The Ties That Bind-Collecting Curiosities-A Peek-a-Boo-Project

Whereas my last tutorial was simple and sweet and easy peasy, this one is complicated and took on a life of its own. I'm surprised and intrigued by the final project. Join me in this journey of layer and textures.

I've collected Martha Stewart Magazine Images from when I used to be a subscriber. The one article was about collecting insects and the photography was rich and organic, it is the inspiration behind this masterpiece.  It also honors the recent sale of our family homestead in Pennsylvania. We are healing and moving on, standing on the shifting sands of time dipping into a cool oasis of memories.   

1.  Cut GSLC 6 by 4 Specimen Box. I am using unorthodox techniques and definitely not prescribed by most designers. 

2.  I first randomly glued pieces of vintage text all over all of the pieces of the specimen box.

3.  Once dry I rubbed off part of the text using a damp cloth.

4.  Next I used a sanding block to rediscover the slots I will need to assemble the box.

5.  I then made a glaze out of Matte Varnish and Acrylic Nickel Gold Paint.

6. I assembled the box using Weldbond to hold it all together.

   7. Once fully dried I sprayed with TH Distress Oxides and added water and alcohol to I found layers I was pleased with.

8.  Once fully dry I sealed with Cheap hairspray.

9.  While hair spray is still wet I sprinkled with spices to give it a dusty organics look.

10.                Not satisfied with the layers I cut up magazine images and patch worked together the individual chambers.

11.                I added edging to the sides of my specimen box with strips of paper and washi tape.

12.                Still not feeling the project complete I want into my GSLC stash and settled on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Acorn Border Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized and added the to my vignettes.

13.                I used Clear Embossing Ink and Charred Gold Embossing Powder on the Acorn boarders.

14.                I used a Black Sharpie, Golden Hansa Yellow Light Acrylic paint, Nail Polish to decorate the bees.

15.                I used Clear Embossing Ink and Vantage Beeswax  Embossing Powder on the Honeycombs.

16.                I used Rub'n Buff Autumn Gold and Gold Leaf on the GSLC Crown and Crosses.

17.                I finally assembled my specimen box using Weldbond and double sided foam dots to layer all pieces.

Some Final Thoughts.

This art project had many twists and turns, many setbacks and follow-throughs. I had to problem solve and step away but in the end I like the story it tells. We are families of our own choosing, stuck together through thick and thin, sometimes sweet as honey others as bitter as vinegar, we carry our crosses for other to sometime see but often hidden beneath out crooked crowns, We are busy as bees collectors of curiosities. Layers upon layers, hidden and healed, brilliant and perplexing. this project reminded me of one of my favorite podcasts I like to listen to, Here Be Monsters, it took me a while to get into it because there are layers and the topics they discuss are sometime challenging and makes me feel uneasy. They describe it as a podcast created by and for people interested in pursuing their fears and facing the unknown. It's a bit of a "freak show"  a collection of curiosities, which I find intriguing and interesting. There is an image on my project that is distorted in the upper right hand corner, she appears to be a dog-faced woman I wonder what story she has to tell and how all these curiosities fit together.

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-6 by 4 Specimen Box, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Acorn Border Set, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Gothic Cross Miniature,  Uhu Glue Stick, Vintage Text, Mister with Water and Rubbing Alcohol, Cloth, Sanding Block, Matte Varnish, Gold Nickel, Acrylic Paint, Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Sprays-Pistachio, Marmalade, Amber Fired Brick, Cheap Hairspray, Spices, Magazine Images,  Washi Tape, Clear Embossing Ink Roller, Allure Charred Gold and Vintage Beeswax Embossing Powder a, Heating Tool, Black Sharpie, Golden Hansa Yellow Light Acrylic paint, Nail Polish, Rub'n Buff Autumn Gold and Gold Leaf, Weldbond, Double Sided Foam Dots,

I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!

Cabinet of Curiosities

I like tiny things, I always have. I still have Barbie accessories from when I was a kid. So I guess I also hoard tiny things. I've had a stash of tiny favorites I've been staring at for years thinking 'some day' I would find the very best use for them which is how they ended up in one of these gorgeous GSL Millinery Cabinets. 

For instance, I bought this little ceramic beaver at Disney World the first year it was open. The skull was an expensive impulse buy at a mineral show and glued onto a flat bead. The zombie specimen is a HO scale train person with some red paint added just because. The mineral is a chunk of glow in the dark vase filler. The duck is a glass charm and the Enterprise is a miniature Hallmark Christmas ornament. 

The main section of the cabinet is papered with Graphic 45 Artisan Style Craftsmanship paper which is perfect for this project. The specimen art posters are found in a cabinet of curiosities collage sheet from Alpha Stamps. The shark's teeth are some I picked up at the beach when I was a kid. They are showcased on a painted scrap of wood. I somehow have collected a lot of lapel pins over the years and chose one I got at a Prince concert in the 80's. The glass eye is a gift from a friend (don't I have awesome friends?). I found the mini display domes at Michaels. 

  

This shelf holds jars of shells and pearls, a charm I got at Hershey as a child and a Dungeons and Dragons miniature figure. I love that the charm has come out of the bottom of my jewelry box into something I look at every day. 

More shells, charms and specimen art. The skeleton foot is from one of those dollar store Halloween garlands. I found a ouija board digital download at Etsy. The coffee inside the miniature cup is made from mixing a small amount of Glossy Accents and some brown food color.

These jars contain black coarse salt and some ladybug polymer clay cane slices. I included an HO scale sheep, miniature tombstone and a Tim Holtz skull.

 

The scrolls are made from paper aged with an ink pad. The feathers are from our chickens and a friend's guinea fowl. 

 A miniature brass diving helmet I've had forever. The crystal ball is made from a marble and bead.  The animal skull was a gift.

A jaw bone, a scarab and metal pitcher I picked up on my travels and a mineral specimen I studied in college. 

The millinery cabinet works perfectly as a curiosity cabinet. Surely, you have some tiny treasures, too!  Supplement them with feathers, shells, shark's teeth, polymer clay canes, scrolls and specimen art and you will have a place to display them. Dig out that charm bracelet and have some fun! 

Gypsy Soul Items Used

Millinery Cabinet 1:12

Other Items Used

Acrylic paint

Tacky glue

Alpha Stamps Cabinet of Curiosities collage sheet

Miniature jars

Shells

Feathers

Treasures