The Dressmaker's Parfumerie Shoppe

Hello everyone.  I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's holiday.  But the celebrations are over and it is back to the old grindstone.  But the Sin City Stamps design team is still at it and have some wonderful projects to share with you in the new year.

Today I have a fun altered art project to share, using all sorts of mixed media, dies, stamped images, and collage images.  We are sponsored this month by another fabulous company, Altered Pages, who have provided us with some wonderful collage sheets to share with you in our projects this month.

Supplies used:
Sin City Stamps:  Romance (banner); Dressforms (wire dressform)(lace border); Rosette Hearts (three rosettes); Art Journaling with Terri Sproul 2 (bricks)(flourish)
Altered Pages AP-785 Brown ATC collage sheet
Eileen Hull's Window Box die (Sizzix)
Ink pads:  Adirondack Espresso, Colorbox Frost White pigment ink; Memento Art Print Brown; Distress inks in Frayed Burlap, Evergreen Bough, Dried Marigold, clear embossing
Embossing powders: detail white, clear
Astroparche paper; 60lb Mottled Parchment Paper, Prima print paper scraps,
Grunge paste (Paper Artsy)  (modeling paste or spackle will also work)
Gesso (any brand)
Acrylic paints:  Vintage Lace and Nougat Fresco (Paper Artsy)
1/4" Scor-Tape
Mini button brads

Directions:

Cut window box from mat board and put window box together following directions on die.  Do not attach the box to the window frame just yet.  Spread grunge paste all over window frame and box front.  Allow to dry.

Paint window box and frame with white gesso.

After painting with gesso, my first thought was to use my various ink sprays, but I was inspired by a recent post of another one of Sin City's very talented designers, Astrid McClean, to use my Fresco acrylic paints instead.  So I next painted both the box and window frame with the Vintage Lace, then hit the high spots with Nougat for shading  to bring out the dimension made by the grunge paste.

Stamp bricks randomly onto window frame with Art Print Brown ink.  Smear and wipe off with paper towel.  Remember, this is a very old shoppe, so we don't want perfect bricks.  Distress window frame with Frayed Burlap distress ink.

Resize Parfumerie lady image from the Altered Pages AP-785 Brown ATC collage sheet  to 3-1/2" x 5" and print to fit inside the shadow box behind window frame.  This determined how large to make my shadow box, as follows.

To make the shadow box, cut a piece of cereal box weight chipboard to 5-3/8" x 6-7/8".  

Score along all four sides, first at 3/8" from outer edge, then again at 1" from outer edge.  Paint edges with the same color paint as on the window frame.

Trim off each corner, as shown in photo.  I only removed two corners so you can see the score lines at the corners before they are removed.

Add scor-tape to outer edges only, and fold sides up as shown.  

Adhere Parfumerie lady image to center of shadow box and glue tabs down along each corner to form box.  (I used hot glue for speed, but a good, quick grab glue, held with clamps, would also work well.)  Also, I placed the tabs on the outside of the box, which will not be seen.

Adhere window frame to shadow box.

Here is what it looks like on the back.

To finish off the back, I simply painted it with the same Fresco colors.

Stamp three different rosette images each onto three different Prima print paper scraps, one wire dress form, and Love Potion No. 9 bottle onto one Prima print paper scrap with Espresso ink.

Fussy cut images and ink each with Frayed Burlap, Evergreen Bough, and Dried Marigold distress inks.  Set aside.

Layer each smaller rosette piece consecutively with foam dots for dimension.  Glue fancy toothpicks to the back of each rosette flower.  Set aside.

Add clear embossing ink over bottle image and heat emboss two or three times with clear embossing powder to obtain the glass look.  Set aside.

Stamp and emboss lace border onto mottled parchment paper.  

Fussy cut image and place over bottom of window box, pierce holes through image and box and attach with mini button brads.  Add Frayed Burlap distress ink over lace image.

Adhere window box to bottom of window frame.  Adhere wire dress form and bottle, as shown.  Add some paper shreds and rosette flowers into window box.  See photo for placement.

Die cut photo wheel, cut in half, paint with Vintage Lace and Nougat, let dry.  Randomly stamp large flourish over photo wheel with clear embossing ink and heat emboss with clear powder.

Rub Frayed Burlap distress ink over wheel, wipe excess ink from embossing.

Adhere photo wheel to top of frame.

Stamp banner portion only onto Astroparche paper, coloring only the outside image with a Vintage Photo distress marker.  Using a marker makes it simple to stamp just a portion of your stamp, and if the ink starts to dry before you finish, just huff your breath onto it to re-moisten the ink.

Computer generate "Dressmaker's Parfumerie Shoppe" onto a sheet of paper, then align the stamped banner image over it and tape in place.  Run it through your computer again to get the phrase printed inside the banner.  Fussy cut image. (TIP:  Place the wording page on your monitor and let the light of your monitor help you see through the page with the stamped banner image to align it for printing.)  Adhere over photo wheel with foam tape.

I hope you enjoyed my altered art project today, and will give some of these techniques a try.  Thanks so much for stopping by, and be sure to visit Sin City Stamps to see all the new products they have, including chipboard, mini books, and die cuts, all to match and go along with your stamps.  And for collage sheets and mixed media needs, Altered Pages is the place to visit.  

Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy the beginning of the New Year!

Barbara

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I can hardly believe it is now 2014.

I have a brief post for you today.  It is a simple tag that could be given as a New Year's card, or better yet, hang it from a nice bottle of champagne or wine when you visit your friends or family to ring in the New Year.

I used my Silhouette to cut out the ornate frame, sizing it to fit my Happy New Year collage image, and also sized the tag shape to be large enough for the frame.  I embossed the tag with a harlequin embossing folder and added some gold ink to the embossing.  For added bling, I ran a thin gold line sticker along the inner edge of the frame.  This really added so much to the whole look.

I die cut a portion of a picture wheel from gold print paper and added tan card stock beneath the wheel with "2014" rub ons to fit inside each opening.    I first adhered the picture wheel, then added the framed collage image with foam tape for dimension.

After inserting some pretty ribbon through the tag hole, I adhered a paper flower and a couple of scraps of botanicals I had laying on my desk.

Tie an extra length of ribbon through the hole and around the neck of your gift bottle.  Voila!  What a beautifully decorated hostess gift.

Supplies used:

Graphic 45 papers and card stock (Christmas Past, Core-dinations)
Altered Pages AP-1133 Happy New Year collage sheet
Various dies and cutting machine
Embossing folder
Number rub-ons
Ribbon, botanicals

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for stopping by and supporting me throughout this past year.  I wish everyone peace, prosperity, health and happiness throughout 2014 and always.

Hugs,

Barbara

New Year's Card

Hello everyone!  There are only two days until Christmas.  Can you believe it?  And I know everyone is so rushed this time of year, so I have a really simple little project to share with you today.  It is a card again.  I know, I do a lot of cards, but if you celebrate the New Year, this might come in handy as a New Year's Party invitation, or just simply well wishes to friends and family for a wonderful and prosperous New Year.

I re-sized my Silhouette arched lattice image to fit the New Year's couple image from AP-2058, and adhered both to a piece of print paper from the Glitz Design paper pad that I edged with black distress ink.  This sheet determined my card size for me because I did not want to cut off the lower left portion that says, "Something Good Will Happen Today", which is what everyone hopes for the New Year.  So my card measures 6" x 6".  

I stamped the pocket watch image, which is one of Altered Pages new, original stamps, that I thought is also very appropriate for the New Year, because it is, after all, associated with time, such as, the countdown to midnight.  I silver embossed the image onto another piece of print paper from the Glitz Design pad, cut it out, and colored the pocket watch with a silver Wink of Stella pen, my new favorite tool!  

I could not leave well enough alone, so I added some botanicals to the lower right corner to balance the image and give it some added dimension.  If you are going to mail your card or invitation, you can always leave these off.  I have included a picture of the card front without the botanicals.  It does not look so bad, but I really do prefer adding the botanicals.  

I used another image from AP-1133, "A Joyful New Year", for the inside of my card.  I simply cut it out and inked the edges with some black distress ink.  

Supplies used:
Altered Pages Collage Sheets:  A Very Vintage New Year (AP 2058); Happy New Year! (AP-1133)
Pocket Watch stamp (Time on Your Side set)
Glitz Design Pretty in Pink 6x6 paper pad
Wink of Stella pen (Silver)
Kraft card stock
Silver ink, silver embossing powder
Brown and black distress inks
Botanicals
Silhouette die cutting machine and lattice frame image

This card was so easy to make.  You still have time to make up a batch to send before the New Year.  So take a minute to go check out all the new products, original stamp designs, and collage sheets over at Altered Pages.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a very Merry Christmas, and a wonderful, prosperous, New Year!

Barbara

Leslierahye's A Very Merry Steampunk Holiday Blog Hop

Welcome to Leslierahye's 3rd Annual Very Merry Holiday Steampunk Blog Hop.  I am so glad you took a little time out of your busy holiday schedule to visit today.  We have some fun projects to share with you and some blog candy giveaways, so grab a cuppa, sit back, and just relax and enjoy the hop.

I made a Christmas card to share with you today.  This is my interpretation of a "Steampunk'd Christmas".

Supplies used:

5" x 6-1/2" pre-folded green card (Michaels)
Steampunk'd Christmas rubber stamps (Sin City Stamps)
White Snow Glitter cardstock (The Robin's Nest)
Cut Grass Dylusions ink spray (Altered Pages)
Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium paper pad (Altered Pages)
Wink of Stella glitter pens (Altered Pages)
Winter Pine Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)
Silver, Brass pigment ink pads
Silver detail embossing powder
Vintage Photo distress ink pad
Sizzix Wall Clock Bigz die (Tim Holtz)
Decorative Label punch (Stampin' Up)

Start with a 5" x 6-1/2" pre-folded green card.  Layer a piece of White Snow Glitter cardstock trimmed slightly smaller than card front (4-3/4" x 6-1/4").   Spray with Cut Grass and Winter Pine, let dry.

Stamp and silver emboss gears in open areas on the White Snow Glitter cardstock.  Edge cardstock with silver ink pad.  Adhere to card front.

Die cut wall clock from heavy chipboard and coordinating papers from the Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium paper pad.  Layer papers onto chipboard clock, as shown.

Stamp and silver emboss one of the gears from the stamp set onto the circle piece from the wall clock parts and adhere to the chipboard circle for dimension.  Ink clock hands with Vintage Photo distress ink and adhere to clock (gear) face.  Attach wall clock to card front with foam tape.

Stamp and silver emboss "Steampunk'd Christmas" onto a scrap of the print paper and punch out with decorative label punch.  Edge with silver ink.  Adhere to wall clock with foam tape.

Ink pendulum with brass pigment ink and adhere to card beneath wall clock.

Stamp steampunk Santa onto white paper with stone gray ink.  Color with colored pencils and Wink of Stella glitter pens.  Fussy cut Santa and adhere to card with foam dots.

There you have it, a fun steampunk'd Christmas card for your "punky" friends.

Thanks for stopping by today, and please be sure to leave a comment and follow our blogs, if you don't already.  This will enter you into the drawing for any giveaways being offered today.  Below is a list of the hop participants to help you find your way.



Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Steampunky Hugs,
Barbara

Butterfly Mini Book

Hello everyone!  So glad you stopped by today.  I have a super fun project to share using some of the newest products from Sin City Stamps, and my favorite technique I learned from Finnabair, aka Anna Dabrowski.  As you will see, this technique allows you to use whatever supplies you have on hand, whether or not the colors match.

Supplies Used:

Sin City Stamps:  Butterfly Chipboard Book, Gears Die Cuts, Gears 3 Die Cuts, Animal Print Stencil
Love of Butterflies, Art Journaling with Terri Sproul 2,
Paper flowers and embellishments (Recollections, Prima)
Metal gears (Tim Holtz)
Ink Sprays:  Seven Seas, Chocolate Covered Cherries (Tattered Angels); Cut Grass, Funky Fuchsia (Dylusions)
Ink Pads:  Encore Gold Metallic, Versafine Smokey Gray, Vintage Photo distress,
Metallic Creams:  German Silver (Baroque Art); Olive, Gold, Copper, Black (Craf-T Products)
Glue n Seal (Ranger)
Hard Molding Paste (Golden)
White Gesso (Ranger)

Directions:

Front Cover:

First of all, I want to show you the quality of these laser cut wood book covers.  These are the most sturdy substrates, and you will be able to embellish these with heavy-duty embellishments without losing stability.

Adhere die cut gears and clock hands with glue n seal to front cover.

Apply hard molding paste through animal print stencil and let dry.

Adhere flowers and metal embellishments, as shown, and paint everything with white gesso, let dry.

Spray cover with ink sprays, dabbing some of the colors off, and re-spraying until you like it.

Blend colors a bit with a damp paintbrush and dab off more with a paper towel.

Apply metallic creams to the die cut gears, flowers, and metal embellishments (gold), clock hands (green metallic), stenciled areas (black and gold metallic) and add some gold metallic around the edges.

Cover metal filigree butterfly with German silver metallic cream and adhere to cover, as shown.  Lift wings a bit for dimension.

Glue chain and metal hanger to center of butterfly, as shown.  Add small metal clock face, lightly inked with brown archival ink, and tiny pearl to center of clock hands.

Here are a few more close-ups of the front cover embellishments.

Inside Front Cover:

Stamp large butterfly onto die cut butterfly book page with grey ink.

Color with colored pencils, distress ink, and add a bit of clear Wink of Stella pen to white flower petals and butterflies.

Stamp small swirl design around the edge of the paper with Encore gold metallic ink.  Adhere to inside front cover.

Back Cover:

Adhere ribbon, lace, die cut gears, paper flowers, leaves, and metal embellishments to cover with Glue n Seal.  Let dry.  Trim excess lace and ribbon.

Paint entire piece with white gesso and let dry.

Spray cover with ink sprays, dabbing some of the colors off, and re-spraying until you like it.  Blend colors a bit with a damp paintbrush and dab off more with a paper towel.

Apply metallic creams to the die cut gears, flowers, and metal embellishments (gold), clock hands (green metallic), stenciled areas (black and gold metallic) and add some gold metallic around the edges.

Inside Back Cover:

Paint inside back cover with white gesso while adhering die cut gears.  Allow to dry.

Spray cover with ink sprays, dabbing some of the colors off, and re-spraying until you like it.  Blend colors a bit with a damp paintbrush and dab off more with a paper towel.  Apply metallic creams to the die cut gears.

Add a few metal gears and clock face with brad over die cuts, as shown.

Here you can see the back (left) and the front (right) side by side.  There are several die cut pages inserted in the middle to be decorated as you choose.  

I hope you enjoyed my project this week, and that you will hop on over to the Sin City Stamps store to see all of their new and wonderful products.  They have so many items to go along with your stamping needs and you will fall in love, as I have, with them.  Also, check out the coupon page for their whopping 40% off everything in the store sale, through December 22nd.  And there is also a design team call going on right now.  You can get all the details here.

Have a wonderful weekend,  a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year too!

Barbara