After months of cozy winter nesting, there’s something about spring that makes us want to open the windows, clear a little space on the craft table, and make something fresh and beautiful.

The way the lush botanicals play with the gilded motifs in this one is sooo pretty. The florals from our full-color transfers create this darling backdrop, while the gilded details tuck in like little glints of vintage shimmer. Combining florals and gilded transfers is one of our favorite ways to use the gilded transfers to that elevated look. 

Vonnie mixes whimsical foliage from Flora Greca with vintage ephemera from Papillon, and it’s such a gorgeous combo, but this is your moment to play! Picture the wildflowers from Wilde Bloemen layered with those hand-painted floral accents from Si Belle. This is hands-down one of our favorite ways to use Gilded Transfers. 😍

In today’s tutorial, our lovely IOD Artisan Vonnie Smith is sharing an elegant and whimsical spring project where she layers transfer bits from the Flora Greca Transfer and Papillon Gilded Transfer to dress up our brand-new wood gallery frames. 

She’ll show you how to add trims with IOD Air Dry Clay and the Trimmings Moulds, build a gorgeous base with chalk-style paint, and finish with scrumptious crackle for a charming vintage finish. Along the way, Vonnie shares her best tips for attaching air dry clay castings to trims, visualizing the final look when layering transfers and gilded transfers, and applying gold gilding wax to catch the details.

Grab your IOD goodies from your local stockist and follow along—this one is full of techniques you’ll reach for again and again. If you’re not sure where to find a stockist near you, use our store locator. 💕

• Flora Greca Transfer 
• Papillon Gilded Transfer 
• Trimmings Moulds 1
• Trimmings Moulds 2
• IOD Air Dry Clay 
• IOD 11” x 16” Large Arch Gallery Blank 
• IOD 7” x 10” Small Arch Gallery Blank 
• IOD 12.7” x 15.7” Large Oval Gallery Blank 
• IOD 8.5” x 10.6” Small Oval Gallery Blank 
• IOD 5” x 5” Tiny Square Gallery Blank

• Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Old White*
• Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Firle*
• Annie Sloan Clear Wax 
• Corn Starch 
• PVA Wood Glue 
• Wood Putty 
• Little Blade 
• Crackle Medium 
• Gold Gilding Wax 
• Dark Wax 

*we used a chalk-type paint in this tutorial, but there are many brands and types of paint, talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

STEP ONE: CAST THE TRIMMINGS MOULD

To cast your moulds with IOD Air Dry Clay, start by rolling the clay into a strip about the length of your mould, then press it in firmly so it moulds into all those scrumptious details. Scrape off the excess using the built-in micro rim so the back is clean and flat. 

Next, flip the mould over and gently peel it back to release the casting. For the small square frames, let your trimmings dry before you glue them on, but for the oval pieces, go ahead and paste them on while they’re still soft using wood glue so they’ll flex into shape beautifully. 

Quick Tip: Don’t worry if the clay shrinks a bit once everything dries—just fill any tiny gaps with wood putty or more air dry clay, then use a small blade to redefine the pattern so the repair disappears once it’s painted.

STEP TWO: PAINT THE FRAME INTERIOR

Vonnie states that you can do this in any particular order, but she decided to paint the inside of her frames with white chalk-type paint first. 

STEP THREE: APPLY YOUR TRANSFERS 

Vonnie likes to start by cutting her transfers up and sorting them into little piles by shape, size, and theme—it makes it so much easier to “audition” pieces, shuffle things around, and land on a layout.

The Gilded Transfer bits in Papillon are the perfect scale to tuck inside the frames, so she’s choosing a few designs to sit under Flora Greca. Once everything is trimmed to size, she’ll use the included tool to burnish the transfer onto the surface, then flip to the shiny side of the backing sheet to press down the edges and make sure every little detail is fully adhered.

STEP FOUR: PAINT YOUR FRAME BORDERS

Use a small brush to apply two coats of green chalk paint to the framed mould details, letting that fresh springy color settle into all the texture and really make the design pop.

STEP FIVE: APPLY THE CRACKLE 

This two-step crackle adds that scrumptious vintage texture and acts as your sealer, so there’s no need to seal first. Brush on the base coat and let it dry until it’s tacky, then apply the top coat and let it do its thing as natural cracks form.

STEP SIX: GILDING WAX AND SEALING

Rub a little gold gilding wax over the cracks with your fingertips, catching just the peaks so the details gleam. Then seal everything with a coat of clear wax, and finish with dark wax worked into the crevices to deepen the shadows.

Once your frames are finished, go ahead and attach the included hanging hardware so they’re ready to display. There’s nothing like seeing all those layers, textures, and gilded details come together. We hope this tutorial leaves you feeling inspired and brave enough to try a new technique or two as you create your way into spring.

Have the loveliest, most creative day! 

If you're just kicking off your creative journey, have no fear — our Product 101 pages are packed with straightforward techniques to set you up for success. We're thrilled to accompany you as you explore and create. For more how-tos and creative inspo, make sure to browse through the rest of our blog.

Once you've crafted your final piece, share it with our Facebook Creative Tribe! This community is not just a showcase but also a supportive hub for when you hit those creative roadblocks. And remember, your local stockist is always ready to assist with IOD supplies and expert advice. We're excited to see what you'll bring to life!