FOUND

So many items on my "to do" list this week (like kitting for Stamp Asylum classes in Plano), but I carved out enough time today to step into the work room and have a little creative time.

I started with one of the little boards I get at my local Michaels store.  Same kind of board I used when I made this.  For the project today I started by painting the sides and edges of the board in Frayed Burlap Distress Paint.

 After it was dry, I gave it a nice coating of Multi Medium.

I cut a piece of patterned paper from Wallflower Paper Stash BEFORE I painted the Multi Medium on the board (Multi Medium waits for no one!).  Once the paper was on the board (make sure it is secure), I added a coat of MM over the top.   I like to add a thin coat, wait a couple minutes for it to start the drying process, then help it along by rubbing the entire surface with my fingers.  This not only helps in the drying process but it helps smooth out any brush strokes you may have left behind.

 I sanded the edges with my Sanding Grip.

Then added Evergreen Bough and Pumice Stone to the edges, wiping away the excess with a wet wipe.  Remember, because I sealed the paper, the Distress Paint can be manipulated while it is wet.  Once it's dry, it's permanent.

 So here is the completed foundation.

We picked up some vintage Doilies at Junk Bonanza so I thought I would like to work one in, since the shape seemed perfect.  Again, I added a layer of Multi Medium.

 Another layer of MM over the top will secure the delicate doily.

I took a Mini Distress Ink pad ran it around the raised edge of the doily to age the appearance.

 Wipe away any excess with a wet wipe.

I wanted to stamp on the center of the doily so I traced the shape on a piece of tracing paper then cut the center away to create a mask.

I used two stamps from the Merchantile stamp set and black Archival ink to create a background.

Okay, on to some embellishments.
I painted the Letterpress word found.  Gosh I love these little letters!

Once dry, I used Archival ink to stamp some random text (stamp from the Merchantile set).

Then I sanded the letters and inked them.

I used Multi Medium to add the letters and a paper ruler strip from the Thrift Shop Ephemera pack.

Then I cut out this guy from the Found Relatives pack...

and added him to the center with thin foam tape.  You might also notice that I added black Jute String around the panel and tied it into a bow.

This was looking way to serious so I decided to go a more whimsical route and add the dunce hat with a mirrored star right in the center (hat cut from the ephemera pack).

Because the substrate is wood I decided to add a Game Piece to his jacket with a nail.  Yep, just nailed it right on.

I painted an arrow with Pumice Stone Distress Paint then inked the dried paint with Mushroom Alcohol Ink.  Foam tape was added to each end and then added to the panel.

I wanted to add another touch of whimsy so I inked a small piece of Sticky Back Canvas then used red thread to stitch X's.  Once I was done stitching, I just peeled off the backing and added it to the panel.

Like this.

I wanted a little more definition to the edges of the panel so I pounced the Mini Distress Ink pad around the edge then worked the ink around with a little bit of Multi Medium on my finger tip....finishing up with wet wipe and a pouncing motion.

 

A bit more detail to the top.

Dear Vial Labels how I love you...

and he's done.

Love how the Letterpress worked out as a way to ground him to the board.  But I think the addition of the red X's on Sticky Back Canvas is my favorite part. 

now carry on,

paula

InLinkz.com

Mondays

I love Mondays.
It's a new week... a fresh start.
And sometimes a do-over for what didn't get accomplished the week before.
Do I have a list of things to do a mile long?  yep.
And isn't that good!  (a statement not a question)
Stuff to do, to create, to think about and plan.
I admit I love days when the list is done and I have a little more freedom but those days are far sweeter when I know the list will fill up again and I will be challenged, inspired and motivated to do my best.

via Tumblr

This Monday is extra exciting because the new Tim Holtz Media Team was announced this morning.
I have had the pleasure to work with Vicki, Jan and Mou during CHA and I look forward to working with Anna-Karin, Aida, and Emma moving forward.  I have been a follower of each of their blogs for quite some time and I can tell you they each bring something unique to the table.  The one thing they all have in common is that they create consistently good work.  I can tell you from my end, that that is no easy task for a crafter, artist or blogger.  I respect these women and look forward to working with them as well as Tammy the Media Team Specialist who is not only a great crafter and contributor, but a whiz at the computer.

Vicki Boutin

Anna-Karin Evaldsson

Aida Heron

Jan Hobbins

Mou Saha

Emma Williams

Please pop by Tim's blog today to read about each of these ladies as well as Mario (the glue that keeps us on track) and Richele who is my #girlsmakingstuff buddy and a talented crafter/sewer.  Thanks Tim for all the inspiration!  What a great journey to be on!

7 more days till I get another Monday so I better make this week a good one!
carry on,
paula

Sizzix Storage

Jay here...
It's taken years for me to learn, but when Paula says something like, "I don't have a place to keep the dies for the Vagabond machine all together."  The translation is, "can you build me some sort of shelves for them?"  Her collection really had outgrown its previous storage locations around the studio.  Since her Vagabond lives on a counter top in the studio where the basic Sizzix supplies are stored in the drawers below, this was the logical place for it.  Some quick measurements proved that shelves would fit perfectly behind the Vagabond.  The first step was to decide on what size to make it.  The width would be the same as the cabinet it would sit on and the height would be somewhere between 45"-47" depending on the how many shelves we put in.  Final dimensions are 311/2" x 48".  Now for the shelves.  Since the dies are 51/2" x 6", we settled on a depth of 61/4" and height of 6" between shelves.

Now it was off to Home Depot.  Here's what I bought:
           one 1"x 8" pine board, 8 feet long (for the two sides)
           four 1"x 8" pine boards, 6 feet long (the top, bottom and six shelves)
           (all of the other supplies I already had)

With lumber in hand, first step was to rip (trim the boards going with the grain) to the proper width (61/4") on the table saw.  This is always a fun way to make loads of saw dust.  The 8' board was cut in two pieces, 47" each (sides) and one of the 6' boards was cut in two pieces 311/2" each (the top & bottom).  At that point, I could have easily just grabbed some screws and done a layout of the pieces and screwed it all together.  Just about the time I start thinking that way the voice in my head says, "do it right or don't do it".  Sometimes that my grandpa's voice, but usually it's Paula's dad's voice.  Okay, then.  Dado joints and rabbet joints it would be.

So, with that motivation, I carefully measured and sketched the layout of the shelves on each of the sides with pencil.  I then used a Skilsaw to cut the outside edge of each dado joint that the shelf would fit in.  The final step was to use a router bit to trim out the rest of the joint making sure that the shelves would make a snug fit (see picture below).  I used a similar process on the top and bottom to make a rabbet joint for the sides.

Once the boards were cut, all of the pieces got a good sanding first with 100 grit sand paper and then with 220 grit.  Now, it was just a matter of fitting the pieces of the puzzle together.  To assemble,  I just needed some wood glue. I did use some finish nails to hold the top, bottom and sides together. 

Once the exterior was assembled, I made a final measurement between the dado joint on each side for the shelves.  They needed to fit in that dado joint and trimming the shelves to 305/8" long was a perfect fit.  Applying some wood glue to the joint and with a little coaxing by a rubber mallet, the shelves fit into place, no nails or screws needed.

Paula had decided she wanted it painted her current favorite color, Iced Spruce.  So, off we went to the hardware store to buy a quart of paint.  Benjamin Moore Paint doesn't call it Iced Spruce but I swear that's the color it is.  The Benjamin Moore color we used was 1565 Mount Saint Anne. 
After I painted it, Paula used her magic and sanded the edges, then rubbed on some brown paint to grunge it up a bit. 

 

Once painted and grunged, we put it in place and used a simple L bracket screwed into the top and the wall to keep it from tipping over.  That would not be a good thing.

 

Paula here.
First, thanks to my husband for building me such an awesome cabinet to store the dies.  When I started putting the dies in I realized it was going to hold WAY more dies than I thought.  Each shelf can hold about 40 Bigz dies (8 per stack).  So I had plenty of room to organize them!  I have Halloween on the top shelf.  Christmas on the second shelf and then alphabetically after that.   My Bigz XL dies are on the bottom shelf since they are the heaviest.  On the edge dies and Frameworks are on the shelf right above.  I still have plenty of room to grow the collection over time.

I also love the fact that I now have some room to display some of the cards I have created for blog tutorials.  I have never really had that kind of display space available in my small room.  So the space that used to be occupied by a rarely used bulletin board is being put to a much better use these days.  Cheers to that!

now carry on,
paula