Spirit Box

I think it's a "crime" to throw out tin boxes.  Well, you can recycle them today, but I have saved some Altoids boxes that I didn't know what to do with until I saw this article in the September/October issue of Cloth Paper Scissors on making spirit boxes using old tins.  The article is by Lyn Belisle and you can order the ceramic faces in her etsy shop.  Being a polymer clay "fiend" I made my own faces out of polymer clay and a mold, then painted them.  Here is my first attempt at a spirit box and it was so much fun.

The front which is embellished with various paper scraps, beads, fabric trim, copper wire, twig, and the painted polymer clay face.

I left the Altoids tin plain inside except for a sticker that says gratitude.

The back of the tin I collaged with paper and the white is gesso.  I painted the edges with acrylic paint and varnished them.

The back of the piece with the tin attached.   

The glue has to be tough so that the box can be opened without tearing off the art work.  E6000 jewelry glue is great. 

So, if you have a secret wish or prayer, write it down and put in the box and hang it on the wall!  The spirit will guard it and no one will know.  :)

I also got busy making more polymer clay mosaic tiles for my picture frames and boxes.  I took a long hiatus from that since it's pretty repetitive.  Here's a picture of some partially painted tiles.  It takes three coats and I usually use some Perfect Pearls metallics to swipe on at the end.  They give that magical shimmer to the paint, and add depth.  Hopefully I'll have some pictures for finished pieces soon.

Have a creative day and thanks for stopping by!  

Better late than never...

It has been a long time since I posted.  Moving to a new area threw me off my creative wave completely, but the inspiration is slowly coming back.  Creating is living well!!  I sent off a box of bracelets and necklaces to a artsy shop in Indiana this morning.  The line at the P.O. was unbelievable.  People are getting an early start with their Christmas shipping.  The line was reaching out the door and only two clerks working...

Some of the bracelets were simple beaded designs, but I also made this beaded necklace with a center bead that I found at JoAnn's of all places.  I love the colors...

What have you been making lately?  If you leave a comment I'll have a link to check out your site! 

Disgusted...

I can't believe it has been a whole month since I posted.  That's just not acceptable.  However, the creative juices have not been flowing much, and now I'm in the middle of moving.  Aaargh, don't like moving.  I'm really sore everywhere.  I did make a collage this month, which I put up on etsy for sale, but didn't post here.  And I made a necklace with glass beads, and a bracelet...  At least it's something...  Have a great creative day (life!)

 

Bead Soup Party...

The REVEAL is coming up soon, on February 10!  I made something delicious out of the beads that Norma, my swapping partner sent to me all the way from Oregon.  I can't wait to show you!  Anywho, I'm planning on auctioning off my piece and sending the money in aid of Haiti.  Not that many people hang out on my blog, but I'll announce it on Facebook as well, and Twitter, and hopefully people will bid. I got all excited about that!   We had to use the focal and the clasp, but I actually used most of the beads, and added on a few of my own.   Check in for sure on the 10th.

Torch fired enamel...

My first foray into torch-fired enamels. Yeah!  How much fun I had, and how much more fun I will have when I find more types of copper blanks and beads, and more enamel colors!  I especially love the cobalt blue.  It had a tendency to overpower the gentler colors.  I was a bit nervous about using a torch, but I had a clamp that securely attached the cannister to the table, and all I had to do was to turn on the gas and "whoosh" off we went on the enameling adventure. I can think of many ways to use the beads.  The long beads are refrigerator copper tubing that I cut with a pipe cutter and smoothed with a rasp.  I spent an hour and a half at the hardware store and now I know how men feel when they meander around a women's clothing store looking for something in particular, or any other store for that matter--EXCEPT for the hardware store.  They might not have any qualms about lawnmower or gun stores either... 
Anyway, there were lots of cute guys in there... ;) 
Thanks to Barbara Lewis at Jewelry of Distinction I got more than enough instruction to get myself going.  Thanks Barbara!  Check it out, you might get addicted! :-D