For in the Dew of Little Things

 Retro Cafe now has these 8 x 10 shadowboxes and I absolutely love them!! 

There's just so much space to work with...For the artist, it's a perfect opportunity to really tell a story,offer a sentiment or just play!   

Today's shadowbox

"For in the Dew of Little Things"

inspired by the words of Kahlil Gibran and the beautiful Venus painting by Botticelli,who today, becomes my muse.

After assembling and gluing the Shadowbox I added assorted papers to the back.

Wanting dimensional water I stitched together assorted fabric scraps...

Added some Opal Magic Prima Paint to the fabric and when dry,hand stitched assorted trim and beads...

I knew I wanted some sort of sun burst,so I cut the paper intro strips...

and for the back waves I just manually cut some paper,added ink and black dots.

"Venus"  needed a stable background,so I mounted her onto to a female bust and foam dots to raise her up...

and also added masonite pieces(scraps from other projects) in area's that needed more height and also decided on the placement of my mermaids tail.

and then everything started to come together...

I added glitter to the tail, paper to the rest of the box, some Dresden gold trim, letters, sequin, and splattered dots on to the background...

I then added color shine spray to the flowers

and glued together some Fleur Cut outs to create a focal. I added glitter,stickers,and gold stickles. 

These beautiful words offer up a reminder,that every moment I take the time to fully experience can not only be a gift to the heart,but also to the mind,body and soul.

Retro Cafe Art items used in this tutorial:

8 x 10 Shadowbox

Female Bust

Mermaid Doll Kit

Shell Paper Cuts

Butterfly Paper Cuts

Sun/Moon Paper Cuts

Glitter

Dresden Trim

Opal Magic Paint

Articulated Mermaid

Flowers

Gold stickles

Fleur Cut Outs

Sequin

"Long ago God drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. You were never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

Here's to making every minute count,

Birdman Live on Prima Ustream Tv and a GIVEAWAY!

I am over the moon excited to doing my first ever "Live with Prima" event going on today at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/primaflower.

Hope you can join me at 2pm for this free 1 hour workshop

where I will create "Birdman"

Birdman was inspired by the Visage Face piece in The Relics and Artifacts line. It caught my attention right away but for some time it rested on my desk waiting for me to use it. He just looked angry to me and I couldn't figure out how to use him. That is until I realized,he wasn't agree at all...he was actually just focused on something and because the natural storyteller in my comes out when I create...I created this little story to go along with the piece.

Setting limitations on himself,Birdman, confined to a cage of his own making, would sit and stare every day at the beautiful bird as she sings her lovely song. Until one day she turns to look at him "Why are you in that cage?" she asks. "Don’t you know that no cage can keep you from your destiny?" But, I’m afraid and I feel safe in the cage" whispered Birdman. "And so was I when I lived in the cage" said the bird, "until one day another bird told me that we all have seeds inside of us, seeds that grow our true wings and they will grow to be so big that that no cage can hold us. It's going to happen no matter what. It's our destiny. And no bars, no walls, no words can stop us. So now that you know this, what are you going to Birdman?" 

Birdman

Step by Step Tutorial

Materials needed for the class:

Prima Material List:

Relics and Artifacts Visage # 941642

Relics and artifacts Milagros # 941581

Wooden Tray Set # 941772

Dresden Gold Trim # 942441

Wire Thread Dusty # 572044

Micro Beads #962586

12 x 12 Vintage Emporium #584344

Tiny Alpha Stickers Engraver #563240

Adhesive Rub-ons # 971281

Rub on Foil Sheet # 585600

Ephemera # 583620

Color Bloom Gold Foil #573805

Memory Hardware Artisan Powder #991210

Avon Rose Pixie Glen # 552466

Garden Fable Cling Stamp #579135

Art Alchemy Opal Magic Blue Gold Paint # 963675 

Other materials needed:

Hot Glue Gun

Foam pop up adhesives

Tape runner

Double sided adhesive sheet

Crochet trim 

Paper cutter

Cheese Cloth

Coconut fibers

rhinestone stickers

Wood ruler

Stapler

Cardboard

This class will go as follows:

I will create the components first,then work on the shadowbox,then assemble and put everything together.

1. Add Black artisan powder to the both Relics and Artifacts pieces with a dry brush and wipe away. Spray Gold Foil Color Bloom on it and let dry. Then stamp on image from Garden Fable Cling Stamp using stayzon ink and and then paint on some Opal Magic blue Gold Paint and put aside.
2. Cut and paint ruler with Opal Magic Paint. Add Black ink to the edges.
3. Assemble the ephemera pieces and put aside.
4. Spray paint the shadowbox black. Start on the shadowbox background. Cut a piece of cardstock to fit the opening. Glue on additional paper for texture. Ink the edges. Add some rub on with metallic foil and lastly splatter black paint. Glue it into place. Then cover the rest of the shadowbox in card stock strips. Ink all the edges. Add Dresden trim to three of the edges. Glue on the ruler.
5. Glue in the bird. Add a layer(from bottom to top) of crochet trim,wire thread,corrugated cardboard,and ephemera pack. Add cardboard for height if desired. Glue in the hand,crown,coconut fibers and flowers.
6. Glue in the face. Create a cage using the wire thread(be careful it's sharp).Glue the cage into place and add micro beads. Add the ephemera pack above the face using foam dots.
7. Glue on Crochet trim to the ruler and sprinkle with Micro beads. Add the two outer ephemera packs and finish off with rhinestone stickers.
8. Lastly add “Birdman” on the ruler.

Giveaway!

As promised in the Live with Prima class I'm giving away this piece(stand not included) as well as a mini fridge magnet.So if you're interested,be sure to sign up for my newsletter(on the sidebar)where I share tutorials,upcoming workshops and events... and make sure you leave me a comment below. I will pick two winners on Friday the 6th!! 

Thank you again for watching and visiting me today! 

"Long ago God drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. You were never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

Here's to making every minute count,

Found

With the gentle nudge from of a friend,I decided to just go for it...paint for the sake of painting. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, and even though painting is not something I feel comfortable doing, and even though I knew there were so many other things that needed my attention..I decided to do it anyway. 

Now,I'm so happy I did. 

"Long ago God drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. You were never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

Here's to making every minute count,