FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If your question is not answered below, feel free to call us at 901.547.1448 or email support@amakersstudio.com
SHIPPING
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Where will my order ship from?
All orders are shipped from our offices and warehouse in Memphis, TN.
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When will I receive my order?
We typically ship orders within 24-48 hours, and processing time can vary during sales or holidays. Most orders ship via FedEx Express which is a 2-day transit time. Small orders will ship via USPS and transit times vary. International orders are sent via DHL.
Once your order is shipped, you will receive an email with your tracking information so you can track your order to its final destination.
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What should I do if I entered the wrong shipping address?
If you accidentally entered the wrong shipping address, please notify our team immediately via email at support@amakersstudio.com, or call our office at 901-547-1448.
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Can I choose express or overnight shipping?
We are not able to ship overnight. We do ship most orders via FedEx Express which is a 2-day transit time. Large orders are shipped via FedEx Ground which is 1-4 days in transit depending on the delivery location. We process orders within 24-48 hours, and you will receive a shipping confirmation email to verify the method used and an estimate delivery date.
ORDERS & PAYMENT
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How can I edit or cancel my order?
We process orders very quickly, so if something needs to be changed or you'd like to cancel your order, please contact us ASAP. If the order has not been processed, we are able to make changes for you or cancel the order.
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What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Facebook Pay, and PayPal.
REFUNDS & RETURNS
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Do you accept returns and exchanges?
We do not process exchanges, but we are happy to accept returns. For all non-sale items, we have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your order to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase (email address and order number).
To start a return, you can contact us at support@amakersstudio.com.
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What if my order/item was damaged in transit?
If your order/item is damaged during shipping, please take a photo of the damaged good(s) and packaging, provide your email address used to place the order and order number within 72 hours of receiving your order and send this information to support@amakersstudio.com.
We take great care in packaging your order, but we unfortunately have no control over shipping conditions once the order has left our facility. We will be happy to file a claim with the carrier on your behalf and, if approved, provide a refund for the damaged item(s).
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What if my order was returned to sender?
If your order was returned to us for any reason, you will receive an email from our customer service team to re-ship the goods once it has been delivered back to our fulfillment center.
Once an item has been marked as returned to sender by the shipping carrier, the only option is to wait for it to arrive back at our fulfillment center. We are unable to intercept the package at this point in time.
LOST OR STOLEN PACKAGES
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What if my package shows delivered but I do not have it?
If your tracking number shows delivered but you have not received your package, we advise you to do the following:
-Check your property, porch, and mailbox well. Some carriers will hide your package from porch thieves, so it may not be placed in direct sight.
-In many cases, the tracking will show delivered but the carrier will end up delivering several days later. Please wait 3-4 days after the tracking shows delivered to receive your package.
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What do I do if I think my package was lost or stolen?
A Makers' Studio is not held liable for packages stolen upon delivery. Should you want to increase security on your order, please contact support@amakersstudio.com immediately upon ordering to request we add a signature requirement for the delivery of your package. This decreases the likelihood of stolen items.
For orders lost in transit, please contact your post office or delivery service before notifying us. We kindly ask that you have an incident number or similar identification of a claim with the post office or service before you reach out to us.
PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
Mesh Stencils
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Are they reusable?
The mesh stencil can be used 8-10 times when cared for properly.
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Are they adhesive?
The mesh stencils are lightly adhesive. They are able to be repositioned easily, but will stay in place while you create.
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What are they made of?
This is a patented mesh stencil with a polymer overlay to protect your design and give you deep detail.
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When do you peel off the stencil?
You peel our stencils while the medium is STILL wet. The mesh will come back through the design and essential “re cut” it to give sharp detail to the edges.
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How do you clean them?
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Immediately after peeling wash the stencil in water.
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Rub lightly on the non-adhesive side until the mesh is clear of product
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Flip it over to make sure there are no “clumps” of product on the adhesive side (wash off if there are)
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Lay it adhesive side up to air dry
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Can I use a blow dryer to dry my stencil?
This is not suggested, it will affect the adhesive properties.
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Can I dry my stencil with a paper towel or rag?
- Air dry is best.
- Do not ever use a paper towel or rag with lint or high pile.
- If you need quick drying you can use a lint free rag, lay the stencil adhesive side down, and then rub the non-adhesive side dry with a lint free rag.
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Can I cut the stencil?
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Many of our stencils are designed for this and have a cut line
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You can cut the stencil, but you will want to cut on the grey polymer, you will have some fray as the mesh becomes exposed, so give yourself room for this.
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Cutting on the mesh design (other than cut lines) will permanently damage your ability to use that section of the stencil.
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Do you have to use the entire stencil design?
No, You can use the just part of the design that you want. You will control where you place your product. You can use just a border or just a word.
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Product is seeping under the stencil and my design is blurry
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Your stencil might not be well adhered to your piece
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Your medium might be too watery/thin
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You may be putting on the medium too thick, too much product can also cause this
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My stencil is stained
This can happen because of the pigments in any given medium, as long as the mesh is clear, it will perform correctly.
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Should I use the same stencil with all the products?
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If you are using gilding size, ceramic paint or Rescue Restore Paint, those stencils are best designated to that medium.
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If you clean well between every use, because they are all water based, non-permanent mediums this should be fine (chalk art, gel art, etching cream, etc.)
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How do I store my mesh stencil?
After the stencil dries it can be pressed lightly back onto the card stock surface it came on and returned to the plastic sleeve. These can also be stored in a 3 ring binder in pages, or in a plastic storage bin.
Chalk Art
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What surface can I use the Chalk Art on?
Chalk art can be used on many surfaces: paper, wood, ceramic, glass, fabric, etc.
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Is the chalk art going to stay on my art work?
Chalk art is a temporary medium, it is created to be wiped off for regular changing of designs. But is will not smudge once it is dry, so if it is an item that will be on display, and not get wet, the design will also remain on the item.
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How do I remove chalk art?
You can remove Chalk Art with a wet cloth.
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How long does it take for Chalk Art to dry?
The medium will dry completely in 5-10 minutes.
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My chalk art is thick?
This is a thick medium, it is the consistency of sour cream. You can add some drops of water and stir vigorously until it is back to a paste consistency.
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My chalk art is hard and dry can I fix it?
You may add a teaspoon of water, let sit for a minute or two, then stir up. If this method does not work, you will need to purchase a new chalk ark.
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The chalk art is still on my piece after I’ve tried to wash it off?
Some of our ChalkArts have a heavier pigment. The chalk art is probably washed off the surface, but the pigment may have soaked through. You can add a layer of paint over that area and it will cover the pigmentation.
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The chalk art stained my stencil
Some colors have a heavier pigment and this can cause staining, but it will not affect the performance of your stencil, as long as the mesh is clear.
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The chalk art dried in my stencil?
Soak the stencil in water for a few minutes and then lightly rub on the non-adhesive side to work the chalk art out of the mesh.
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This isn’t working with my stencil?
Is the chalk art fresh and the right consistency? Did you work quickly and peel while wet?
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How do I apply the Chalk Art?
You will push the Chalk Art through the mesh in the stencil. You can do this by scraping with the Chalk Art spreader. If you are just placing the medium on the stencil it will not work correctly. You can hear the spreader scraping the stencil as you work.
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My design cracked when I peeled off the stencil?
Work quickly, the chalk art should never dry in the stencil, when you peel the stencil the mesh comes back through the chalk art, if it has dried, it will remove, crack, or cause the chalk art to flake off.
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My chalk art is like gel, is that normal?
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The metallic chalk arts are a different consistency due to the amount of metallic added, but they will perform the same
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Some of the darker pigments like black have heavy pigment which also slightly changes the consistency
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Gel Art Ink
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What surface can I use the gel art on?
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This is a screen printing medium and is permanent in fabric
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It can be used on other surfaces but will be semi-permanent, typically removeable with water and a light rubbing: wood, plastic, ceramic, glass, etc
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This medium will typically be permanent on paper, but if the paper gets wet the design may run
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How do I apply the Gel Art?
You can squirt out a nickel sized amount of paint unto a paper plate. Then apply paint to the chalk Art spreader to push through the mesh stencil to create the design.
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Do I need to heat set the design?
Yes, 2-4 hours after creating the design, use an iron at 250 degree setting and press/rub firmly on the design for 3-5 minutes.
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Do I need to put anything on my design before I use the iron?
A scrap piece of fabric or parchment paper will protect your iron from sticking to the Gel Art.
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I messed up. How do I get it off?
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This is a permanent medium in fabric, it will not wash out. You can try to spot clean before it dries, but this might just need to become a test piece.
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If you are working on a different surface, you can use a q-tip, wet with water, and wipe off the gel art before it dries.
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You may also be able to cover the “oops” with a different stencil design after the design has dried.
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Can I use a “press” to heat set my design?
You can, results will vary as they are different from an iron, you might need to trouble shoot until you get it just right for temperature and time.
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Why did my design run when I ironed it?
If your “steam” was on, the heat and drops of water can reactivate the gel art and cause it to bleed. Heat set with a DRY iron only.
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Do I have to use a chalk spreader?
You can use the Chalk Art spreader with our stencils to create detailed stencils designs. If you don’t have one you can use a small hard card like a wallet sized membership card.
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Can the gel art be painted?
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You can use a paint brush to use the Gel art like paint, you can add water and use it like a water color.
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This technique will also work on fabric and can be heat set for a permanent design
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I have bleeding of my design under the stencil
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Your stencil may not be adhered completely
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You are using too much gel art, you need a VERY thin layer of application
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No Bake Ceramic Paint
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Do I need to bake it?
No, our No Bake formula does not require you to bake your piece. You may bake if you'd like to add a bit more durability, but it is not necessary.
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Is it food safe?
Yes! Our No Bake Ceramic Paint is food safe for your dishware and other projects.
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Is it permanent?
Yes, the paint is permanent and you can add a bit more durability by baking it if you'd like.
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Can I wash the dish after?
You can hand wash the dish. We do not recommend using a dishwasher due to detergents and heat setting variations.
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What do I use to put it on?
You can use the chalk art spreader, or the artist brush for rounded surfaces.
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How do I clean my stencil?
You can use the ceramic paint with the mesh stencil, but you will want to peel immediately and wash with water immediately. Ceramic paint will ruin your stencil if it dries inside of the mesh.
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Can I use this on other surfaces?
Ceramic paint is patented for ceramic, porcelain and fine china (any porous ceramic surface).
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Are there any surfaces the ceramic paint will not adhere to?
Ceramic paint will not adhere to Corningware – it is made of Pyroceram – a patented process that protects the surface from staining, scratching, etc. This creates a barrier that will not allow the ceramic paint to adhere permanently.
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Do I have to use a stencil with this paint?
No, you can freehand paint with a brush, you can water it down slightly and use it like watercolor, you will still bake it after you’ve created to make it permanent.
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How do you bake it?
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Place your decorated piece in a COLD oven immediately after creating your design.
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Set the temperature to 350 degrees and let the oven warm to that temperature with the dish inside, leave for 25 minutes.
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Turn off the oven; allow the piece to cool completely IN the oven.
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Etching Cream
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Will the etching cream damage the stencil?
No, they are patented to work together.
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Can I etch with my fingers?
No, there is an abrasive added to the etching cream to cut into the glass, it is best used with an artist brush, or some other small paint brush.
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How much cream do I use?
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A small project will probably need about two quarter sized doses of product
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You will put the etching cream on thick. You want to be able to move it around on the surface of your glass surface and there not be any “dry” spaces
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How do I get the etching cream off?
The etching cream will be washed off with just water.
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Can I get the design off the surface that I put it on?
This is a permanent medium, the design that you make using the etching cream will not wash off, it actually etches the glass.
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Is it food safe?
Yes! Our Etching Cream is food safe.
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How long does it take?
The whole process from start to finish can be done in less than 10 minutes.
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Can you use this on a window for privacy?
Yes just remember it is a permanent medium, there is no way to undo the etching except to replace the window.
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How many things can I etch with one bottle?
You can usually get 8-10 small projects out of one bottle of etching cream.
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Do I have to use a stencil to etch the glass?
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No you can create negative space using painters tape, stickers, etc and etch around these for a different look
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You can etch the entire surface area
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How do I etch?
Use the artist brush to apply the etching cream to the surface of the stencil (or glass) and agitate, up and down, left to right, and in a circular motion for about 3-5 minutes, remove your stencil (by pulling it off while the etching cream is still on the project, and wash the stencil. Come back after that and wash the etching cream off the piece with just water.
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Can I put it in the microwave?
If the dish is microwavable yes – it will not hurt the design.
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Is it washable?
You can hand wash or run it through the dishwasher (given the dish is dishwasher safe).
Color & Ink Transfers
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Is this reusable?
No, the full color transfer is a one-time use product.
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Is it adhesive?
No, but the ink is sticky – you will want to store it with the card stock so that any dust or particles will not stick to your transfer.
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How do I hold it in place?
You can hold it in place with your hands or use painter’s tape to keep it in place (on one side as you will want to peel while you rub).
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What is it made of?
This is a plastic mylar with layers of ink printed on it with the ink side exposed.
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Do I need to seal it?
There is no need to seal it, but in high traffic areas, you can use matte sealer to add some extra protection or spray with Bright Ideas Lacquer from Amy Howard at Home to add high shine.
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Is this a decal?
No this is an ink transfer.
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Is there a halo?
Because this is not a sticker or decal, there is no halo.
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Will it work on fabric?
You can use this on fabric that will not need to be washed. It will work best on a fabric that is decorative. This is not a washable medium.
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If it tears a little while I’m peeling. What do I do?
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This is why you want to hold it tightly while rubbing and peeling, if it tears a little while peeling, you can simply roll back the part you pulled up and rub (burnish) again to get adherence, then peel again.
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If you keep it in the same place, it will lay back down and adhere just fine.
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The transfer got folded over and it messed up the design
This can happen, the ink will adhere to itself and attach. You will lose this section of the design.
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Can I cut the transfer?
Absolutely, it is actually easier to work with in smaller segments cut on the mylar.
You can cut the design If you need it to fit on a specific sized surface.
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Can I place one transfer on top of another?
You can, we actually love the layered affect.
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Can you use the color transfer with the ink transfer?
Yes, you will want to use the color transfer over the ink transfer.
Gilding Size & Leaf
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What is the glue called to make the leaf stick?
Gilding size is the adhesive used to attach leaf.
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What color of leaf do you have?
Imitation silver, imitation gold, pure copper and variegated copper.
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My leaf is slipping and won’t stay in place
Your size has not come to tack – let it sit for a few more minutes.
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How do I know when my size has come to tack?
Use the pad of your ring finger, press it to the area where you applied the size, if it pulls the skin it is ready. If it’s still really wet, it’s not ready. If there is no stick and it doesn’t feel wet the window has closed and you will need to reapply.
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What do I do where there are gaps in my leaf?
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When laying leaf, you always want to overlap just a little to prevent this
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You can add another piece of leaf over the existing to cover the gap, or you can finish this step, and then reapply over any missed areas
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When I start to brush off my leaf it’s all coming off – or it looks mushy
The tack underneath is still too wet. Let it sit another 5-10 minutes and try again.
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What is burnishing?
To burnish is to rub firmly. In this case in one direction. Until the size is dry and the leaf is laid down securely you want to work in the same direction.
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Can I use this on dishes or silverware? Is it washable?
Yes, leaf can be used on dishes, rims of glassware, and silverware. This would be hand wash only at this point.
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How do I apply the size?
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If you are stenciling you will want to use the firm foam brush to apply through the mesh, this in NOT a scraping motion like with our other mediums. You will work in thin layers
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You can also just apply with an detailing brush (our artist brush is perfect) to accent a detail, draw freehand, etc.
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You can use tap or stickers to create negative space that you can gild around to create detailed designs.
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What if you have too much, or it gets somewhere you didn’t want it, or it’s too bright?
You can “wear” leaf after it is completely dry with OOOO steel wool.