Bathing Beauties Beach Cabana

I made this beach cabana for Alpha Stamps, and thought I’d post about it here with a bit of information about how it was made.

I started with some chipboard houses from 7Gypsies. Each set comes with three houses: a solid one, one with 4 small windows, and one with a large cutout. I used two sets, because I wanted to have the large cutout in both the front and back of the cabana. I covered all the sides with scrapbook paper (Graphic45), and inked around the edges. On the front, I used a Travel Adhesive Border to create the waves, and images from the Bathing Beauties #3 collage sheet. I added a metal frame, a seashell, a drink umbrella, and a Cream Resin Sparrow, among other things. 

To create the opening between the front and back, I used matchboxes. I simply stacked four matchboxes like so, and covered the top and bottom with the same striped paper as the front and back.

 Glue the matchboxes between the two sides of the cabana at the bottom. I also added one to the very top near the point of the roof, to make the structure stable. Because it sits under the roof, it will not be seen.

Using an ink pad and a color duster brush (similar to an old fashioned shaving brush), I gave those stark white matchbox drawers a bit of color. For drawer pulls, I used hitch fasteners, but you could always use something like these banded end caps for handles.  Simply glue them on with E6000. I painted the inside of the matchboxes blue, and then decorated them with images and type from the Beachy Postage and Words collage sheet and some seashells. 

Next, I cut some images from some G45 Bathing Beauties Scrapbook paper, and using some foam adhesive, stacked them within the windows of the structure. I know it’s not comfortable for the girls, but I bent their legs back like tabs so I could glue down onto the matchbox base. Sorry, ladies!

Once those were in place, I chose two images from the same Bathing Beauties paper and glued them to the sides of the cabana. The chipboard houses are thick enough that you can put a thin line of glue down and the images will adhere. I cut each image a little wider than necessary so that once they were glued them in place, I could trim them to fit with my X-acto knife. Use a little ink on the sides to get rid of white edges. 

 The roof is cut out of shirt cardboard. Of course, I inked those edges as well; I always ink my edges! I like the finished look it gives. I drew the flag onto some scrapbook paper, and used a black colored pencil to give it some shading to help make it look 3D. 

The flagpole is a bamboo skewer, cut so it can rest on that matchbox near the top of the cabana. Placing and attaching the flag was a little tricky: I figured out where it should sit on the roof, and punched a little hole in the roof’s fold. I fed the flagpole through that hole, and then glued the it down along the side of the cabana while the roof was still loose. Since it won’t be seen, I also used some tape to secure it. Once I was sure the flag was placed correctly, I glued the roof to the top of the cabana using a thin line of glue.

I stacked up some of the foam adhesive under the roof in the front so that the Travel Adhesive Border I used for trim would have some support. Simply peel and stick to the edge of the roof, and rest it on the foam tape. At the apex of the roof, I added a shell I found on the beach in Florida. It was the perfect size and color. 

 I wanted light to show through the cabana, so I glued a thin sheet of blue tissue paper over the opening on the back, and then used BlueDresden Shell Border strips to cover the edges of the paper. A seashell cut from a Travel Adhesive Border and an image from Travel Stamps Varnished Paper complete the look. For the feet, I used some wooden beads from an old necklace.

 And there you have it. All ready for some fun in the sun!

 

 Bonus: I still have four chipboard houses left. I'll have to figure out something exciting to do with them.

Meet The Alpha Stamps Design Team Blog Hop!

I have been an Alpha Stamps design team member for several years. (They just can’t get rid of me!) I love all the wonderful supplies they carry, and having the chance to work with new materials before they are available on the site. Getting sneak previews of up-and-coming collage sheets, rubber stamps, and embellishments is the greatest! Plus, working with other design team members is so inspiring. I hope you enjoy this design team blog hop. This year’s team is so talented, so be sure to visit all the blogs. It’s always so fun to see how, even though we were all given the same supplies to work with, everyone’s creations are so unique. Plus, if you comment on the blogs, you could win some fabulous artwork!

 The artwork I've highlighted in this post was created using new Collage Sheets made for the "Birds in Hats" Swap at Alpha Stamps! (Click on the graphic above for more information on the swap.)

I love using birds in my art. I used 4” by 4” coasters and some fun birdhouse shapes for these projects, plus some fabulous bird themed collage sheets. I couldn’t resist adding some mini pom pom fringe to the edge of this one. I love that stuff!

 Back:

Here’s a little bird ready for a party. She’s donned her best pearl necklace and a fancy hat that’s actually an embellished nest. I added some vintage sequins, some rhinestonres, and some orange Stickles to give this coaster a little sparkle.

 Back: 

 Here’s what you can win from me if you leave a comment here:

Look how fun these bird house shapes are! I set these birdy neighbors up on a little grassy knoll, which is actually a Scrabble tile holder. I painted it green and added some of my favorite fibers and paper flowers to make it look a little more organic. I think it’s a sweet little decoration for spring.

Be sure and leave a comment on my blog to be entered to win. Leave your name and email address so that I can notify you if you are a winner. If you'd rather not leave your email address, please check back on Monday, June 11 to see if you've won. And don’t forget to hop on over to the next Alpha Stamps Design Team Member Blog for more chances to win some fabulous artwork!

Beachy Postcards

Here are some beach themed postcards I made for Alpha Stamps. I love vintage beach images, so this was lots of fun for me. We were given craft colored postcards, some great collage sheets, a set of rubber stamps, and various beachy charms.

Card #1:

Back:

Card #2:

Back:

 

I also did a larger project using some chipboard houses from 7Gypsies, but I have to keep that one under wraps until the June 10 Alpha Stamps newsletter.  I'm really happy with the way it came out.

Wicked Forest Altered Matchbox

I'm hosting a Wicked Forest Altered Matchbox Swap on Craftster with my good buddy cackle, and my partner is none other than the amazing microjivvy. I had to step up my game! I made her this little wicked forest shrine. She's a better photographer than I am, and was gracious enough to let me steal her photo. Here's an enlarged picture to show detail:

 I had a great time making this. I cut the front piece out of cardboard, and glued down the leaf motifs and the half-round metal pieces. Then, I glued wrinkled and then flattened tissue paper on, making sure that the paper clung to those pieces in hopes that it would look like they were carved out. I'm not sure that was 100% successful, but I like the effect. I then covered the drawer of the matchbox with the same paper and inked everything with both black and tan-colored ink to make the texture show.

Then it was time to make the tiny forest. I used some branches from a dogwood tree to make the tiny trees. There's a moon way back in the background, but it did get covered by all the woods! And then there's the little strange man in a suit. He came from Tiny Things Are Cute and is a little less than one inch tall. Here's a lighter pic of the interior so you can see him better. There he is, standing near the right of the box. I put a little moss on the ground, and hung some in the branches to mimic Spanish moss, which is Nature's spooky decor.

I put some Dresden trim around the edge of the arch for a little more texture, and then put glued everything up with a cardboard stand. 

When cackle first suggested "Wicked Forest" as our next theme, I was a bit apprehensive, but it's good to have a bit of a challenge every now and then, so I'm glad we went with it.

Swaps with Friends

My friend Cynthia has started doing pet portraits. When I saw the first ones she did posted on her blog, I shamelessly hinted that she should make one for me. She generously offered to make me one in exchange for some Halloween artwork. So here's what I sent her. An 8" by 8" wooden plaque:

I know Cynthia, so I knew that wasn't going to be nearly enough to pay her back for what she would be sending me, so I also made her one of my Halloween cats:

And an altoid tin. She told me that for Halloween, she loves witches and the moon, and her husband loves the devil, so I altered an image from Alpha Stamps to represent her and the hubby. He's not really a devil...he's got a mask on!

And here's the wonderful portrait of Stella she sent me in return. This is painted on fabric, and then quilted and embellished with sequins and beads. I absolutely love it. I immediately framed it and hung it up.

Cynthia sells her pet portraits. She's also an amazing fabric designer, and all around artist in general. Go visit her blog!

Thanks so much, Cynthia! It's always a pleasure swapping with you!

Road Trip Altoids

Pretty much everyone in my family carries Altoids in their car. (My family is my best source of empty tins!) The other day, my Dad called and asked me to decorate the outside of a tin for his travel Altoids. He didn't have a preferred theme, but I know he loves to travel, and he loves old cars. While I was pondering what to do, I thought about how dependent I am upon my GPS, and how he and my Mom still prefer using a map. I have a terrible sense of direction, so I have tons of maps left over from my pre-GPS existence. Perfect! A map tin!

The top is part of the map showing where my parents and siblings live, with "road trip!" spelled out in tiny stickers. I used 7Gypsies rubdowns for the pointy hand and the vintage truck.

Around the side, their home state, South Carolina.  The bottom of the tin includes the area I live in. You could almost use this map to get to my house, but you'd have to fill in some of the gaps between the top and the bottom!

 

Because this tin will be used for mints, I didn't decorate the inside. Here it is, filled with tasty Altoids mints. The paper sleeve that came with this tin says, "Open Your Mint Hole". Nice.

 I put several extra coats of Mod Podge on this tin, since it will be used often. I hope my folks enjoy it every time they're in the car.

Olde Curiosity Shoppe + Tutorial

I think it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Graphic45 papers, so when Leslie, of Alpha Stamps, asked if I would do a tutorial using their new "Olde Curiosity Shoppe" line, I was more than happy to comply. I had this rather shoddy little house with cubbies that I found at the thrift store for 79 cents (bargain!) and here's what I came up with:

Here's how it was done:

Find a good object to alter. I had a lucky day at the thrift store and found this little house with cubbies for only 79 cents. Gather your supplies. For this project, I used an 8" by 8" pad of Graphic 45 "Olde Curiosity Shoppe" paper, plus a few of their bigger sheets. Also, lots of fun little toys and trinkets, many available from Alpha Stamps.  

Paint the entire item black, and choose several coordinating papers for the background of each box. Cut to size, and ink around the edges.

Glue each background into place.

Using Tim Holtz paper tape, cover the edges of each partition. Trim the tape at each intersection, and fold the edges down to wrap the edges of the walls.

Choose a different paper for the floors of each box, and cut to fit. Ink around the edges, and glue into place.

Cut design elements from the papers and begin to arrange them in the boxes. When you are sure you know where you want each element to go, attach them to the back with foam tape to add dimension. I used some of the G45 stamps designed to go with these papers for extra elements. In this photo, the crow in the center and the Olde Curiosity Shoppe sign were stamped onto heavy cardstock and cut out for use. Now it’s time to start playing around with things you might want to include in each box: old wooden spools, doll arms, game pieces, etc.

If you’re going to add feet, paint them in colors to match your project. The feet used here are wooden candle cups. I striped them, and then painted the lip turquoise with black polka dots for a little whimsy. Attach to the bottom woth E6000 glue.

Keep working with your elements! If you’re like me, you’re going to want to move things around quite a bit before you’re happy with placement. Some things may not make the cut, no matter how much you love them. Add some Dresden trim and some metal embellishments. Cover the back, sides and roof with papers. Ink the edges before adhering.

Begin gluing down your 3D elements using E6000 glue. Cut out several butterflies. Fold each one in half, put a thin line of glue along the body of the butterfly, and adhere randomly, making sure the wings stay folded for a 3D effect.

And you’re done! I filled each box with things I already had. Chances are you’ve got a good stash like this in your craft room. 

Here's a close-up of all the cubbies. I love things like this because there's always so much to look at.