Fairies and Toys

I've been wanting to post some pics for some time! The first project is an altered jar that was inspired by so many adorable things I found online. I want to give credit where credit is due! I didn't come up with the ideas all on my own, I reached into the internet and found a huge community of fellow crafters! Here are a few of my favorite inspiration pics! Click to go to the creators' pages :) Thank you to Cedar Junction and Fireflygirl Inspirations at Etsy.com!

When a little jelly jar became available in the kitchen, I went to work on my own wee fairy. I wish you could see the tiny wand I made for her. Only the end of it is visible in her right hand. Also, most artists tend to use butterfly wings for their fairies. I went a different direction and made my own. They are a little rough but I'm proud of the finished product!

Here is another project that was directly influenced by the creative mind of another crafter. Don't they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? I wanted to see what this form, a child's block and vintage photos would elicit from my creative subconscious. Unfortunately I can't find where I originally got this image! If anyone knows who the artist is (or if you are the artist) please email me. I would love to credit you for the idea :)

I embellished the block with ink, paper, flowers, bling and some eyelash ribbon on top. The block is vintage too! Fresh from the antique stores in Niles! The little girl is a vintage photo that is visible from both sides. She has the sweetest expression on her little face, very playful. It goes perfectly with a child's toy like a block :) Well, I enjoyed checking in and hope to do so again very soon!

My first ATC!

ATC stands for Artist Trading Card! I love this idea :) I've been seeing them and hearing about them on scrapbooking sites for a while but wasn't sure if I could work on such a small canvas. Here is my first attempt and I'm pretty proud of it!
I chose the vintage photo because of the look on the girl's face. What a pretty little sourpuss! I attached it to a card that I had painted and stamped. Over the pic, I adhered a snip of fabric with the butterfly and leaf design. The star is glitter and chipboard. The title reads "The Docters said she was just "Too Bright". Is the misspelling of Docters a mistake or a part of the piece? I'll let you decide. The title paper is actually dimensional and rolls up at the bottom.
The story behind the card? Well, as a young teen, my parents got divorced. I was having a little trouble with it and my mom took me to see a therapist. I was off and on "the couch" for many years and I remember at one point a therapist telling me that I was just "too bright", meaning that I saw things in people and in the world that others might not see or might not brood about so much. Ignorance is bliss in other words! I'm not ashamed to say that I've worked hard to become a better person and I definitely encourage people to explore their minds and hearts through whatever means they feel comfortable with. For me, that means therapy and art :) But I still chuckle sometimes thinking about that young girl who stared back at her therapist and thought "I'm too bright???!!!"

bye for now,
Allison

Halloween Tree...

I googled this phrase hoping to see some inspiration and maybe even a tutorial. I found that there are many variations, not all of which are my style. For instance, I don't really want a black and orange version of a Christmas Tree! I may want a few ornaments but I'm not sure if that is going to be the main reason to have the tree. I've also seen Easter Trees that are made specifically to hang collectible ornaments... hmmm... So, let's review my choices...
I could get some gnarly branches from the trees at the park and spray paint them black...
This example leaves the branches natural and uses cobwebs and orange lights to make it more Halloweenie. Also, the bucket is cute, very country. OR.... I could make one out of paper or cardboard.
This tree from HGTV is made out of plywood, but couldn't I do something similar with thick stock? Finally, I could go all the way and use paper mache or some other sort of sculpture to achieve the most detail and the most realistic effect. Also, pipe cleaners and wire seem to give that twisted, crooked, bony hands reaching for snow white in the forest look!


Okay, I think I'm gonna go look for creepy branches at the park... if I don't find any, I'll know that it's time to head to the craft store!!! oh darn ;)

later,
Allison