texture of the enamel is what determines how long you lave it in for: not necessarily a time limit
Sugar coat = first stage where the glass just begins to melt
Orange peel = Grainy texture
Complete fire = final stage
Over fire = color starts to burn back
9. Last step! Take your piece out of the kiln and let cool before touching. Pickle if you didn't enamel both sides and you are done!

http://www.katemessjewelry.com/category/art/jewelry/

Leather Embossing

Leather embossing is generally the same as embossing on paper. Embossing on leather though is more for decoration on little things like watch bands. It's really very simple and takes only a couple materials. This is just more of a for fun thing. Not many people would really need to know how to do this (unless you decide to make leather products for a living).

What to Get:

Shammy

Metal cut out

wax paper

Shoe polish

vice

How-To:

1. Soak the shammy in water

2. Lay it over a metal plate that you have cut a design into

3. Put wax paper all around it and pinch into a vice tightly over night

**the wax paper helps so that you don't rust the vice**

4.  Last step! Apply a color show polish to it to give it a color stain and you have yourself a cheap and easy leather emboss. If you are really creative, you could make a journal cover or wallet!

This example used a cast form but the same general steps apply.
https://www.etsy.com/market/stamping_leather