Thursday, January 5, 2012

Fly Away

The week has been full of projects for CHA.  Three have gone out in the mail and three more need to be created.  Booth projects are happening too.  Cutting, sawing, gluing and dying (but I can't tell you what).  I've even been to Kinko's 3 times this week and that might be a record for me!  I've got my husbands full attention for 3 more days before school starts again so he is helping me with new shelves for the booth, putting crown molding up in our bedroom and has painted a table that needed some new life breathed into it.  I love project mode!

Totally inspired yesterday by the colored butterfly rubbings that were sitting on my desk.  Since this is product that 7gypsies currently carries I figured it is no problem sharing before the trade show.

So lets start with the dome.  I found this a long time ago at an antique mall in Ft Worth, TX.  It's small, about 7 1/2" high and 5" across the base.
 I painted the base black.

Once dry, I sanded the edges and added a bit of ink.

The butterflies-
You will need some heavy plastic.   I used the back of some Ideology packaging, works perfectly.
Cut out a few butterflies from the 7gypsies rubbing sheet.  
I cut 3 butterflies, one large, one medium and one small.
Rub onto the plastic...
and cut out.
You will need use a heavy wire to help the butterflies stand up.  I used 24 gauge.
So how do you add the wire?   On the small and medium size I was able to use paper tape to hold the wire in place.  On the large Monarch, the body is very small so I secured the wire with E6000 glue.  Once dry, I added the paper tape, then cut away the excess.
Front
Back

Here's the part when my buddy comes into the workroom from the backyard.  One of the best things about living in California in January is being able to run in the sprinklers and eat your lunch outside.  I admit I wish I was out there with him.

The Base:
The only Styrofoam I had was a Styrofoam ball, but I needed to make it work.  So I cut the ball in half which fit the base of dome perfectly.  I sewed a linen patch to the 2 layers of dyed muslin, then made some primitive stitches with dark green embroidery floss.  I used Archival Ink in black to stamp the word, fly.
I wrapped the edge of the base with dyed stretchy elastic and secured the end with an old straight pin.
Time to add the butterflies.
I just did a simple configuration with the largest being at the back and smallest at the front.  Once I was done I added a 7gypsies vintage pin.  I love these big pins!
Then a bit of natural elements and a vintage flower secured with an old straight pin.
Here is the finished piece sans dome since it so hard to photograph once the glass is added.
....And 35 photos and three different rooms later I finally got one that I'm not too embarrassed to post.

I decided to create another version of the dome using the same butterflies.  This time I bent the bottom of the wire about an 1" or so then used a bit of glue to keep it in place.  I also added a foam square between the butterfly and the button card.
 I definitely could cut the foam square down, but you get the drift, right?

This time I used tiny books (another collection of mine...tiny black leather books), a flower frog, a Photobooth picture from Darkroom Door, a cool vintage metal button from 1942 and a vintage button card.
Oh, I really like them both.  But only one can appear in the booth...hope there are a few of you out there that are attending CHA and can stop by and see which one I bring!
cheers!
paula

PS) Did anyone watch Project Runway All Stars last night?  Debbie and I are Project Runway Super Fans.  We love watching the episodes more than once and we even discuss them on the phone the day after it airs!  I am so excited to have Project Runway on again so soon after the final episode, all be it sans Tim Gunn.  But I can deal with that just to see all the designing.  I was only sad to see that Suede is not an All Star because I thought it was hilarious when he would refer to himself in the 3rd person..."Suede doesn't like that" or "Suede doesn't think that is funny".  We got so many one liners from that season!

28 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness I LOVE THIS!!
    I must make one for me now.

    Danielle

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  2. Love this...off to the craft room. Thanks again for the inspiration!

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  3. I'm always in awe of your creativity but your energy is also amazing. Who knows how many days it would take me to complete just one of those beauties. Too bad you can only display one. BTW, Tim Gunn is going to be hosting a new show on ABC called The Revolution. Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  4. Love Project Runway! Spent over an hour last night watching YouTube videos of Tim, Heidi, and Christian Soriano. That show is so inspiring - don't get to watch very much cable now though. I would like to see Project Accessory! I've looked at those butterflies several times and still have not gotten them. I do have several beautiful butterfly stamps. I feel your pain with the photography! Sometimes I shoot a gaZillion pics before I find the right one! I can't imagine life without digital photography now!

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  5. Paula, I LOVE your ideas! This is so beautiful, it really seems as if it's truly old-both versions. I enjoy Project Runway too, Tim Gunn is fantastic! Encouraging, yet acerbic. Have a great weekend.

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  6. They are both gorgeous Paula, you are very clever!

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  7. Gorgeous! Love the way the butterflies came out and those mini books are just too cute! Thanx for the inspiration!
    KimMJ
    bast830@comcast.net

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  8. Lovely projects...don't know how you think of these things. Plus your composition is perfect!

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  9. Such a beautiful project (once again). Always a pleasure to stop by and have a look at what you have created.

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  10. I absolutey love butterflies and these are amazing. Your entire dome collage is breathtaking. Blissful and Creative 2012...

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  11. This is utterly amazing! You totally transformed this into an awesome display piece! WOW!!!

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  12. OMG, this is just toooooooooooo cool! Love at first sight!

    I too am a Project Runway junkie ... I cannot get enough and will happily watch reruns over and over. I even save some of my favorites on TiVo. It's a sickness I tells ya, a sickness. But the best possible sickness!!! Glad to meet 2 more junkies! And yes, Suede would have been a great addition to the show. Oh well, maybe next time!

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  13. Both projects are a smash! Love them both! I was so glad to see how you used the product; I didn't know. Love your collection of little vintage black books. I Have some larger, dark green and just got some little vintage red ones for Christmas. I love 'em. They were decorated with a fresh sprig of green, a candy cane and a fringed burlap tie. Found your blog a while ago through one of Tim's blog posts. Love your stuff! :)

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  14. Ohhh I love them both!

    Any chance of you taking me to CHA with you? I'll be good. Promise!

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  15. Old clock domes work well. They are cheap when the clock inside is broken. Just remove clock and paint the brass bottom black and cover the flat base w black circle of felt. After my dad died i uaed one to mount a real butterfly i found on the ground, a dried rose from dads funeral and some other natural elements to signify death and resurrection. Linda
    Ps will send a photo if you ask.

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  16. These domes are AWESOME! Very creative!

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  17. Such creativity - love this!! Sure wish I could be at CHA to see the booth. I'll have to rely on video posts. 7Gypsies always has the best booth! Have fun.

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  18. Wow what incredible creativity you have. These projects are gorgeous. Lee x

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  19. ok, after looking at the two projects both are great , my favorite is the second one with the antique stuff. it feels more like what you enjoyed doing , while the first was this is a gotta do project. have fun at cha. i would love to go to one, i'm sure i would be on sensory overload and one would lead to two ...

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  20. more great stuff but, really, I think that this post validates stash building! Love knowing that someone has a collection of antique black leather books...wonderful

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  21. Awesome. I just recently picked up these butterflies. Now I have ideas:-) like Fleasknees idea about using a clock dome, just happen to have one of those!

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  22. Wow I love it! Maybe I make one for my spring decorations. Great inspiration!

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  23. Paula, I love what you have done with these domes! Your sweet little books make a great base, as does the little pillow you made. Way to go!
    Sherry

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  24. Both of these are absolutely beautiful. I have a small dome that I haven't known what to do with for a very long time. Thank you for the inspiration!!!

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  25. How gorgeous is this!! All elements in your project work so well together! Love it!

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