Dream Tag Banner

Somehow this little project for Graphic 45 got lost in the mix!

I made this right before the new year and I incorporated some secret journaling about my dreams and goals for the year.

One thing I wanted to symbolize in this project, was being free to use my "good" art supplies.  I tend to hang on to the really special stuff...so for this project I used a few coveted scraps of the retired Steampunk Debutante collection. 

This is my absolute favorite from Graphic 45 and I dream of them releasing it again in one of their collectors editions. 

The hinges on this project really help to add heft and weight to the project.  I just love metal embellishments.  The filigrees on the top also frame things out nicely. 

Another item I used that I had on hand were old embossed and gessoed gears that I had die cut.  I am always so happy when something I have been hanging onto finds it's proper home!

The project is double sided.  On the "back" of the tag banner I started off by journaling.

In order to keep my thoughts and dreams private, I decided to add some elements.  This way the meaning that I established is still present, but they are secret.

I used lots of spray inks and layers to achieve interest and texture.

And here are photos of the whole front and back!

I hope you enjoyed this unique way to journal!

Cheers!

Rhea

Graphic 45 Finals!

My dear readers,

I am shocked and humbled once again by the acknowledgement of my art by my favorite paper company Graphic 45.  It was announced today that I made the finals for their 2013 Design Team!  Me, a self made mixed media gal who is really relatively new to doing this type of work, how crazy cool!  As a current designer at Alpha Stamps I have found this process to be a gift to my creative muse as I am continually challenged and inspired.  I would be blessed to represent Graphic 45 and I honestly feel honored to have made it this far. 

I wanted to post a few images that I submitted in my application as so many of you are stopping by to visit.  Thanks for your time, it is appreciated more than you will ever know!!! 

I have also added links if below you would like to see more of these projects.

More Birdsong Bliss



Steampunk Journal with Jewels



Steampunk Halloween Apothecary



Olde Curiosity Shoppe

Thanks again for all of your support and well wishes.  To those of you who are new you are welcome to subscribe as you see fit, I would love to have you.

Cheers,

Rhea

Graphic 45 Design Team Call Audition 2013

It occurred to me today to try and use some of the "luck of the Irish" of St Patrick's Day to assist in today's application for Graphic 45's current design team call.  I seriously love the products made by this company and I think it shows in my work.  In this post I will highlight a six of my favorite projects, with lots of Graphic 45 products to be seen. 



The letterbox tray above is one of the top posts on my blog and I have also seen it many times on Pinterest.  Here I used one of my favorite papers, Old Curiosity Shoppe.   I think Steampunk Debutante is my next runner up and it is the focal on the next two projects. 



This large mosaic piece hangs in my dining room and I really love it.  It was so hard at the time to use up all those cool gears, but now I get to enjoy them in my art every day.

The book below is another great piece.  Here I finished off all of my paper left over from the project above.  Inside the envelope book are lots of great tags and inserts. 

I would have to say that assemblage is probably my favorite medium to work in.  This next project is a very fun Halloween Assemblage piece that also gets lots of traffic here.  My Steampunk Apothecary employs a very nice collection of different Graphic 45 papers.  I used the Kraft Reflections, Old Curiosity Shoppe and Halloween in Wonderland.  Amazing how seamlessly they all work together.



It was hard to choose between two different Birdsong projects I have recently done. 







Since I could not decide on which one, I ended up choosing to include them both. 





Thank you as always for tuning in.  I hope the luck of the Irish is with you today too!

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

Steampunk Journal with Jewels

This is another one of those projects that has been rattling in my brain for a while.  Although it pained me to do so, I used up most of my Graphic 45 stash of Steampunk Debutante paper.  At least I have a pretty book to show for it!  I used a lot of items from the G45 line in this project.  The policy envelope book was one of those things I saw online and really wanted, so when I found it at Altered Art Addicts in Jackson, I was super excited. 

One of my favorite tricks on the cover, was how I altered the key.  I used a patina product on just the key part of the embellishment, helping the clock and wings to stand out.  I also cleverly lined up the key to mimic the pattern on the paper. 





Early on in my creating process, I decided to add lots of embellishments and metal.  I love to use jewelry techniques in my mixed media projects, as this is where my creative roots lie. 



The orientation of this book also makes it unique.  I thought my use of space allowed me to use my papers in a more effective way.  I adore the wings I attached here with Tim Holtz's charm clips.  It was a happy accident but they move perfectly as you turn the pages. 

Here again I used a charm clip to attach my jewelry.  On this art charm I have a pendant I made with resin, watch parts and tissue tape.  It has been lying around for a while, I was glad to find it a proper home.



Inside of each envelope page has a little something tucked inside.  This tag was fashioned from the packaging that the Graphic 45 trims came on.  You can see the trims used through out the project too.  I love to repurpose things in my art, especially if they were meant for the trash can.  A few of these supplies also came from Dillon's Scrapbook Center, another local shop. 

Here is another shot of my favorite gal.  I just love this sheet of paper. I made a pretty big error on this page, and I will let you in on my secret.  The framed butterfly is totally crooked.  A little bit of texture from the ribbon and a successful distraction takes the eye away from my mistake.  The wings were colored with a bit of acrylic paint and some rub and buff. 

I used consistent or complementary background papers on each spread.  It helps to unite each set of pages.



I actually also mixed in some other Graphic 45 paper in this project from the Botanicabella line.  They are so smart to keep their palates similar as they blend seamlessly. 



I love the little vintage "souvenir" metal embellishment.  It was given to me by a colleague who picked it up for me after seeing some of my assemblage art. 



I love all the butterflies.  They were each fussy cut one by one.  I used them throughout the book, again bringing in some continuity.  Another tiny detail I added for fun, a women peeking out behind the keyhole. I wish you could see the other side of the key, there is the most amazing natural patina on there. 

  

I love the little metal pull tag here.  This was done by gluing two of these little metal things back to back.  I have no idea what they were for, but they worked for this.  The background of this pull out is actually the back of a paper pack. 

One of my favorite things about Graphic 45, they include faux postage in every line.  I adore all things postal.



I love how all the journal jewelry can be seen on other pages. This last page has to little tags in it.  Apparently, I was on a roll!

Another tag with my "gear gal" on it.  Oh how I adore her!  She looks better with real gears in her hair though. :)



I hope you enjoyed checking out my little exploration in Graphic 45.  I had a blast creating this from all those things that are so hard to use. 

My original intention for this post was to make a video tour of this book, however it proved difficult given the orientation I chose.  That was something I did not think of before assembling!  I used a lot of photos to try and assist.  My apologies to those with slow computers!

Cheers,

Rhea