Shabby Chic Round Robin

Well this is the last I will be posting about my Kindred Souls round robin contributions.  Sadly this swap is coming to an end.  For this post I will be showing off two pages both with shabby chic themes.

The first book page here is for Carol.  Her theme was inspirational sayings with a shabby chic feel. She also mentioned that she liked things with wings.  I used a variety of Graphic 45 paper including sheets from A Ladies' Diary and Botanicabella.  The key and key hole were aged with acrylic paint and gilders paste.

Gloria's book continues the same theme, so I stayed in a similar color palate.  I stretched myself to use some old trims I had on hand.  Lots more Graphic 45 with chip board parts and more metal staples.

One of my tried and true strategies when edging out this type of page is to use decorative tapes.  I love that this hides my sloppy cutting.  The edges were waxed with gilders paste as well.

On the back of this page I have used a sheet from an old Sears and Roebuck catalog.  I thought the imagery fit the theme well.  I did add a subtle layer of shimmer with a spritz of ink and a stencil.

I really had a nice time stepping outside of my usual style.  This is why I like to play in swaps such as this.  I am eagerly awaiting the return of my journal.  I will be sure to post when it arrives.

P.S.  Gloria, I could not resist adding a few bits of junk to the outside of your book.  I hope you don't mind!

Cheers, 

Rhea

Graphic 45 Design Team 2012 Audition

Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land among the stars. - Les Brown

A recent call for design team members by Graphic 45 has intrigued me enough to shoot for the moon.  I adore their papers, so much so, that I still wince a little inside when I cut their beautiful prints.  I have to keep the outcome in mind as I snip, fold and glue, I also save the smallest bits. They make crafting so intuitive and easy with their offerings.  It is really hard not to achieve a gorgeous outcome when using their wares. I hope you will take the time to enjoy my portfolio of projects intended as a part of my application. 

My most recent project features my favorite paper line ever, Steampunk Debutante.  I used what I had left from completing my Steampunk Mosaic piece, which will be seen shortly.  I hope to get my hands on the Olde Curiosity Shoppe soon.  I am itching to transform that paper into an interesting project or two.   



This altered policy envelope book is filled with the rich imagery provided by this line.  I added lots of metal, found objects, charms and fibers to add lots of interest and movement.  There are tags and pull outs inside each of the pages to provide additional interaction, all made with Graphic 45 goodness.  A few sheets of Botanicabella were used as well, and they blend seamlessly.  If you want to peek deeper inside of this treasure, please see my previous post. 

             

              

This next piece I now have on display in my dining room.  It is the largest project I have made to date, and I really love it.  I often use a close up of this piece as my avatar, I have loving referred to her as the gear gal.  The dimension on this piece was achieved by using small canvases.  The key to a nice composition here was taking some of them off of the large base.  I used lots of gears I purchased at a clock makers estate sale.  Additional bottles and found objects add interest to my eclectic mosaic.  To enjoy more close ups of this project you can explore here or here.



Here is a Kaisercraft clock that I altered with Botanicabella paper.  I love the warm hues and the presence of nature of this collection.  Butterflies are a favorite symbol of mine.  They were used to embellish and add dimension in this simple altered object.





The next two projects are made with another all time favorite from Graphic 45, Once Upon A Springtime.  I have always adored fairies and the rabbits remind me of Peter himself, a childhood favorite.  Another element of this line that I admire is the palate, I love the choices they made in regards to color here. If you want to read more about this project you can find additional information here.





I love all the shells, fibers, buttons and altered pins that give this little book/card dimension.  Another favorite is the vintage key with a heart shaped hole. I showcased one of the postcard images.  As my loyal followers know, I adore all things postal.  The fact that Graphic 45 always has postal elements pleases me greatly.

 

Here is my Once Upon a Row of Houses project. As always the paper is the star and makes for easy work. 



My little row of houses was put on my mantle for blog photos and ended up finding a permanent home there.  One day after purchasing a small paper stack of Christmas Emporium, I had the insight to alter the back of my row of houses in a Christmas theme.  You can read more about that project here.  I love the fact that I can simply reverse it during the holidays to update the theme.



Finally, I wanted to show off one of my assemblage pieces.  I have a real passion for this type of art, so I wanted to include it in my application, even if the project was not Graphic 45 centric.  It is called Steampunk Springtime and this was my first free form assemblage. This piece also put my blog on the map.  I love making something from nothing.  Here is the original post about this piece. 



As always I have much gratitude for those of you who follow along!  I hope you enjoyed this lovely little Graphic 45 review. While it is a bit scary to put myself out there in such a way, I am energized by the chance at a dream.

I have loved the stars to fondly to be fearful of the night. - Sarah Williams

Cuckoo for Botanicabella

Inspired by so many amazing projects at the recent CHA show, I decided to try an alter a Kaisercraft cuckoo clock I have had on hand for a while.  Going with a 'use what you have' mantra, I dug into my paper stash telling myself that I really could cut into some of the papers I have that I covet and horde. Most of my Graphic 45 papers fall into this category.  I love them so much, I just don't want to cut them! I decided upon the Botanicabella collection and I think it turned out really lovely.

 

I love all the imagery of this line as well as the palette.  I decided to showcase the queen bee as a nod to this weeks challenge over at Simon Says Stamp and Show as they are calling for kings and queens.  I always love trying to find a clever way to intrepret their themes! The crown was altered with a bit of alcohol ink to dull it down and fit into the color scheme. 



I scattered butterflies that were fussy cut from their paper after spritzing them with Radiant Rains mist.  I left many of them with wings raised to add dimension to the piece.  

I also used distress stains on this project.  I am in total love with these.  The only challenge is getting it in all the corners.  I simply apply a bit on my craft mat and add with a paintbrush.  It is tedious, but so worth it. 

The pine cone cut outs also got a splash of glimmer to add texture and a bit of sparkle.  They were attached with some bits of chain I recently scored on clearance.  I love it when I actually find a use for those bits that I pick up "just because" they are on good deals. 

I can't wait to find a spot for my new little clock to hang!

Thank you as always for stopping by, it really means the world to me.

Cheers,

Rhea