A Quiet Meadow

Hello crafty friends!  It's Susan today, here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog to share a quiet space with you.

There are 6 different Bagatelle boxes available in the shop.  Here I've used the 3x4 box.  I like the 1 1/2" depth of these little trinket boxes - so much can fit!

I measured and cut the bird cage paper for the outer back and side.  See the gap between left side and back in the photo below?  That's to compensate for the folded edge (I marked with a pencil and used a scoring board).

The extra bit on the left edge was a "just in case I cut too short".  Once the paper is glued on, I can trim any excess with a blade on a self-healing mat.

Since the birdcage paper was a scrap and not long enough, I measured and cut a strip to cover the other side as well as the top and bottom.  I used white glue to put the box together, and Mod Podge to cover the outside.

Once dry, I added interior papers, too.

The Leafy Tree - Small comes as a set of two different trees.  This is the smallest in the set.  I painted the leaves and trunk, and coated with a crackle paint to give the tree texture.

This is a quiet meadow, and I'm sitting here silently, waiting to see who wanders in.

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Bagatelle Box 3x4 #ED6F
Leafy Tree- Small #D14E

Other Supplies Used
Prima paper
Wood base
White glue
Mod Podge
Acrylic paint - brown, cream
Dresden trim
Moss

Voltaire

Hello creative friends!  It's Susan on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog today, sharing a wee shadow box.  I like to use quotes.  A lot.  I have them scribbled on scraps of paper, a white board, a notebook, the tablet; all waiting for inspiration to strike.  This week's inspiration brought out a quote by Voltaire, an 18th century French philosopher.

The Mini Shadowbox Set has 6 boxes graduated in size - I used the largest here: 3 1/2 inches x 3 inches.  Perfect used individually or for a themed series... hmm... I'm getting an idea!

While the box glue was drying, I printed the Voltaire quote on faux parchment paper and coated with a thin layer of satin varnish.  This made the both the ink and paper a little more vibrant.

It's not shown here, but once the varnish dried I glued that whole paper to another layer of the same to give the bits more strength.

Once dry, I cut the quote out and edged with gold marker on the front and ink on the edges. The gold marker needs time to dry before handling.

I covered the box in papers using Mod Podge.  Tip - the inside edge can be covered with one strip of 12-inch paper -- it fits perfectly. 

To raise the quote off the back wall, I needed scrap chipboard.  I kept these bottom fence pieces from a past project, and the width of the bottom strip was perfect.  I used 3 layers of fencing on each word strip.

I want to share how I miter Dresden trim edges.  I started by mitering the top and right Dresden strips.  (in the photo, I've already set aside the top strip for last.)  Here, the right strip is glued down - see how it's too long at the end?  I overlapped the bottom Dresden strip and cut, aiming the scissors at both the inside and outside angles.  Scissors with sharp tips are needed here so you don't push the scissors in too far. 

To position the Dresden trim, I use a Zig 2-Way pen and tweezers.

The bottom is glued on, now to miter the next corner.

Here, the left is glued on, and I finished with the top Dresden strip.  Remember that I already mitered the right edge of the top strip; just need to do the left using the same method.

Add glue and position with the tweezer.  Done!

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Mini Shadowbox Set C33P Set of 6 
House Ornament Fence D172HF

Other Supplies Used
Graphic 45 Communique paper
Mod Podge
Black gesso
Dresden trim
Distress glitter
Cheese cloth dirtied up with black gesso
Pilot Gold Marker
Gold ink
Duraclear satin varnish (on quote strips)
Liquitex matte varnish (on box exterior)

The Lady In Red

Hello crafty friends!  It's Susan on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog, here to show another project in my occasional Pin-Up series. 

I've been hoarding these 3x5 music cards for years, waiting for the right projects to come along.  "The Lady in Red" is from a 1935 movie musical called "In Caliente". 

Oh! The lady in red
The fellows are crazy for the lady in red
She's a bit gaudy, but lawdy what a personality!

For her stage, I used the Arch Top Cabinet w/Doors, but set the doors aside for a future project.

I glued all pieces except the front together, cleaned up squished glue with a damp Q-Tip and held it together tightly until the glue set.  This can be done with hands, big rubber bands, or clamps if you have 'em.  I used my hands and kept rotating to check that all the joints were snug.

For the front, I outlined the shape on the paper and used a combination of paper cutter, scissors, and straight edge (disposable scalpels are great for this - Amazon.com) to cut it out.  Mod Podge to adhere to the chipboard and set it aside to dry.

I've been putting assorted weights at the bases of my projects lately.  I set up a table at our weekly market and every single week it's been windy.  My defense is weighted bases, darnit!  I have a big bag o' washers from the secondhand store and glued 4 in with E-6000.  I made a false bottom to cover the washers.  Perfect!

I got a little carried sway and didn't take as many in-progress photos as usual.  Here are a few steps I want to tell you.

I painted the base outside and top with a couple coats of black gesso; all the places that wouldn't have paper covering.  I used Mod Podge to attach all papers, allowed to dry, then sanded all the edges.  I  touched up with black gesso as needed, including all the sanded paper edges.  As you can see, I don't try to be neat with the edges.  Once everything was assembled I coated the outside with matte varnish.

The 3x5 music card and the pin-up girl have many layers of chipboard attached to the backs to raise them off the back wall.  I used a scrap of black tulle behind the card, and added small brass stars on the walls.

Oh! The lady in red
Is fresh as a daisy 
When the town is in bed.
Dancing and dining 
And shining with originality.

She's very proper;
She's nothing more than a pal.
But oh me! and oh my! 
You'd never stop her,
She'd be a dangerous gal
If she should ever meet the right guy.

Oh! The lady in red
Is she a study,
Oh! buddy what a personality
She's got vitality

Say! have you ever met
The girl who's the talk of the town?
A work of art without a question
You'd better write her number down.

Lyrics by Mort Dixon, 1935.

Thanks for your visit today! 

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Arch Top Cabinet with Doors #D11B

Other Supplies Used
Mod Podge
Vintage 3x5 music card (print date 1943)
Pin-Up Girl image
Jute
Black netting
Black tulle
Brass stars
Dresden trim
Graphic 45 Communique papers
Black gesso
Metal washers
Aleene's tacky glue
Chipboard scraps
Matte varnish

Birdsong ATC

Hello fine folks!  It's Susan here, welcoming you to today's edition of the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts demo sharing an ATC/ACEO redux.

I have a bin of leftover chipboard parts.  This is different from a bin of leftover parts from assembly of, say, a computer or a bicycle; that's usually bad.  My parts bin holds pieces that are partially used but ultimately (gently) rejected for a project, waiting for a new life.

In this case, it's an ACEO from the sarcastic frenzy I was on a month or two ago.  One side was ripped off just like this one here, and the other a pretty yellow design.

I've been dying to do a project with birds in hats (have you seen these Little Hats? Cute!) so off I went.

It didn't go so well.

I wanted the hint of a musical background, so I pulled out a fine clear embossing powder and musical notes stamp.  Turned out the stamp details are way too tiny for embossing powder.  then I tried a larger musical stamp with a light brown embossing powder.  Fail.

I went back to the drawing board, or in this case, the original paper pad with the yellow paper.  Instead, I found this music note paper and heard a choir of angels sing!  It had nothing to do with my state of overtiredness and mild frustration.  Really.  Ok.  I might've been imagining it.

In mere minutes I Mod Podge'd over both sides and adhered the musical notes paper and it's coordinating reverse on each side.  Once the papers were dry, I used a straight edge to cut off the excess.

I used the same Mod Podge to attach the three elements.  (The bird was a fiddly and wouldn't wear a hat, so I gave up on that idea.)

Once those layers were dry I cleaned up the edges with sandpaper, painted them with Archival Brilliance Galaxy Gold and Coffee Bean inks, then finished with a matte varnish.

 

 

Thanks for your visit today! 

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used

Chunky ATC Blanks #C33O

Other Supplies Used

MME /Lost & Found/ Sunshine 6x6 paper

K & Co Brenda Walton Design Elements

1/8" snap-together letter stamps

Archival Brilliance - Coffee Bean Ink

Liquitex Basics matte varnish

Mod Podge - matte

A Secret

Hello crafty friends!  It's Susan, here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog.  I'm fascinated by the secrets people keep, from big whoppers to little things that can cause big misunderstandings.  I'm all for honesty and communication, even when it's hard.

Allow me to reveal all...

This "secret" key had been hanging around my stash for at least 5 or 6 years (if not more).  I had the chance recently to work with Stamperia's 'Time is an Illusion' paper, and set aside a small image of a woman's face.  I figured it could be a big element of a small project... then I found the key.  Bingo.

I started with the GSLC Tiny Little Shadowbox Houses #1.  This comes as a set of two houses.

I gave it a coat of white gesso first.  I thought at first I'd do a light base color, hence the white gesso.  I quickly decided to go dark, and repainted the seams with black.  (I took the photo after the shingles were added, so ignore them for a minute.)

And a minute's up!  It's shingle time.  I used Tiny Shingles - Standard, alternating the seams.  (At this point, I thought I would hang something from the roof, but ended up skipping it and covering the hole.)

Once one side was fully shingled, I added shingles to the other side but left the last one off to give the scissors room to trim.  Before cutting, it's best to allow the glue to dry completely overnight.  Trim the shingles on both sides, then add the final layer.  I held that final piece in place until the glue set up, in order to ensure there wasn't a gap at the top.  Once dried, I trimmed that one, too.

The keyhole got a coat of Lumiere brown metallic paint, then I lightly swooshed my finger across the high details with a little copper metallic paint.  It took a few swooshes to get the coverage I wanted.

By this time in my project, the papers are adhered with modge podge, except the inside bottom.  The night before, I used E-6000 to attach the painted black base to the shadowbox, with the intention of adding the final paper once the E-6000 dried.  The next day I realized the weight of the key would have made this top-heavy with such a small base, so I added a metal washer and wider wood.  Once that cured overnight, I painted with black gesso then acrylic.

I'll share a secret with you:  I use the washer trick a lot.  I really makes a difference for the stability of shadow boxes, altered Altoids tins, and the like.  Plus, layering wood bits in this way helps give projects their own uniqueness.

Now, back to the face image... I love that she's right behind the key.  Does she have secrets, or is she the secret?

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers
Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Tiny Little Shadowbox Houses 1 - #C20A
Tiny Shingles Standard BB57A
Keys Engraved D12Q - coming soon

Other Supplies Used
Stamperia Time Is An Illusion
black gesso
black acrylic paint
wood bits
E-6000
TH "secret" metal key
Tiny eye screw
White glue
Black twine
Metallic paints
Pilot gold marker
Tiny gold balls