Sentimental Matchboxes, A Lovers Memento Revisited

A number of years ago I posted about the creative process. I used a tiny project chocked full of creative ideas and inspiration. It remains one of my favourite projects and posts. You can visit the original post here: A Lovers Memento: A Romantic How To 

I decided to revisit the project. It sort of niggles at my mind every year as Valentines Day approaches, and I wanted to create a video version for YouTube.

They're special little things because they hold a lot within a small space. They're full of creative thinking and spirit, they're sentimental and thoughtful, and although they require a bit of heart and time, they don't require a lot of money or materials.

They are basically tiny boxed treasures that tell a story. This box for example...

Those matches ensure that the fire always burns. Buttons, as nearly everyone knows, are brimming with magic... and this is especially true when they're from a lover! And I am certain that bark was tucked into a pocket after carving initials upon a tree trunk (which you should not do, but people didn't always know better.)

Perhaps your love is to the moon and back! It requires golden wings to fly to the stars. That love might be so strong is that the hands of time stand still for it.

Maybe your love is bound by magic, secured with a length of red thread. Kept safe with a vial of passion, devotion and sweetness. And just to make sure it's never lost, a compass ensures you'll always find your way back home.

Perhaps it's not romantic love at all that fills your matchbox, but a spirit of stardust, the wonder of a snail shell, and a heart that is as strong and fragile as an eggshell.

All at once fairy tales and truths. Funny how that happens.

I'm still a little unwell. I'm hoping to sleep straight through Valentines Day and wake up on the side of it with a box of discounted chocolate that will ruin my diet. Diets are meant to be ruined occasionally.

Go make something wonderful for yourself.
xo

Little Acorn Houses

I have been dramatically unwell this past week, spending most of my time sleeping, or trying to sleep. At one point I reclined, eyes stinging and watering, with flowers upon my chest in a mock interment upon the couch. 

Don't worry. I have survived and well on the mend.

In fact, yesterday I was feeling so positively spiffy that I managed to make a bunch of little acorn capped houses.

IN FACT, yesterday I was feeling so well that I made a 'how-to' video so that you too can make acorn capped houses!

Hop over HERE for the viddy and my sickly voice.

What will you need to make these doo dads?

Creative Paperclay (or modeling medium of choice)

Matchstick

Acorn caps

Acrylic paint

Glue

Forever and Always Romantic Shadowbox

For all my love of horror films, foul language, and filthy sense of humour, at my very centre is a squishy old timey romantic core.

I had it in my mind that to create a kissing booth. Something fun and flirty. Instead this terribly lovey dovey vintagesque smoochy kissy thing appeared.

I've used a Square Shrine Shadowbox as the base, and added other elements to fancy it up.

I've taken the largest piece from the Flourish Medallion Set, chopped into quarters and set in each corner. Damask Singles decorate the inside background and the frontpiece.

Although you can't see them here, the hanging ribbon is attached to the piece by looping through two Clock Hands.

A heart shaped cutout is layered with fussy cut flowers and and a sentiment from Graphic 45's Sweet Sentiments collection.

The glorious vintage I used is free and available from thegraphicsfairy.com BUT If you have a smoochy someone, perhaps you could use something a little more personal.

Want to see how I put it all together? I have a video walk through available HERE

And here's a list of all the bits you'll need to make your own vintage smoochy lovely shadow box.

Square Shrine Shadowbox
Damask Singles
Flourish Medallion Set
Little Heart Frames
Clock Hands Shape Set

Old paper
Vintage image from thegraphicsfairy.comGraphic 45's Sweet Sentiments
Paper Flowers
Ribbon
Half back self adhesive pearls
Paper Butterflies
Paper flowers

Acrylic paint

Glue

More ATC's

A few more ATC's today. And even fewer words!

You're looking magnificent today btw.

Mixed media collagy ATC's

For their small size and relative simplicity, ATC's take a long bloody time to make. On my work table anyway. I won't get wordy today and just present them as they are... because sometimes you don't need words, sometimes they just muddle and complicate the uncomplicated.

Hope your weekend is smashing!

Toadstool Thimble Gardens

Do you remember these wee things?

I used to make loads of them, and then moved on to other delightful little things.

But I had a custom order for a whole slew of them this past summer and made a few extras.

So if you're looking for a tiny treat, a few handmade tiny toadstools sitting in a thimble, I've got a dozen listed in my etsy shop. I've priced them nicely for a few days, but the bills must be paid so the price will jump back up at the end of the week. Grab them while you can!

I hope you're having a lovely week.

We have a pipe full of poop that we're dealing with at the moment.

I blame goblins.

A Pretty Pink Lady

Another pretty lady today. Honestly, the world cannot have enough pretty ladies.

I don't mean outside pretty

But the type of pretty where a woman sparkles from the inside.

The type of lady who thinks beautiful thoughts and still has full belly laughs that make her eyes twinkle despite every hardship. Those sort of terribly, awfully, pretty ladies are best of all in my books.

This lady with her daydream eyes and fake sparkly things is pretty too. She is available HERE