MERMAID QUEEN - ALTERED LANTERN

Last summer, I purchased a set of two lanterns.  One of the lanterns arrived with the glass broken.  The company I purchased them from (Wayfair) was great, and they immediately replaced the broken lantern, and they didn't want the broken one back.  I hated throwing it away, so I created a mermaid scene.

The sides of the lantern were great for adding aquatic plants and creating the illusion that the seahorses and other creatures are swimming.

The columns stand in the center of the piece, with the mermaid queen sitting on her shell throne.  It provides a place to attach the thrown image, sea creatures, and aquatic plants.

All the images you see come from my Mermaid Garden Collage Sheet series.  These sheets are packed with all kinds of images to create a magical underwater world.

MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #1


MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #2

MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #3

MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #4

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF MY MERMAID AND BEACH-THEMED COLLAGE SHEETS & DIGITAL IMAGE SETS ON ETSY

CONSTRUCTION

I first wrapped the wire around the top piece to keep it from sliding down.  Without the glass, there is nothing to hold the top piece in place.  I painted the wire to blend in with the lantern.

Next, I cut the bottom off of a Styrofoam cone to create a base. 

I applied glue to the Styrofoam and coated it in the sand.  I inserted a wooden skewer in the Styrofoam so I could lift it to sprinkle the sand on the sides.

To make the columns that are the centerpiece of the scene stand up, I added wooden skewers to the back side.  The bottom of the skewers sticks into the Styrofoam.  The column image comes from the mermaid garden collage sheet and is backed with thick printed cardstock.

In addition to the Asparagus Fern Garland, I found some cheap plastic greenery at the craft store, which I painted and glittered.

I glued various colors of sea glass around the Styrofoam base.  Tip:  you can use alcohol ink to change the color of the glass or to add more colors.  I used lots of pebbles and marbles from my stash on the top of the Styrofoam base.

On the base of the lantern, I added a mermaid pendant charm painted with Patina Paints.

LOVER'S PROMENADE TRAVELING THEATER & NEW MINI REGENCY FASHION COLLAGE SHEET

I can't believe it is already February!  With February being the month of love, I have another romantic project to share; the traveling Theatre Francais presents "Lovers Promenade." It's the final scene in which, after many pitfalls, all the lovers are finally united (aka a happy ending).

MINI REGENCY FASHION COLLAGE SHEET

This collage sheet is filled with 26 miniature men and women wearing Regency period fashions (my favorite) and is approximately 2 ½" tall.  The images are sized to fit the theater shadowboxes carried by Alpha Stamps and are great for other small art projects.  Click on the image below to purchase the collage sheet.

I assembled this theatre using a chipboard kit, collage sheet images, and chipboard wheels.  

On either side of the stage are the doors (faux) so that the theater can be secured and moved to the next town for another performance.

TUTORIAL

I started with a chipboard shadowbox kit with 5 pieces that lock together with tabs and notches.

After gluing the pieces together, I used decorative paper to cover the outside of the shadow box.

Next, on the inside, I added the background scenery from the French Fairies Shadowbox Façade collage sheet.  You don't need to add anything else to cover the inside of the shadowbox, as you won't see it when the curtains are attached.

I backed the characters from the Mini Regency Fashion collage sheet with heavy cardstock.

I attached the characters to the back of the shadowbox using popup dots.  I used between 1 and 3 dots so that they would pop up at different distances from the background.

To create the theater façade, I started with a chipboard shadowbox facade.

I used decorative paper for the top of the curtain and part of the curtain image from the Square Shadowbox Curtains – Teal Collage Sheet for the lower sides.

I added more of the teal curtain image to the chipboard facade and attached the chipboard to the front of the shadow box.

Next, I used images from the Gatefold Shrine Curtains collage sheet to create a skirt for the stage.  I thought the skirt gave the piece more height and provided a place to attach the wheels.  I backed the stage pieces with chipboard to make them sturdy.

Next, I attached layers of teal curtains, popping up sections of the curtains to create dimension, and added the chipboard skirt.  I added a pediment backed with decorative paper to the top.

To dress up the theatre, I glued together 3 sets of white feathers colored with Inca Gold Gilders Paste.  I used my fingers to apply the paste to the feathers.

I attached one of the sets of feathers to the back of the pediment and used an image from the Gatefold Shrine Curtains collage sheet to cover the base of the feathers.  The "Lovers Promenade" sign is accented with cherub buttons.

Next, I made the doors for the theater.   The door frame is from the Antique Frames digital image set.  Notice how I used the same image in the background as I used as the background in the shadowbox.  The couples on the doors are from the Days Gone By collage sheet and/or the digital image set.

The door layers starting from the back to the front, are:

• Decorative Paper
• Thin Chipboard
• Collage Sheet Backdrop Image
• Digital Image Set Frame Image
• Collage Sheet Couples 

I also attached feathers to the doors and brass connectors to serve as a faux pull (to close the doors).

The picture below is a side view of the theater before the doors are attached.  You can see how the pop dots on the curtains are visible.  The doors serve as a structural and decorative element of the theater, but they also hide the pop dots.

Next, I glued the doors to the shadowbox at a slight angle (forward).

The last step was to add the chipboard wheels, which I painted, and then dressed up with a piece of filigree and an image (the same image that is in the skirt).  Lastly, I glued the wheels to the skirt.

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO SOME OF THE SUPPLIES USED FOR THIS PROJECT AT  ALPHA STAMPS

MY COLLAGE SHEETS USED FOR THIS PROJECT

Mini Regency Fashion Collage Sheet

Letters from the Past Collage Sheet #1 and  Letters from the Past Collage Sheet #2

or

Letters from the Past Digital Image Set

Days Gone By Collage Sheet

or

Days Gone By Digital Image Set

Large Vintage and Elegant Frames Digital Image Set

Two Romantic Collages; Star Crossed Lovers & Queen of Hearts

As part of the countdown to Valentine's Day, I have two more romantic-themed pieces to share.  These pieces were started last year when the Alpha Stamps Star Crossed Lovers Kit came out in January 2015.  Usually, when I work on a kit, I make more than one piece, sometimes even three or four.  This was one of the additional pieces that didn’t get finished, as I was not happy with my direction.  

I had originally hinged the two pieces together, but after laying out different designs, I just wasn’t happy.  In a last-ditch effort to save them from the trash can (which is where pieces I hate go), I took them apart and focused on them separately (which finally took me to my happy place!).

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER

For both of the pieces, I started by covering a piece of chipboard with decorative paper. Next, I added images from the Alpha Stamps Juliet Collage Sheet.

I also used one of the frames from my Large Vintage and Elegant Frames Digital Image Set.  I printed the frame twice and cut away part of the bottom of each frame (the back of the frame is covered with coordinating cardstock).  The frame I used is the last one (far right) on the second row in the picture below.  I love using large frame images to give a piece structure.

LARGE VINTAGE AND ELEGANT FRAMES DIGITAL IMAGE SET
To purchase this digital image set, click on the image below.

STAR CROSSED LOVERS

In the picture below, you can see the holes going down the right side of the piece, but no worries, as the cascading flowers will hide my misstep.

I started building the flower cascade by attaching leaves from my stash.  I think these leaves had a flower that I used on another project.

Next, I added the larger burgundy, white and yellow flowers.  

The brown beaded flowers are from my stash.  Next, I added the smaller burgundy and white roses and rose buds.  The ones on the right hide the holes.  As a final touch to the flower cascade, I added paper butterflies. 

On the left side of the piece, I added a green vine using a rub-on from my stash.  Red beads add a sense of red buds to the vine.  

In addition to the vine, I used a clock from my Tick Tock collage sheet.  I added Glossy Accents to the center to give it a domed and shiny appearance.

At the bottom, I added a chipboard flourish painted gold, two Dresden white swans rubbed with Inca Gold Gilders Paste, and black Swarovski crystals for eyes.  The final touch is the red and gold glass bead.

MY COLLAGE SHEETS AND DIGITAL IMAGE SETS USED FOR "STAR-CROSSED LOVERS"

ElegantFrames Digital Image Set

TickTock Collage Sheet

QUEEN OF HEARTS

The approach for this piece was the same as the one above.  I used the same chipboard, paper frame, decorative paper (opposite side), and the image from the Juliet Collage Sheet.

Next, I added half of a chipboard gate (painted gold) to give the piece an architectural feel and cover the holes on the left side.  I also added lace (from my stash) to the top right side of the piece.

Next, I glued the image in place and started building her heart crown.  I used one of the crowns from the Natures Crowns collage sheet as the base.  Click on the image below to purchase this collage sheet.

Using heart stick pins, I added small heart beads and glued the stickpins behind the crown.  In the center, I also added a glass heart bead to the stickpin in addition to the small heart bead.  To the front, I added a gold heart, rhinestones, and a piece of trim to the crown.  The final touch was to add some leaves behind the crown.

To the bottom of the piece, I added first lace, a large beaded trim, and a small beaded trim.  Next, I added resin swirls and beaded flowers.  The final touch is the sugared bloom with acrylic leaves.

MY COLLAGE SHEETS AND DIGITAL IMAGE SETS USED FOR "QUEEN OF HEARTS"

Large Vintage and Elegant Frames Digital Image Set

Natures Crowns Collage Sheet