Perm-o-flocking 2009. Opinions needed

[putrid]

Below are three pictures of flocking. One is out of a can. The other two was done in the 'lab'.

Do any of them look like snow?
Which one looks the best and why?
Can you tell which one is the can flocking?

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=8&pictureid=495

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=8&pictureid=496

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=8&pictureid=497

I've tried to take pictures that would show the texture of the flocking as well as the placement.
Thanks folks.

[Just Whisper]

I don't care for #1, too sparse. #2 is better, I think. #3 looks like the can stuff to me, but too clumpy. If it was a little thinner and spread out more it would look more like real snow. I think for the type of tree you have #2 works best. Not too heavy.

[putrid]

Thanks for your input Just Whisper.

Keep em coming folks and be as brutally honest as you want. If you don't like any of them let me know that too.
Thanks again.

[Sickie Ickie]

Personally, I like 3 best. snow tends to mound

[Nephew Fred]

Number 2 for me.
Flocking makes me itch, so I avoid trees with it like the plauge.
I LOVE the look of them,I just do not like to decorate them.
It doesn't matter how much you try,the stuff just ends up everywhere.....

[theedwin]

I like #1 the best, but it needs a bit more in my opinion. (meaning heavier application)

I like how you are keeping us guessing as to which is the can crap... I think it is #3....

Personally I prefer the shredded white plastic that comes in a bag of about 8-16 oz. I just grab a hand full and "flitter" it over the tree from the top. Then I continue near each set of branches. As I finish "flittering" my tree, I grab hand fulls and throw it like a baseball at the tree to get into the inner branches. I am not looking for permanent, but the stuff sure looks real. I don't "Flock" the tree, I give it a "light dusting" as if it had just snowed.

Is Flittering a word?

Edwin

[putrid]

Thanks folks. Keep em coming!

Theedwin, your the first person I've ever met who actually uses that stuff. LOL I have a few bags from boxes of stuff won at auctions. Never thought of using it. I have noticed the older stuff is smaller and more white in color.

[bethene]

I thnk some where between 2 and 3 would be good, alittle thicker on 2 but not quite as much as on 3. Is 3 the can flocking?

[theedwin]

Putrid,

I LOVE the stuff! http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq158/theedwin/penguins/Penguins%20behind%20the%20scenes/Theatre3002.jpg

When you are done, just shake it off! I think it looks very realistic from a few feet away. You are right tho about the sizes. It does seem that the older stuff is smaller.

Edwin

[putrid]

I aint tellen yet Bethene. LOL But thanks for the input.
Thanks for the pic Theedwin. The stuff does look good.

[Val]

#1 doesn't look thick enough to me.
#2 looks the best but could be just a little thicker.
#3 looks to heavy

My parents had a flocked tree, it looked nice from a distance but up close it looked like the snow was cracking.

[putrid]

Thanks for the input.
Numbers one and three are both my experiments. Slightly different applications of the same stuff.
Number two is the flocking. There was more on the branch but I moved it several times and it kept flaking off. Man that stuff is messy. LOL

Put the styrofoam away and took a different, less flammable, rout for this experiment. Going to try a different mix of the stuff for a softer look. However I'm still not going to get the volume or mounding effect like you would with spray flocking or real snow. (the needles in the last picture were bent over. Making it appear to be mounded.) I'm also still working on the soft sparkle look of real snow. I have opaque white glitter but it'll have to be made smaller to look better. Blender? We had a light dusting a few days ago. I walked past a car in the parking lot at work and the stuff sparkled like white fireworks. That's the look I'd like for the entire tree.

This is still a work in progress. Ya'lls inputs help me see things better. Personally I thought the flocking still looked better. I was hoping I would be the only one who thought that way. LOL Thanks again folks. I'll revamp what I did and try this again.

[Val]

putrid, I think your going to need some faery dust to acheive the look your speaking of. It's real fine but I think it would be perfect for this. I used it in my soap making days, it has a very nice sparkling effect mixed in with clear soaps. It's used in clear candles too.

[Val]

If the needles in the last picture were bent over then I would have to change my answer to #3

Let us know if you try the blender to make the sparkles smaller... I'd like to know how if that would work.

Keep us posted :-)

[putrid]

Val, Nope, the blender didn't make the glitter smaller. All I did was coat the inside of the blender. LOL What is "faery dust" and is it pure white? Where would I find it?

What I did new seems more promising. Lighter and definitely not painted looking. I'm going to wait for better lighting to get a pic of it.

[Val]

faery dust is basically just like glitter only its lighter and so fine that it is almost a heavy powder I guess you could say. You can find it at Michaels or Hobby Lobby or any good craft store. They usually have it by the soap and candle making supplies and some places will have it with the glitters too. It comes in clear, irredescent and pastel colors and I've seen it in black to.

[putrid]

Thanks Val. I'll have to check the clear out. Guess that would bring me the closest to the cold snow look. Black would be cool for that sludge look on a road side tree. LOL I've got ultra fine glitter but it's iridescent. To many colors for a good look. Thanks for the tip!

It's Snowing! Could not have asked for a better snow either!!! LIGHT and Fluffy. Just like what I'm trying to get in the lab. Took lots of pictures to keep a record of what this stuff is supposed to look like. And I'm happy to say that I've come real close with my latest try. Unfortunately I'm still not able to get the mounding effect of real snow. But the color and texture is a real close match. I'll get the pic reduced and posted.

[putrid]

Please don't pay attention to the stuff all over the needles. Only the flocking down the center of the branch. (I'm running out of branches. Trying different things on the same branch. The other side of this one has styrofoam snow. LOL)

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=8&pictureid=498

So what do ya'll think? Closer to the real thing? Needs more work? Everyones input is still needed.

Right now this is a two part application. But I could make the edges lighter and even seal everything down with a third mix.

[Sickie Ickie]

Looks good to me, P!

[putrid]

I'm looking forward to trying Val's suggestion for glitter.

Here's what it is so far.

Part one. Put small and light amount of white paint in a sporadic pattern down the center of the branch.

Part two. Step one,
Mix 10 parts Mod Podge to one part white paint. Make sure it's completely mixed. Paint this over the white paint and along the center of the branch.
Step two. Cover with table salt. Plain o'll table salt.

Step three would give you a lighter look around the edges. Wait till dry. Paint over the fist layer with just Mod Podge making sure you cover a wider area. Cover with salt and glitter.
Because there would be no white paint in this layer the stuff that sticks around the edges would be mostly clear. I'll do a second branch this way.

Mostly fire resistant. Very hard to knock off and should store well. The only problem i can see with this is pets. Cat's and dogs like salt. If this is the stuff I'll use it'll take a bit of time to finish. Got a 7 ft tree. Over 40 ft of evergreen garland. A wreath. And anywhere from 250 to 300 plastic ornaments to flock.

[Just Whisper]

Maybe it's the light from the camera but I think it has a nice wet look. And not bad for mounding either. But you will want some light dusting on the outer edges too. I like it, so far.

[Sickie Ickie]

Is this for inside or outside?

[putrid]

Just Whisper, it's flat as a pancake. The mounding effect is actually an optical illusion caused by the brain's interpretation of the picture. The texture gives a great effect. But you did get me thinking. I was able to make a mix of Mod Podge and ground styrofoam and mound it on a branch. I'm kinda wondering if a person used this to make small mounds and then covered it with the salt and mod podge..... I'll going to have to try that. ( sorry, thinking as i type..LOL)

Here's a pic of the mounded mod podge and styrofoam.

http://www.christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=468

Just inside Sickie Ickie. If I do any fake snow for the out side trees it'll be a white primer. It'll look good from a distance. Just like the tree I had out there this year with the blowmolds. As long as you didn't get to close it looked great. LOL

[Sickie Ickie]

Oh okay. I was concerned about it holding up outside for ya. :)

[Just Whisper]

Wow, now I really see a difference. Just my personal opinion, I think it is just a tiny bit too thick. But the actual mounding effect is good. Now it needs to look wet and sparkly, which I am sure you will get eventually. Dang, you are patient and persistent. I would have just sprayed everything with the canned stuff and been done with it. LOL I am a bit lazy.

[putrid]

Just Whisper, that pic was from an earlier experiment. I'll combined the two to get a new look. Still haven't done it yet. Been kinda lazy all day. Haven't gone anywhere or done anything all day. Need a few of them every now and them. LOL I still have a concern about the mounding. I'm hoping it wont crack over time. Hopefully if it's done in small areas instead of what is shone in that picture it'll stand the test of time.

Sickie Ickie, I'm still looking for ways to extend the space between each layer of branches on the fake trees. Once I get something I can work with I'll start on the Christmas tree farm trees for the outside display. Was thinking of cutting the tree up and adding pipe. With scrap mettle going as high as it is cheap pipe is kinda hard to to come by. PVC wont hold up. The volume of wind caught by the branches would snap that stuff like twigs.

[putrid]

Really liking the way this is turning out. I'm going to pass on the idea of mounding it with Mod Podge and shredded styrofoam. The more I think about it less safe it becomes.

Tried it on a few of the plastic ornaments. Going to go with a mixture higher in paint. Possible 50/50 for the tops of the ornaments. Will still have to check out the glitter Val turned me on to. Stayed home and did nothing yesterday. Did the same today. Guess I should be watching Football but it's not the same when you don't care who wins. besides all I do is sit there and get think about other things I could be doing. LOL

[Sickie Ickie]

I'm a prop-a-holic too, Putrid. I never really followed sports. heh

[putrid]

I wouldn't mind sitting down and watching a football game but I don't really have the time. I catch the MMA every now and them. Might even watch part of a good poker match. I think the TV is second only to the blender as being the least used appliance in the house. LOL

[Sickie Ickie]

Our tv goes as much as the furnace! LOL Regular tv is kinda boring though. Can't wait to have cable again! I miss the food channel, Discovery and CNN.

[Just Whisper]

you guys can have my tv, and my cable but the hubby goes with it.

[Sickie Ickie]

I have enough probs keeping my wife happy. Thanks for the offer though. LOL

[putrid]

Well if he goes all the way from Florida to Chicago he'd better be house broke cuz ya know he's not going to go outside. JK LOL Years ago we didn't have a TV. Couldn't afford one. After not watching it for 6 months or more you realize just how ridiculous the shows really are. Guess that stuck with me all these years.

[putrid]

If I don't find anything this weekend that'll give that white sparkle look of fresh snow I might use something that's dangerous but'll work. Ground glass. It'll give me the look but wouldn't be something I'd recommend anyone with pets that might lick the salt. Or with small kids.
The more I look at flocked trees on the net the more I'm torn between the idea of looking somewhat real and light to just looking cool and heavy. Make two trees? LOL

[putrid]

Well to make things more interesting I just saw powder soap at Wal marts. Haven't seen powdered soap in years. They even have Borax. Got me thinking. What would powder soap do when blended with Mod Podge? And how stable would this be? Guess I could buy the same laundry detergent I use and try it. Worst that could happen is I'd have to use it. LOL End up with a tree that smells like clean laundry? LOL

[theedwin]

my guess Putird is that it would just dissolve in the mod podge and not look like snow.

Edwin

P.S. I maybe watch 4 hours of TV a week. I am just not into TV anymore. It is good for putting me to sleep on the couch tho!!!! :D

[Sickie Ickie]

You think that's good for being tired? Try being waken up at irregular intervals by twins. :p

[Sickie Ickie]

P, I bet the ground glass would look awesome. Maybe a mixture of that and resin? Resin wouldn't let the ground glass flake at all methinks, but I'm not sure how well that would apply to your tree. Like an ice storm came through?

[putrid]

Theedwin. TV is great for putting me to sleep! So good it even works for the few shows I do want to watch. LOL

Sickie Ickie, if I end up using ground glass it'll be used with the Mod podge/paint/salt mix. The glass itself will be ground fine. No splinters. Be mix in with the salt as it's applied over the wet Mod podge. The salt and Mod podge without the paint gives a great iced look.

[putrid]

Thanks to Val's suggestion I made it to Hobby Lobby and found some cool white glitter that'll work great. It's small but chunky and non uniform in shape. Unlike the perfect round circles of the stuff I had. Bought 12 oz of the stuff. Probably have to go back and get more to finish the 6 ft tree.

Was also thinking if I used white lights on the tree I could alter them as well. Coat them with Mod podge and salt. (without getting it on the sockets) It'll either give em a good frosted look or look bad. Lord knows I have enough strands of white minis to play with. LOL

[Sickie Ickie]

I wonder if the coated lights will retain more heat?

[putrid]

Yes they will. Kinda like the difference between the out side temp of a ceramic coated C7 and a clear one. However mini lights don't put out that much heat so it won't be a problem.

[Tatiana]

So...what's the verdict? Pics?

[putrid]

Thanks for reminding me to post Tatiana. Been kinda busy with things. Did try one more mix on the tree. I mixed equal parts powder soap (Tide) with Mode Podge. Then coated with salt and glitter wile still wet. Looked real good. Mounded like the spray stuff. Also fell off like the spray stuff. LOL Sorry, no pics of this one. Another experiment I tried was going over some of the shredded styrofoam coated ones with the mix of Mod and paint then coated with salt and white glitter. Best described as chunky. But the only one to date that has depth and the right texture and stays on the branch. Although it's on the back burner at the moment I'm still hoping to come up with a few more ideas before committing to one.