This post is going to cover 2 of my favourite passions, reading and altering. One of my Fav. Ladies on
www.scrapbook.com is Martica. She always does the most amazing swaps. This time the challenge was to use Graphic 45 Secret Garden paper line. When I first read what she had in mind I brain started to pop all kinds of ideas into my head. It was to be an altered Shadow Box. I called my LSS to see if they had this paper set in and when told no went online to find it with the best shipping costs. Of course
http://www.shop.scraputante.com/ had it and they got my order. Not only that but I had ordered part of the matching embellishments from another store and when my order arrived it did not contain the items order, when I called about it was informed that they were out of stock and sorry we will credit you back for charging you for them. So 2 days later I order the embellishments from scraputante too and they combined my order for me. Meanwhile as I wait patiently, 14 days, for the pp to arrive, which I have yet to see in person, the flowers I ordered from
www.iamroses.com arrived and me crossing my fingers that they will match. Next I headed over to Michael's to purchase a Shadow box, I chose a wooden one that was slightly larger then the required size. I really wanted the sturdiness of wood as I was going to sand it, paint it, mod pod it and do some paper mache to LOL.
First on how I came up with this design. I LOVE to read, it transports me to a different world that I see very vividly. I wanted to do a little girls room where the garden came to life around her as she reads A Secret Garden. I chose a pp that looked like wall paper you might find in a little girl's room. Next came the tree that I made out of paper mache and then had to print,of course half way done the tree and my DH says to me "why did you not use modeling clay" Duh that would of been so much easier. Once the tree was done and dry I could start on everything else. The CB die cut of a princess is from DCWV Once Upon a Time series, I covered it in double sided tape and then glittered it :D. Next I took to flower sprays, one from Prima and one I think for Reflections and twisted them around a pencil to add flowering vines. I cut a Styrofoam ball in half and then flattened one side and glued it in the opposite corner of the tree. I covered the entire bottom in Spanish moss, what a messy product to use. Then it was time to layer everything. There are charms all over this, different bird charms, a watch charm from The Girls' paperie Vintage whimsy line, bird in nest from Webster's pages, and in the right bottom corner a old locket finding from Michael's. The wooden swirl was in my stash from a different project so I pulled it out and gave it a sparkle finish. The cherry blossom twigs are Reflections and then the bling flourishes you can just make out are from Prima. Plus all the layered flowers, most from iamroses, plus there are some great crocete ones that my friend Penny made for me that I HAD to include. I added bling centers to them.
Here you can see in better detail the moss, flowers, locket and bird with the glitter princess in back. I love how the layered work looks and that it seems like the garden is coming out to embrace you.
The wooden flourish, watch charm and bling. Plus you can just make out the flowered branch I put on the top of the box.
I had to take a picture of this tree so you could see that it did take some time and turned out not too bad. It has been to many years to count since the last time I made paper mache.
Of course I had to decorate the top and as you can see I added another bird's nest that has little eggs in it with a little bird perched on the side.
Decorated the back and use some wonderful trim from Prima, I receive 2 rolls of this silver trim from different swaps. You can just make out the Card on the back that is from the matching embellishments for this pp set.
I really enjoyed make this and watching my vision come to life. I know several of the ladies in the swap are struggling and not enjoying this pp line as much as they thought but for me it was easy. Maybe that is because it happens just like I made it when I read :D
God Bless you all and until my next post keep crafting!
