Altering a Cigar Box From Beginning to End

 It's been a while since I've showed a step-by-step project here, so I decided it was time.  And with what else?--a cigar box!  I never get tired of making these.  Here's the finished box first--

I like the look of mosaics, but have never actually tried making a mosaic piece, so I go with the paper to mimic the look of mosaics, which is how I went with this box.   But let me back up and show you the before picture--

Just a plain old cigar box from my local tobacco store (actually this one was a little fancier) but it's all wood which is what I look for.

Next was deciding on my color palette , and pretty much all of the time when I make a box it's with collaged papers, and usually my own painted ones.  So here's the palette I decided on--

...some newly painted, and some scraps (which I have a ton of!)--

Next was figuring out my design, and since I was going the mosaic route--here's the result of the first step--

This is where a paper punch comes in handy.  I used a 1 inch paper punch for all of my 'mosaic tiles', and once they were on the box I  edged the top and bottom with washi tape.  I always use a matte gel medium for this step and also seal everything with it too, before I go on to the next step, plus on the top I added tape measure--I love using vintage cloth tape measure!

Next I had to do my black 'grouting'--

For the 'grout' look I use Faber Castell pitt pens--I like these because they blend well, but end up being permanent once dry since they are an India ink. I also like to finish off all the edges too with these pens.

Next is giving the box a little more of a design--

..by adding wood feet that I painted (you can find these at any craft store), and also giving thought to the top of the box

Now the final details--

It's these little details that lets the box shine...

And again here's the finished result--

A couple of notes.  I always seal my boxes with gloss varnish--the varnish really makes the colors pop. And also, I didn't take a photo of the inside, but I always finish it off by painting it usually the color of the feet.

I hope I've inspired you to create and if you do, I would love to see it--you can share it on my Facebook page or on my Instagram

June--Polymer Clay, Art Journaling and Etsy

So  we're  getting  use  to  the  new  normal  around  here--staying  close  to  home  this  summer, and  enjoying  it.  Our  summer  has  been  beautiful  so  far,  which is  not  the  normal  around  here, but  then  this  year  is  all  about  that-- right?  :-)

I'm  still  making  lots  of  art  and  branching  out--this  time  with  polymer  clay.  It's  a  fun  medium ,  pretty  forgiving, with a  fairly  easy  learning  curve.

I  wanted  to  bring  my  paintings  I  make  into  a  form  of  polymer  clay,  so  that's  what  I did--

my  style  of  whimsy  art--polymer clay style 

....with  the  help  of  my  painted  papers  for  the  background

And  then  I  went  more  dimensional--

...had  fun  with  all  of  my  stash  too--I  never  throw  anything  out--it  will  always  find  its  place....eventually....

And  in  the  meantime,  I've  continued  in  my  journal  that  I'm  treasuring  more  each  time  I  add  to  it.   Your  art  journal  is   just  that--yours.   And  what  you  want  to  do  in  it  is  up  to  you.   In  my  case,  it's  playing  with  paint--my  first  love--

I  enjoy these and I like to share them--so some of them have been transformed  into  art  pieces  and are  in  my  ETSY shop 

Plus  I  also made  a  collage  piece  that you can find in my shop--

She  was  fun  to  make and you  can  visit  HERE  to  see  all  of  my  art  that  I'm  offering  for sale  (including  some  new  greeting  cards)

I  hope  everyone  enjoys  their  summer  (or  whatever  season  your  in)--trying  to  enjoy  each  day  as  it  comes  and  knowing  that  better  times  will happen--have  to  go  through  it  to  get   to  it.

Lots of New Items in my Etsy Shop

 Now  that my show season is over, I've stocked my Etsy shop with lots of art including some Christmas assemblages--You can find all of these HERE

Now  that my show season is over, I've stocked my Etsy shop with lots of art including some Christmas assemblages--You can find all of these HERE

Using Maps in Your Art

Maps  can  add great  detail  and  interest  to  your mixed  media  art.   I  love  collecting  them,  and  I kind  of  forgot  about  them,  because  they  are  tucked  away,  but  not  my  atlas  books,  which  I  also  have  a  small obsession  with.  

This  top  one  is  my  favorite,  and  it's  the  same  one  that's  underneath,  which is  just  about  used  up.   So  I  was  happy  to  find  it  again  at  a  thrift  store  last  year  for  10 cents!--just  10 cents!!

My  first  project --

a map box--love  what  the  map  alone  did  for  this  box

I  call  this  my  Home  Sweet  Home  assemblage

And  here's  a  before  shot  of  the  next  one--still  thinking  about  maps--this  time  with  a  globe--

really  happy  with  her!

and  one  more--

another  map  box

Maps  are  so  inexpensive--new  and  old  ones  that you  can  find  in  abundance  at  any  flea  market--if  you've  never  used  them--try  them--they   do  half  the  work  for  you!

Art For You

I've  been  busy  busy  busy  these last  couple  of  a months--making  lots  of  art  for  shows.   So  no  more  talking--I'll  just  show  you  what  I've  been  up  to--

Lots  of  painting--

…..with  my  favorite--acrylics

Love  painting  elephants...

And  I  made  some  boxes--

Painting  on  one  of  my  favorite  surfaces--

--an  old  cupboard  door  given  a  new  life

my second  love,  when  I  step  away  from  the  paint--

making  assemblages  with  the  wonderful  items  from  the  past  that  have  been  forgotten--you  can't  throw  these  little  trinkets  out!!

And  also  finding  vintage  toys  at  the  flea  markets--

and  giving  them  a  little  Christmas  spirit

And  I  also  was  able  to  take  a  2  week  vacation  visiting  my  son  in  Florida--got  away  from  the  cold,  rainy, not  so  great  Fall  that  we've  been  having  to  beautiful  weather--

...for  you  lighthouse  lovers--this  is  the  Ponce Inlet Lighthouse  near  Daytona  Beach,  and  of  course  when  you're  in  Florida,  you  have  to  go  to  Disney!  (well  at  least  I  do)

Cinderella's  castle  at  night--beautiful!

So  now  I'm  back  Home  getting  ready  for  one  more  show

I  hope  you  enjoyed  my  slide  show  of  what's  been  keeping  me  busy  the  last  couple  of  months--doing  what  makes  me  happy  :-)

Elephants and Mushrooms

I'm  not  sure  that  these  two  have  much  in  common,  but  that's  what  I've  been  painting  lately....

"Find  Your  Joy"

"Be  Happy"

my  Mushroom  land

and....some  new  boxes  too--

I  threw  some  owls  in  there  too.   I'm  getting  ready  for  a  big  show  coming  up  in  July  The  People's  Choice Festival  in  Boalsburg,  PA--really  looking  forward  to  this  one!

Whimsy Birds Adventure Painting

I've  been  painting  up  a  storm  here--having  fun  with  these  quirky  little  birds  that  I've  been  creating.  They've  been  making  friends  and  exploring.......

.....with  my  first  horse---whimsy  style  : )

and  a  new  elephant  (always  enjoy  painting  these)

My next  painting  started  out  this  way--

.....and  ended  up  like  this--

This  is  one  of  my  favorite  ways  of  painting--starting  out  making  a  background--in  an  intuitive  way--

A  lot  of  it  gets  covered  up,  but  I  always  leave  some  of  it  for  the  final  design--

So....in  the  end,  after  all  of  their  fun,  these  little  birdies  are  back  home  again--

:-)

And  one  more  before  I  go--

my  elephant  on  a  box---