5 Golden Rings or 5 Geishas Blushing and a New Geisha Collage Sheet

From December 1^st through the 12^th, each of the Alpha Stamps Design Team members and some guest designers are creating a “12 Days of Christmas” themed piece of art.  My day is “5” which according to the traditional song is “5 Golden Rings”.  I’ve chosen to go off theme with the Geishas but still incorporate the 5 golden rings in this fan.

The fan blades are glued in place as there are so many embellishments on the front of the blades that it would tear the fan up to open and close it.

I used images from my new Geishas Collage Sheet to decorate the fan with some additional dimensional flowers and leaf embellishments.

I inked the edges of the papers and images with Ranger Distress Inks before attaching them to the back of the bangle.

The collage sheet contains several geishas, birds, butterflies and flowers.

To the paper flowers, birds and butterflies I added several dimensional flowers.  Some of the dimensional flowers and leaves are dyed with alcohol inks.

The paper in the background is Christmas themed paper from the City Side Walks 8x8 Paper Pack.  The papers in the pack are more subtle and I thought they would be a great backdrop and not compete with the bright and intense colors of the images.  Many times I don’t worry about the theme of the paper I use as by the time I add layers of images and embellishment you really only get a sense of the color of the paper in the design.

The fan is constructed from wooden fan blades and gold bangles. 

I stained the blades and the base using Vintage Photo Distressed Stain.  As the bangles are ridged they make a perfect structure for the geisha images and embellishments.  They also provide the “5 Golden Rings”. 

 Constructing the Base

The base holding the fan is constructed from a piece of wood I purchased at Michael’s craft store and part of a rigid mailing tube.  (Sorry about the fuzzy pictures.  By the time I realized they were fuzzy I had already finished the fan.  I’m thinking they are still useful enough to see how I constructed the base.)

I first cut a piece from the mailing tube that was slightly shorter (on it’s side) than the wood. 

I cut away a section of the tube which serves as an opening for the fan.  

Next I cut away slots on each side of the tube.

NOTE:  The size of the opening you cut and the size of the slots depend upon your fan.  When you sit the fan in the opening you don’t want it to touch the bottom.  The wider you cut the opening the lower the fan sits.  Also, don’t cut the slots directly across from each other as the first and last blades of the fan are not even with each other.  One slot should be further in front of the other slot.  Cut your slots just a little wider than the fan blade.  If you cut the slots too wide, the fan will flop around in the stand.

After cutting the opening and the slots in the piece of mailing tube I covering it with paper and screwed it into the wood base.

 New Geishas Collage Sheet Giveaway

In honor of my new Geishas Collage Sheet I’m giving away two of them (two winners).  Just leave a comment on this post or email me (the button is in the right hand column of the blog) by end of the day on December 9th and let me know if you want to be in the drawing.  The winners will receive the sheet in either printed for or electronically (per their choice).  I’ll be using Random.org to draw for the winner on December 10th.

Alpha Stamps Products Used In this Project

Gold Bangle Bracelet

Wavy Fan Handles

Geisha Collage Sheet

City Side Walks 8x8 Paper Pack

Joyeux Noel Paper Layers

Distress Stain – Vintage Photo

Stamped Leaves

Royal Blue Seam Binding

Seam Binding Purples

Seam Binding Art Nouveau Colors – Serbin Brown

Mini Floral Dresden Borders – Gold

Blue and Red Geisha with White & Black

Heart Leaf Charms

Small White Apple Blossoms

Mini Rose Buds - Ivory

Mini Velvet Leaves

Gold-Plated Maple Leaf Charms

Purple Geisha

Amethyst/Sapphire Green Leaves

Amethyst AB Flower Beads

Violet Dahlia Resin Flower Set

Brass Branch with 6 Leaves

Light Blue Geisha

Orchid Resin Blossoms

3 Connected Brass Leaves

Florentine Brass Leaves

Lucite Trumpet Flowers

Green Geisha

Acrylic Leaves in Tin

Raw Brass Rose Leaves

Acrylic Flowers in Tin

Alcohol Ink – Purple Twilight

Blue and Red Geisha with Tan Cat

Brass Oak Leaves

Acrylic Flowers in Tin

Orchid Resin Blossoms

Mini Rose Buds - Ivory

Alcohol Ink – Red Pepper