Tunnel Book is DONE!!!

Ok, just let me start off with a disclaimer.  The swap for this month's (July) COF was a tunnel book.  I will state up front that I realize that this is no longer a tunnel, nor a book form.  But whatever right, it's art and art likes to break rules.  The host of this month was inspired by some tunnel books that Alpha Stamps had posted recently and a handful of us were excited to give it a try.  This is a one on one swap this month, and I was very excited to have the wonderful Caroline at Glitter Tart Designs as the person I am to send to.  I really wanted to step everything up a notch, or two, or three with what I ended up sending her, so I really pushed the boundaries of tunnel book.  I chose a circus theme (obviously I hope?...) and made it 3-dimensional like a tent.  I really struggled with how I wanted to put the top of the tent on, and after a few trial and errors and some Google searching, I decided on this shape.  Again, a lot of my images are from collage sheets from Alpha Stamps (I really need to branch out don't I?...) and I used a variety of scrapbooking paper for the interior of the tent.  I painted the outside, papered the back and the bottom and used my favorite mix of glitter (Blaze) for the floor of the tent.  (Caroline, if you're reading this, I have a nice coating of glitter all over my work surface :) )  Here's a look at the front, head on...

I actually had plans to go a bit more elaborate with this, but I am running out of time and frankly, I think that if I touch it anymore I'm just going to ruin it.  The top of the tent was made out of a paper substructure and then I paper mached the top to the sides and back onto the bottom to make sure that this piece would be solid and survive transport and be able to be displayed easily.  Here is side view look at the piece so you can get an idea of the dimensions...

Overall, I really had a lot of fun working on this piece and hope to do another one for myself maybe in some time of ocean theme.  I just picked up a really great set of ocean collage sheets that I think will work great, so we'll see!

Mermaid Bookmark

As I mentioned in the previous post, the COF is working on another journal go-round.  I just finished up Andrea's and will be sending it on soon, and her theme was fun to work with, Mermaid Bookmarks.  Fortunately, I had just taken advantage of the sale that Alpha Stamps was having on their sea themed collage sheets and I had picked up a mermaid sheet, so it all worked out!  The images on the sheet are gorgeous, and I had no trouble picking the ones I wanted to work with and enhanced the subtle colors in the image with metallic and glittery papers.  Here is the front side of the bookmark, and I didn't take a picture of the backside.  Andrea, it will just have to be a surprise for you and Sandi M., sorry, I didn't get a chance to take a pic of the work I did on your journal that I sent on already!  It too will be a surprise for you when you get it!

COF Journal Swap

I am participating in the latest round of the COF "journal" swap.  I am using journal in quotes because my contribution this time really isn't a journal, but instead a set of empty boxes that each participant in this round is tasked with creating an inner world in.  The outside of the box (and sorry, I don't have any pictures of them) is just a plain rectangular, approx 4"6" white surface.  The inside and the outside can be designed/decorated/embellished in whatever way each person would like to.  I chose to keep my outside pretty plain, not really giving away any of what you would find in the interior...

Here is a picture of the outside with just a litte peek into the interior.  I chose a contrasting/complementary color scheme for the outside vs. the inside and used some leftovers I had from some collage sheets from Alpha Stamps and Art Chix.  And here is the inside...

Again I used the central image and text/supporting images from an Alpha Stamps Collage sheet.  She is from a Paris Showgirls sheet I believe...?  I've been really into using feathers lately, so I wanted to integrate those somehow and I used a lot of blingy paper and glitz.  The outside of the box seems demure, but inside this is an explosion of glam.  (the picture isn't doing that great of a job of capturing it...)  Here's another angle...

I wanted the central image to really take the stage, so I put a good thickness of dimensional foam behind her and also on the phrase plate at the bottom too.  I rimmed the inside of the box edges with a holographic paper so it acts almost as a mirror ( you can see that effect in the picture above this one) and extra light catcher.

So....I enjoyed working on this one a lot and think I will do a few more of these.  When I get the other pieces back from the participants in this round, I will post all of them for viewing!