Grateful and Happy

Grateful and Happy, the names given to the last two projects I completed for CHA 2016, describe perfectly just how I felt about being asked to contribute. They were assembled on the new Idea-ology Mini Clipboards which are a great size and so much fun to decorate.

The first one features a Watch Cameo that comes with it's own glossy epoxy sticker cover for mounting an image (I used a Found Relative). Other new elements include Plain Tissue Wrap, Mirrored Hearts and Gilded Accents Remnant Rubs along with some old favorites like Chit Chat stickers, Crinkle Ribbon, a Nature Adornment and paper from the Wallflower stash.

I used tiny drops of Liquid Pearls (Ranger) around the edge of the clipboard for some extra bling.

The second clipboard was made by covering it with Wallflower paper (the clip has screws that allow for easy removal) and then attaching a new Vignette Panel on top which served as a support for my assemblage.

The panel is made from wood so I used some whiting to distress and lighten it then sanded it down to expose the grain.

A Flash Card, an image from the Photobooth collection, a Nature Adornment, some Remnant Rubs and paper from the Wallflower stash all went together so easily to complete it.

I hope I've inspired you with my projects, I sure had fun making them! If you missed my other CHA 2016 posts and would like to see them, here's a link.

Forever Young

Using the lid from a vintage cigar box this piece, made for Tim's Idea-ology booth at CHA this year, features:

a Curio Knob, Vignette Boxes, Letterpress, Big Chat, Thrift Shop Ephemera, Apothecary and Corked Vials, an Ornate Plate, Hex Fasteners, Alpha Dice, Box Corners and the new Dapper paper.

And it all started with an idea to cut-up a group photo and put people inside bottles.

I used an Occasions Found Relative for this one that featured children dressed-up in their Easter best. You can also see the Dapper cigar box strips that worked perfectly to cover the front edge of the Vignette Box.

I'd also like to point out the apothecary labels that come with the new brown vials--they make the bottles look so authentic.

To place the children inside, I removed the backing from the photo, cut-out the individuals then curled them slightly so they would fit through the neck of the bottle. To anchor them in place I used a bit of Glossy Accents and the end of a long toothpick as an applicator.

The Alpha Dice makes it easy to spell-out a variety of words as there are multiples of the most common letters in each set.

But for me, the single-most important element in this piece was the blue background paper from Dapper. I had experimented with a variety of papers before choosing this one and the moment I placed it in the background the assemblage was instantly transformed. It's really a terrific collection and I can't wait to see how others might use it.

If you're interested, here's a link to all the projects I made for this year's event.

Legacy

Every book has a story and this one began when I pasted the pages together and cut-out its center.

Its final chapter ends with a stint in the Tim Holtz Idea-ology booth at the 2016 Craft and Hobby Association Convention in Anaheim, California (CHA).

Photo Courtesy Paula Cheney via Instagram

It features three of Tim's new Idea-ology products for this year--a Vignette Box,

some Gilded Accents Remnant Rubs and the Dapper Paper Stash (cigar box strips used along the box front edges).

I also used some old favorites like the Wallflower Paper Stash, a rather famous Found Relative, some Thrift Shop Ephemera and Letterpress.

My idea for stamping onto the letterpress faces came from some artwork by Paula Cheney that's featured on Tim's packaging for the new Framed Panel. If you haven't seen The Flamboyant Mr. Albert (and Paula's great tutorial) here's the link.

The vintage postage stamps are courtesy of my Great Aunt Esther who was a collector and left them to me. One is from Argentina and the other is Belgium.

It was a thrill to be asked to contribute artwork for Tim's booth display because (as so many of you know) working with his products just invites creativity. To see my other CHA projects, here's a link.

Photo Courtesy of Mario Rossi via Instagram

So that's the story with the following epilogue: This book will soon return to anonymity and never again be seen in such magical surroundings!

- The End -

CHA 2015

I spent the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas last year creating pieces for the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Booth at the Craft & Hobby Association's 2015 Annual Show at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

It was not possible to make them public until the show started yesterday, January 10th, so I'm proud and happy to be able to share them now. Click on the images to see a larger view.

I was asked to create a Configurations Shadow Box and it was my first time using this product. I was very impressed with the sturdy construction--it really held up well during my alterations and I had so much fun!

There are many ways to "configure" the box inserts but I settled on a combination of front and back facing surfaces, some whittled down a bit to vary the height.

Found Relatives and the Wallflower Paper Stash were fussy-cut and layered to create a secret garden, some boxes were transformed into windows with rafia curtains, and a stamped and embossed clock and picture frame reside on the walls inside.

Acrylic paint was used on the Foundations Metal Box Feet and I topped it off with a Curio Door Knob and some Linen Ribbon tinted with Victorian Velvet Distress Stain.

Tim's Burlap panels provided the support for the remaining pieces starting with my brave and patriotic heroine who's a Found Relative from the new Occasions series.

The background is a page from the Crowded Attic Paper Stash and I embellished with Industrious Sticker Trim, an Arrow Adornment Metal Charm wrapped with thread, a piece from the Thrift Shop Ephemera Pack and a Curio Door Knob. Small Chit Chat Stickers were used for the text.

I think I found the perfect Small Chit Chat Sticker for this piece which was covered with gesso before applying a page from the Wallflower Paper Stash, a fussy-cut Found Relative and a Nature Adornment Metal Charm.

I call this one "Luigi" (another Found Relative) who was placed on Tim's new Postale Tissue Wrap along with cut-outs from the Wallflower stash, Industrious trims and a Plaquette that was altered with an image transfer.

The Chit Chat stickers come in black and white, the black background worked great for this piece. The border on the top and right-hand side was cut from the pretty background paper found on the back of a Found Relative card.

Gesso was used to alter this panel and then I applied Postale Tissue Wrap, a Found Relative, some fussy-cut Wallflowers (which wrap around the left side of the panel), a piece of Foliage Metal Hardware painted to match and Tim's new Big Chit Chat Stickers.

It was an honor and a privilege to participate in this event. The Idea-ology product line is genius with an amazing variety of quality pieces that are really a pleasure to work with.