Sandra Evertson Relics and Artifacts-Time Watchers

Hello Makers!

Sandra Evertson, Relics and Artifacts is holding her annual Relics and Artifacts Talent Search #RATalentSearch. The goal is to make a project using the Resin Blanks; the winner gets published in Where Women Create, a Stampington Magazine. I decided to submit a project. I enjoy making assemblage work in the first place, so the competition is a plus.

I decided to make a clock with the Visage Resin Blanks. They are faces and I find them fascinating. I like the idea of art that one can peek through; it's as if the artifacts are holding a secrets. I also like to make up a story and add meaning to my art. So here it goes; the little guys in the clock are ancient gods whose mission is to watch time; they ensure that the natural order of things...well stay in order. They make sure that no one messes with time and space continuum or else chaos may ensue. The blue patina and bronze was inspired by bronze statues of Greek and Roman gods.  If you see another meaning; that's cool too. I just hope you like my Time Watchers Clock.

Steampunk Keepsake Box

Hello Makers!

One of my favorite genres is Steampunk or as others prefer to call it, Vintage Industrial. I like both labels. I like to make Assemblages, bottles and keepsake boxes. It's fun making art in this genre because there are no rules (well almost); there is no right or wrong way and it's liberating because you don't feel the fear of messing up (well, when compared to say....watercoloring). If anything, you just want grunge things up. What I also like about Steampunk is the spirit of recycling or if you prefer "upcyling", using discarded objects and giving it a new life. As the matter of fact, you are not a cool kid if you don't make your Steampunk projects from discarded objects, so I hear...just teasing.

I decided to make a Steampunk keepsake box from a cigar box that I got my local tobacco shop for free. I used cardboard to make the sheet metal. The cardboard is part of the packaging from all the crafting goodies I order online. Also used a blown out car fuse (the faux power apparatus), clock face, and plumbing hardware (clock face cover). The gears are made of chipboard and metal.  I made the rivets and screws from dimension paint and polymer clay, for the exception of a few screws; they are brads. I have also painted the inside with acrylic paint. Because the lid was too heavy it was causing the box to tip over. So I needed some kind of lid holder. I tried using a couple different metal box lid holders (they look like arms) from the hardware store, but they were too big for the box. I ended up using a necklace chain and real screws as the lid holder; worked like a charm. Hope you like my Steampunk keepsake box.

I am submitting this project to several challenges

Canvas Corp Brands (CCB) May Challenge "Old is New" #ccbchallenge

Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges

Altered Eclectics

Creative Artiste Challenge #26

   

Ruler Necklaces-Makin's Clay

Hello Makers!

Wanted to share my latest make using Makin's Clay®. So earlier this month I had made small canvas for Mother's Day called "Mother's Rule" using stamped Makin's Clay®.  I had leftover rulers, so I decided to make necklaces out of them. Visit the Makin's Clay Blog to view how this project was made, or see images on my blog.

How it's Made

To see how the rulers are made, visit the Makin's Clay blog. I drilled holes into the ruler and set the eyelets, using a regular hardware drill bits. However, I did it manually, no need for power drill; polymer clay in general is soft enough to manually drill trough it. Plus, I'm a little afraid of power tools. The eyelets' opening is 1/8 inch and 2 mm in depth. By adding eyelet it strengthen the hole and keeps the clay from breaking. Plus it makes the pendant aesthetically pleasing. I added the jump rings and 1.5 mm and 2 mm leather cords. I made one of pendants, kind of fancy, by adding wire wrapping.

To make the spiral wrapping, I took a pen apart and used the inside thingy that houses the ink (not sure what it's called), it was the perfect size though. I wrapped the wire in a spiral motion around the ink holder thingy, in essence, I used it as a mandrel. I then fastened the wire to the ruler by wrapping around twice and tucking the tail in back of the ruler. I used silver, round spacers and glass beads for embellishments. Hope you enjoy my little ruler necklaces.

Colorful Creations DT - May Mid-Month Challenge-What Inspires Me

Hello Makers!

My Design Team project at  Colorful Creations for Mid-Month; the challenge theme is "What Inspires You". Art inspires me always; all forms and media. So I decided to make an assemblage piece with an art theme and the words "Art is the Answer". If you feel happy, inspired; your muse may be calling and it's perfect time to a put brush to canvas. If you are feeling down. Well, start doing some intuitive painting, or simply start scumbling on a canvas. In end, you just might get a pleasant surprise or something questionable that makes your head scratch and possibly laugh, see there, your spirits have lifted. Okay, enough art philosophizing, onto the challenge.

About the Challenge "What Inspires You"

What inspires you to be the creator you are, what inspires your creativity, your goals dreams, what or who keeps you grounded. Think of a person, place, music, season, etc. Create something that inspires you. Along with who inspires you, use your favorite embellishments!  Get more information on the challenge by visiting the Mid-Month Challenge site at Colorful Creations.

Mid-Month Colorful Creations Moodboard

How it's made

The substrate is a cigar box, which I have stenciled, gessoed and painted with various acrylic colors. I used discarded brushes, that also have been gessoed and painted. I sculpted the paint tube using polymer clay and have stamped the words "art". The black "art" letters are Tim Holtz Typography letters, they have a 3D look and quite a bit of depth. The rest of the words were printed on paper. Hope you enjoyed my assemblage and tell us what inspires you.

Don't Let Anyone Dull Your Sparkle-Canvas

Hello Makers!

Today I bring you a cute, happy, feel good, shabby chic project. Who does not like cute?  I made this project to enter into several challenges, read about them below.


How it's Made

I started out by priming the substrate, a piece of cardboard from an ordinary box. I stripped out some cardboard layers, leaving the ridges exposed and then applied Gesso. As part of the background I fastened cheesecloth and various types of lace. I then, added color using Lindy's Stamp Gang Cotton Candy Pink, Salt Water Taffy, Cosmopolitan Pink Starburst sprays and Sidewalk Chalk Fabio spray. I then added light wash of white Gesso.

The fairy is a vintage picture of a child printed on photo paper, to which, I have added color and embellished. I added different color Ranger Stickles glitter throughout the project. Added dimension to the tutu with cheesecloth, which, was colored with Lindy's Stamp Gang Salt Water Taffy. I painted her top and socks with pink acrylic paint. The fairy wings are an Etsy digital download from the awesome and talented Nichola Battilana, Pixie Hill, which she designed.  Also, printed on photo paper. The crown is made of cardstock paper and Stickles glitter. The flowers are all paper flowers.  I stamped the quote on cardstock paper. Hope you like it, and remember not let anyone dull your sparkle today and everyday.

I am submitting this project to the following challenges:

Word and Paintery May Challenge

At Mixed Media, the May Challenge "Put a Stamp on it"

At the Vintage Journey, May Challenge "Use a quote"

At Emerald Creek, the May Challenge "Pure Fantasy" 

Makin's Clay DT Project - Moms Rule Canvas

Hello Makers!

Mother's Day is around the corner; a day to honor those unsung heroes...our moms. I personally, think that moms are the cat's meow, awesome, and they simply rule! To express these sentiments, I decided to make a Moms Rule canvas for my Makin's Clay®  Design Team project. To learn how it's made and learn more about Makin's Clay®, visit the  Makin's Clay®  Blog.

Dream Big Dreamcatcher

Hello Makers!

Today I am sharing something I've never made before, a dreamcatcher. I made this for submission to the Canvas Corp Brands (CCB) April Challenge #ccbchallenge. The theme for April is "feathers". I used CCB's Teal Waxed Cord as the hoop. Okay, so it's not an authentic dreamcatcher, rather, it's a colorful, whimsical one. The dreamcatcher is designed to hang on the wall, but had photographed with a colorful background.

How it's Made 

I started out completely soaking the CCB Aqua Waxed Cord, with Sculpting Medium from Finnabair, then made the hoop and let it dry for 24 hours. I used specialty mulberry paper for hoop's background, which was glued to the hoop. I tied various ribbons to the hoop. The feathers are made of mulberry paper and have been painted with acrylic paint. I wire wrapped the feathers to the ribbons, and waxed cord; added flowers, a little birdie and chipboard letters.

Moodboard for CCB's April Challenge "feather" theme

Colorful Creations DT - 1 May Challenge -Throwback-Shabby Chic Project

Hello Makers,

My Design Team project at  Colorful Creations For 1 May is a Shabby Chic Wall hanging. The challenge theme is "Throwback".

So for for Throwback challenge, think of something that suddenly reminds you of something in the past this could be in the form of throwback papers you have, embellishments, tools, throwback themed papers, colors, photos, memorabilia ANYTHING that will help you express any of your favorite past times. For more detail and to see what great prize awaits the winner, visit the Throwback Challenge at Colorful Creations page. 

How it's made 

For my piece I decided to use cardboard as a substrate (goes with whole shabby concept) and used various vintage lace, ribbons, fabrics and fibers. Since everything was not the same color and I wanted everything to look unified, so I lightly gessoed everything and lightly colored the cardboard, lace, fabric and embellishments with Lindy's Stamp Gang Bronze and Silver Moon Shadow Sprays; they are vintage shimmers; also, used Salt Water Taffy, Autumn Maple Crimson, and Cosmopolitan Pink Starburst Sprays to give it the pale pink look. The stitched ribbon, is a real silk ribbon, that I stitched using embroidery thread. The ribbon is very thin and delicate; using  glue stains and destroys the ribbon. So I added a piece of card stock paper to the back of the ribbon and stitched along with the ribbon, then glued the piece to the substrate, looks seamless, I thought. Hope you like my Shabby project.

Colorful Creations Moodboard