Around the Skellie Neighborhood

Hello crafty friends!  I'm here today to share my latest Halloween-themed Alpha Stamps project. As you know, October's kit is Twilight, and I've used the fantastic Twilight papers found there to create this glimpse into the everyday life of The Skellingtons.  Come take a walk down the lane with me!

I've used linen hinging tape painted black to bind the houses together, and bits and pieces of the twilight papers to bring the houses to life.

Dresden trim of all sorts as well as gold paint highlight the roof lines.

The skeletons are fussy cut and adhered with white adhesive foam.  There are two layers of foam on a few to pop them up more than their companions.

To see all my Alpha Stamps used for the neighborhood, please visit my source list HERE.  Thanks for your visit today!  

Cheers,
Susan

Maisy the Cow

Hello crafty friends!  I'm over on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog, inviting you to join me down on the farm!

I've had this little rubber cow magnet for at least 25 years.  At some point it went from refrigerator to supply box, and now she's made her way back to the farm... or the cow pen.

I used the 3 x 3 Bagatelle Box.  I love these boxes since they are small but deep enough (for a milk bottle!).

I cut my farm-themed papers to size, then glued the box together.  Once it was dry I added the papers with Mod Podge.  Quick and easy!

And here she is, happy to be out of the supply box and back on the farm.

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers,
Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Bagatelle Box 3x3 #ED6E

Edgar Allan Poe Tunnel Shadow Box

Hello crafty friends!  I'm here today to share a new project made with elements from the Alpha Stamps August Kit:  Tunnel Book!

The kit comes with great seasonal papers and timely sunflowers, but my 4x4 Arch Tunnel Book is a little darker with an Edgar Allan Poe theme.  Hey, I'm a Baltimore girl and I can't pass up a Poe project opportunity!

The design team will show you different ways to use the tunnel. I made mine into a shadow box.

To begin, I chose the center element first.  This photo shows how I rigged it up so I could see the chipboard layers and plan the elements.  (Note to self: put wee lights in the next tunnel book.)

I painted all pieces with black gesso, then decided to cover with papers.  The easiest for me was to paint the adhesive onto the tunnel panels, then put that onto the paper and allow to dry.

I cut the centers out with a straight edge on a self-healing mat. See how ragged they are?  My fix for that is sandpaper.  I used two grits - first was 320 to sand the paper up to the chipboard, then a finer grit of 600 (or higher) to "polish" the paper and get it ready for the next step.

Using sandpaper on your projects is a lot like using a good knife in the kitchen.  Choose the right tool and it will do the work for you.  You'll only need the smallest amount of pressure.  And maybe more patience.

White core on paper makes me squint and squish my nose, so I use the edge of a brush marker to color it in.  If you want to try this, keep light contact between the paper and marker -- the paper will soak up only what it needs.  Polishing the paper with the 600+ grit sandpaper keeps the sanded area from soaking up too much ink, so it's an important step.

I used the brush marker (brown or black) to color the edges of all the collage sheet elements.  When doing this, make sure you always come from behind, as I've done in the photo below.  It's easy to "fall off" the edge of the element (especially fussy cuts) and accidentally swipe a dark brush stroke on the surface.  Much better to have that on the back than the front!

Here's a view of the panels, ready for assembly.  The polka-dot panel is already attached to the Edgar panel (the back of the book).  I was a little eager and didn't photograph before putting those two together.

There are so many great motifs throughout Poe's writing.  Here I've included a raven, heart, cask, skull, and, of course, Lenore, all from Alpha Stamps collage sheets.  There's also a pendulum, eyes, premature burial, and doubles.  Oh... if only I'd used the 6x6 Arch Tunnel Book!  :)

Back to the project at hand, Susan... To create the space in between, I used layered strips of excess chipboard to separate the panels.  I save all kinds of board "just in case".  I'm not a pack rat... just a planner!

Once all the panels were attached, I covered the sides and back with heavy black card stock, and used the same for the top and bottom.

Thanks for your visit today!  You can view my complete Alpha Stamps supply list HERE.

Cheers
Susan


Other supplies used
My Mind's Eye paper
Heavy black card stock
Mod Podge
White glue
Zig glue pen to adhere dresden trim
Gold paint pen around interior window openings
Black gesso and acrylic paint
Black Tombow brush marker

Voltaire Mini Assemblage Box

Hello creative friends!  I'm on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog today, sharing a wee assemblage/shadow box.

I like to use quotes.  A lot.  I have them scribbled on scraps of paper, a white board, a notebook, the tablet; all waiting for inspiration to strike.  Recent events inspired a quote by Voltaire, an 18th century French philosopher.

To see how I made this (featuring mitered corners on Dresden trim!), pop on over to the GSLC blog!

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Mini Shadowbox Set C33P Set of 6 
House Ornament Fence D172HF

Thanks for your visit.  I hope you find positive inspiration today!

Cheers
Susan

The Lady In Red

Hello crafty friends!  I'm over on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog, sharing another project in my occasional Pin-Up series. 

I've been hoarding these 3x5 music cards for years, waiting for the right projects to come along.  "The Lady in Red" is from a 1935 movie musical called "In Caliente".   Head on over to the GSLC blog to see my step-by-step!

Oh! The lady in red
The fellows are crazy for the lady in red
She's a bit gaudy, but lawdy what a personality!

Oh! The lady in red
Is fresh as a daisy 
When the town is in bed.
Dancing and dining 
And shining with originality.

She's very proper;
She's nothing more than a pal.
But oh me! and oh my! 
You'd never stop her,
She'd be a dangerous gal
If she should ever meet the right guy.

Oh! The lady in red
Is she a study,
Oh! buddy what a personality
She's got vitality

Say! have you ever met
The girl who's the talk of the town?
A work of art without a question
You'd better write her number down.

Lyrics by Mort Dixon, 1935.

Thanks for your visit today!

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Arch Top Cabinet with Doors #D11B

Other Supplies Used
Mod Podge
Vintage 3x5 music card (print date 1943)
Pin-Up Girl image
Jute
Black netting
Black tulle
Brass stars
Dresden trim
Graphic 45 Communique papers
Black gesso
Metal washers
Aleene's tacky glue
Chipboard scraps
Matte varnish

Birdsong ACEO

Hello fine folks!  It's Susan here, welcoming you to today's edition of the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts demo!  I have an ATC redux to share.

I have a bin of leftover chipboard parts.  This is different from a bin of leftover parts from assembly of, say, a computer or a bicycle; that's usually bad.  My parts bin holds pieces that are partially used but ultimately (gently) rejected for a project.

In this case, it's an ATC/ACEO from the sarcastic frenzy I was on a month or two ago.  One side was ripped off just like this one here, and the other a pretty yellow design.

I've been dying to do a project with birds in hats (have you seen these Little Hats? So cute!) so off I went.

It didn't go so well.

I wanted the hint of a musical background, so I pulled out a fine clear embossing powder and musical notes stamp.  Turned out the stamp details are way too tiny for embossing powder.  then I tried a larger musical stamp with a light brown embossing powder.  Fail.

I went back to the drawing board, or in this case, the paper pad with the yellow paper.  Instead, I found this music note paper and heard a choir of angels sing!  It had nothing to do with my state of overtiredness and mild frustration.  Really.  Ok.  I might've been imagining it.

In mere minutes I Mod Podge'd over both sides and adhered the musical notes paper and it's coordinating reverse on each side.  Once the papers were dry, I used a straight edge to cut off the excess.

I used the same Mod Podge to attach the three elements.  (The bird was a fiddly and wouldn't wear a hat, so I gave up on that idea.)

Once those layers were dry I cleaned up the edges with sandpaper, painted them with Archival Brilliance Galaxy Gold and Coffee Bean inks, then finished with a matte varnish.

 

 

Thanks for your visit today! 

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used

Chunky ATC Blanks #C33O

Other Supplies Used

MME /Lost & Found/ Sunshine 6x6 paper

K & Co Brenda Walton Design Elements

1/8" snap-together letter stamps

Archival Brilliance - Coffee Bean Ink

Liquitex Basics matte varnish

Mod Podge - matte

Atelier: Mini Sewing-Themed Album

Hello creative friends!  I have an Alpha Stamps project to share with you today, made with gorgeous paper and a wee 4-inch chipboard album.

There's a feeling of nostalgia and comfort that comes from vintage sewing artifacts and ephemera.  I've collected enough bits and bobs over the years to have a vintage-sewing-themed guest bedroom, including an old singer treadle machine as a side table.

I was thrilled to see Stamperia's Atelier paper pad, a beautiful nod to seamstresses everywhere.  I couldn't wait to work with it.

Don't get me wrong - I am NOT a seamstress.  Funny story - when we lived in Pennsylvania, my husband and I hosted an annual Christmas party for a few neighbor friends.  There were a total of 4 couples and we did a funny gift exchange.  One year I made fleece pajama pants for everyone.  We had the weekend morning habit of wandering to someone's house for porch coffee -- usually in pajamas --  so I bought a pattern and matched the fleece designs to their personalities as best I could.  I sewed for months.  I was relieved when the last pair was finished, and tickled when everyone put them on at the party.  Needless to say, I haven't made a garment again.  It was fun to walk out my door and see those jim-jams that winter, though.

I mostly use my sewing machine on paper now, as you can see on each page of this tiny album. 

I loved working with this Memory Hardware Tiny Chipboard Album.  Leslie, our fearless Alpha Stamps leader, knew I wanted to embellish the heck out of this paper so she searched high and low for the perfect base.  Thanks Leslie!

The spine is white sticky canvas with a few coats of matte varnish to give it more structure and keep from fraying.  I supplemented the sticky back with white glue, just in case...

Let's take a peek inside!

The dress form on the right is great on it's own, so I only outlined it with a silver star jelly roll pen to give it a little sparkle.

Once they can no longer be worn, my husband gives me his old silk suspenders to reuse.  The collection of fabric "shirting" samples are actually very old quilt blocks that came in a large vintage sewing auction lot I won a few months ago.  These are my favorite pages of the whole album.

This is a small sampler of crochet laces.  I found the celluloid thread cutter in that auction box, also.

The dress form and thread top are just a few in the Atelier paper pad.  I wrapped brown ribbon around the waist and sewed a blue button with a lace scrap onto it.

A few notes on construction.  I painted the album edges white, and added linen hinging tape between each page to give a fabric-y look without adding any bulk.  It coordinates with the white canvas I used on the spine.

To help pick out a specific part of a paper design, I cut a piece of acetate to fit my item (in this case, the front and back covers), then hovered it over different designs until I find the perfect one.  After the outside was done, I trimmed the acetate to fit the pages, then set it aside for the next project.

There is a fair amount of hand sewing here, including the large mother-of-pearl button closure.  I punched two holes in the chipboard before covering with papers and added the button at the end.  That message was appropriate since I poked my fingers a few times... ouch.

The suspenders were added before the page was attached to the book.  I sewed the buttons on and attached the suspenders part with a zig-zag stitch mirroring the one on the fabric.

The dress form charm dangles on a sturdy eye pin from the jewelry section of a craft store.  I used cream seam binding for the closure.  The other end is glued between the inside back cover paper and the chipboard. 

Thanks for your visit today!  A complete Alpha Stamps supply list for this project can be found HERE!

Cheers
Susan

A Secret

Hello crafty friends!  I'm over on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog today with this wee house of secrets.  I'm fascinated by the secrets people keep, from big whoppers to little things that can cause big misunderstandings.  I'm all for honesty and communication, even when it's hard.

Allow me to reveal all...

This "secret" key had been hanging around my stash for at least 5 or 6 years (if not more).  I had the chance recently to work with Stamperia's 'Time is an Illusion' paper, and set aside a small image of a woman's face.  I figured it could be a big element of a small project... then I found the key.  Bingo.

I started with the GSLC Tiny Little Shadowbox Houses #1.  This comes as a set of two houses.

I gave it a coat of white gesso first.  I thought at first I'd do a light base color, hence the white gesso.  I quickly decided to go dark, and repainted the seams with black.  (I took the photo after the shingles were added, so ignore them for a minute.)

Aaand a minute's up!  It's shingle time.  I used Tiny Shingles - Standard, alternating the seams.  (At this point, I thought I would hang something from the roof, but ended up skipping it and covering the hole.)

Once one side was fully shingled, I added shingles to the other side but left the last one off to give the scissors room to trim.  Before cutting, it's best to allow the glue to dry completely overnight.  Trim the shingles on both sides, then add the final layer.  I held that final piece in place until the glue set up, in order to ensure there wasn't a gap at the top.  Once dried, I trimmed that one, too.

The keyhole got a coat of Lumiere brown metallic paint, then I lightly swooshed my finger across the high details with a little copper metallic paint.  It took a few swooshes to get the coverage I wanted.

By this time in my project, the papers are adhered with modge podge, except the inside bottom.  The night before, I used E-6000 to attach the painted black base to the shadowbox, with the intention of adding the final paper once the E-6000 dried.  The next day I realized the weight of the key would have made this top-heavy with such a small base, so I added a metal washer and wider wood.  Once that cured overnight, I painted with black gesso then acrylic.

I'll share a secret with you:  I use the washer trick a lot.  I really makes a difference for the stability of shadow boxes, altered Altoids tins, and the like.  Plus, layering wood bits in this way helps give projects their own uniqueness.

Now, back to the face image... I love that she's right behind the key.  Does she have secrets, or is she the secret?

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers
Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Tiny Little Shadowbox Houses 1 - #C20A
Tiny Shingles Standard BB57A
Keys Engraved D12Q - coming soon

Other Supplies Used
Stamperia Time Is An Illusion
black gesso
black acrylic paint
wood bits
E-6000
TH "secret" metal key
Tiny eye screw
White glue
Black twine
Metallic paints
Pilot gold marker
Tiny gold balls