Be Inspired # 73 - Cracked Glass with UTEE

Have you visited Cuttlebug Challenge blog recently? My friend, Deanna, told me about it ~a year ago. When I was invited to be on the design team, I was ecstatic. I have watched Maggie (Cuttlebug Challenge blog owner), continuously make improvements to the Cuttlebug Challenge blog. It has evolved into so much more than a challenge blog! It is a teaching and inspiration blog. I enjoy it because: I learn so much from my DT sisters and Maggie, I am also challenged to try new techniques, and I get to dust off and use products from my craft room that I have not used in a very long time.

This week's challenge had me blowing the dust off of my UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel) aka Amazing Glaze. It is a heat embossing powder. I have used it only once before and I have a one pound container. This is what my friend, Leslie, refers to as S.A.B.L.E. (Supplies Available Beyond Life Expectancy).

My card: I stamped a pear with bleach onto eggplant card stock (I love this color so much, yet I rarely use it...) Then I chalked the image with various chalks.
To create cracked glass effect: Ink up the image with VersaMark watermark stamp pad, then applied UTEE and heat emboss. Repeat 2 or 3 times to achieve desired thickness. Place in the freezer for 1 or 2 minutes, then carefully bend the image to create cracks.
Helpful hints (what I learned):
1. I am a wimp when it comes to touching anything hot. I lined a small box with aluminum foil, then dropped my UTEE image in the box to heat emboss.
2. When I bent the image too much or left it in the freezer longer than 2 minutes, the cracks were larger and chunks of UTEE fell off. I re-inked with VersaMark and re-applied the UTEE. No problem.
3. Use bright and vivid colors in your image. The layers of UTEE will dull the colors.

Other supplies:
ProvoCraft Cuttlebug Floral Screen embossing folder, Making Memories brads, Rubba Dub Dub fibers, Fiskars border punch, and SU Teeny Tiny Wishes sentiment and oval punches.

I am going to hop over to Cuttlebug Challenge blog Be Inspired # 73 now. I hope you have time to enter! I get inspiration from my DT sisters and you as well :)

Happy Wednesday!