Friday, May 22, 2020

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 


Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Black Books Altoid Tin

Are you familiar with Black Books? It's a UK show from the 2000's about a bookshop, it's grumpy owner Bernard Black, and his friends Fran and Manny.


The show is a bit ridiculous and boozy and cigarette filled. I first saw it AGES ago but spied it on Prime last week and binged all three seasons all over again. I've been feeling a bit "Bernardish" lately and was inspired to make my own pocket-sized book shop to lord over.


I tried to get everything just right with the limited source photos out there. Made all those wee books for the window display and even made a tiny sign that said "Books Bought & Sold" because I caught a glimpse of it in a pic of the set... and then I promptly forgot to place it before sealing the window up! NOOOO!!!!! And you'd be none the wiser if I didn't tell you. DOUBLE NOOOO!!!!!



Ah well, I'm pretty pleased with the little thing even without the sign. Aren't those the cutest garbage bags you've ever seen?!?!

And in case you've never heard of Black Books (for shame!), here's a pic from the show with my teeny version below.


Not too terrible, eh? I'm well pleased with myself :)

As for the outside...


The first episode has Manny entering the shop searching for "The Little Book of Calm" and I thought of making the exterior look like the cover of the book. However, I'm a fan of the "NO TIME WASTERS" sign that appeared outside the shop. I mean, I have a "Go Away" sign outside my front door so I was basically obligated to go with this option.


No collage sheet or tutorial for this project, but I will leave you with some fitting words of wisdom from Bernard Black, "The pay's not great, but the work is hard." 

Ain't that the truth.

Stay safe, and wash your hands xoxo


Friday, May 15, 2020

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 


Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

A Fiji Mermaid

Hello lovely people! Are you hanging in there? Are you safe and well? I hope you're all dandy.

I've been feeling terribly uninspired but I did manage a creepy something that I've been wanting to make for a long while now... a fiji mermaid!


A fiji mermaid was a side show gaff, in this case a monkey top sewn to a fish bottom, to create a 'real' mermaid. Being a big fan of all things weird and wonderful I decided to create my own terrifying mermaid.


I used a wad of tinfoil to create the basic shape of my mermaid, then built up layers of apoxie and paper clay.


The apoxie clay is really strong so ideal for spindly areas like the arms.


You can see that the resist of the apoxie vs the paperclay has left the paint coverage on the arms blotchy and uneven. I don't mind that at all because it looks a bit like flaky mummified flesh in my mind, and kind of adds to the creepy oldness of it.


That's about it really. A tinfoil, clay, and a smattering of sloppy acrylic paint and I have my very own P.T. Barnum/Ripley's type mermaid gaff with not a single monkey nor fish harmed.

Overall size 8" tall x 7" wide.

P.S. There's a super FeeJee Mermaid at Harvard University take a look here


Friday, May 08, 2020

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 


Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Friday, May 01, 2020

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 
Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Mini Haberdashery Counter for Sewing Notions and Such

It feels like a hot minute since I've made a miniature scene but when I got my hands on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Shop Counter I was inspired to fill it up with a slew of wee things.


I decided to go with sewing and knitting bits and bobs... a haberdashery!


Isn't that a wonderful word?! In America a haberdashery sells men's clothing, but in the UK it is a shop that sells notions and other small items for sewing and making.


I've filled my counter with yarn and fabric, patterns buttons, a thimble and spools of thread. A mix of life sized and miniature items is fun visually (and I like to think that fairies would find full sized thimbles extremely useful).


I've used a 1 inch Sized Faux Book Box and Suitcase as display boxes for my miniature buttons, skeins of yarn and measuring tape.


If you'd like to see how I created this piece and the minis I've made a video HERE. But don't feel limited to creating a haberdashery! Create something that reflects you and what you love. Fishing and hunting supplies, candy shop, hardware store, jewelry store... you name it!


Here are all the bits I used to create this particular counter.

Store Counter (COMING SOON)
1 inch Sized Faux Book Box
Suitcase 1.6 Inch

Wooden beads
Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe paper
Sewing & Such Collage Sheet
Buttons
1/8" wooden dowel
Fabric
Craft Yarn/Thread
Cardboard
Mini Embellishments