Thursday, February 28, 2013

Box Finish {Photos}

Where were we? Oh yes, the most recent box project. Happy to see it completed and sad that the fun of creating it is over. And happy at the prospect of another beginning. It can be weird here at times . . .

Onto the photos → → → → →

Here’s a few of the front underway. I really loved doing this part – messing about with letters and glue and paint and paper. Bliss.

This is the box front with the title in place: The Snowmaker

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And this is the back. This is a very large transfer – the biggest I have done. These words by J.B. Priestly reflect my exact feelings about that first snow fall.

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Once opened The Snowmaker is revealed in his winter wonder-lab. He has all the makings for a glorious and beautiful snow.

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The left side – a bit quirky – unless you normally see icicles and snowflakes and snowballs hanging from the clothesline. There are also some snowy scene postcards for inspiration.

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The right side with The Snowmaker standing on blocks of ice. Unlike me, he loves loves loves the cold. He thinks it’s invigorating! One of my favorite details here is the bottle hanging from the tree slab. (Those bottles contain precious samples from his best work.)

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This is without The Snowmaker in residence.

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Finally, The Snowmaker himself. I accidentally fell in love with this little bear. He’s almost but not quite 5 inches tall.

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Now I believe it is time to begin thinking about springtime. And Easter and bunnies and flowers and stuff but first this quote which I used on The Snowmaker box:

There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance.

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Some Details

Earlier today I was working with a friend on a project totally unrelated to anything you see here. As we were carefully lining up letters and committing ourselves to their positions with no ‘undo’ option, we mused about getting through it and hoping that we didn’t goof up our efforts at the very last.

And that is also where I am on my latest box project. I am hoping that I manage to finish it without making a giant faux pas near the end.

If all goes well, I will be able to show the box in its entirety before the weekend.

Let’s all cross our fingers shall we?

In the meantime, here are a few photos of some of the details I have been working on.

Just so you know my box making process is not a neat one. The areas I work in are a total wreck for the duration so that when I am finished, I am so – so – so ready to get everything straightened up again.

Knowing that is how it is going to be doesn’t deter me at all from beginning again. I just need a few days without tables covered in detritus and debris.

Somewhere in one of my notebooks or on one of many little pieces of paper are the ideas for my next box. I aim to get in there and see what it is. Before that happens I have a few teddy bears waiting for me to rescue them from limbo.

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Patience

Sometimes if I can keep my thoughts organized enough, I will have more than one project going on at a time. Sometimes, if the project has enough parts and pieces and steps, it will feel like it is more than one project. Right now I have both types of projects underway. I walked by my table the other day and saw this little fellow waiting patiently.

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I was headed downstairs to work on a different task which if you remember at one time looked like this.

Then for a while it looked like this.

The resulting appearance is this. I’m happy.

And the little guy still waits.

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Completing one stage allows me to move onto the next which involved this gooey, oatmeal-looking like mixture.

I applied it to the right side of the box – it really doesn’t look like much at this point.

And the photo that was at the beginning of this post? What on earth was it?!

Another part – another piece – another step.

And the little guy still waits. He’s very patient, isn’t he?

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Friday, February 22, 2013

My Thurs-Day of Prepositions

↓ on the move ↓

↓ under construction ↓

↓ along the highway ↓

↓ in the studio ↓ with a paintbrush ↓ towards a goal ↓

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A Small Measure of Progress

We have had the pleasure of company the past few days. The company of friends. The kind you spend hours talking with and realize that you’re going to run out of time before you run out of things to say. These are friends that years and years ago gave me a card that I kept because I knew they meant it. It reads “Friends are the family you choose for yourself.”

 
This is before adding the textured paper.

After their departure which was much too soon, I decided it would be best for me to jump back into my project.

 
The paper is fabulous to work with.

I made a small measure of progress on it. At this stage, it doesn’t seem very dramatic.

 
I could probably do this all day.

But, it’s one of those ‘one step at a time’ things. You have to know where you’re going in order to make a plan. Or is it you have to have a plan to get where you want to go?


I especially like how it softens the edges.

In any case, I hope things will move along a little quicker after today but we shall see. Every day is an adventure.

 
Now it’s ready for the next step. Yea!

“Ah, how good it feels!  The hand of an old friend.” 
                                                                                  ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Talk about Coincidence

Since I was last here I learned . . .

that Tinsley is soon to arrive Chelyabinsk. Yes, you read that correctly. Tinsley is headed to the same city that the meteor landed in Russia. Talk about coincidence.

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Since I was last here . . .

it has snowed. Fiercely, but it was too warm for it to stick to the roads.

It did stick to my guard bear though.

Since I was last here . . .

Valentine’s Day has come and gone. I hope you had a nice one.

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Since I was last here . . .

I chose this cigar box for my next extended project.

Here it is open before I have started to work on it.

The first step was to add some chip board panels to the inside – irregularly – that was the plan.

Then I prepared the outside for the next stage which I am currently in the middle of.

It involves this lovely paper that I found at the art store. I love the texture of it. I wish I could put a sample on here for you to feel.

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Sebastian thinks a waffle and coffee is a good accompaniment to the process. I couldn’t find any substantial reason to disagree with him.

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