Friday, April 25, 2014

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!

In honor of Earth Day this past week, I would like to share with you a window I created featuring our "big blue marble in space," the Earth.  A few years back I came up with the idea of using the phrase, "Earth Angel" whenever including globes in my work.  The pediments I made here, and the Tim Holtz card I made here are just a few examples. 
 
This past fall, I had been anxious to use this very ornate plaster frame for one of my layered works.  Unfortunately, I dropped it and it broke into a million pieces.  Rather than scrapping it all, I was able to create the big wings on the window out of that frame.  :)  The vintage globe was cut in half.  To create some extra visual interest, I painted vertical stripes with Martha Stewart's Sea Glass paint.  Definitely one of my favorite colors.  The banner across the top is simply some kraft paper, and the edges are finished in Liquid Glass and Tim Holtz Rock Candy Glitter.  The letters on top are vintage plaster.  I am loving the background paper I chose for this piece.  It is from Martha Stewart.  The lantern pattern in the background mimics the stripes on the globe itself.  The aqua and green are the perfect representation of the earth's land and sea
.  The final addition to the piece was the vintage laurel leaves at the bottom.  Made of a heavy duty metal, I think it helped to ground the piece nicely.
 
As you can tell in the description, most of the materials I used were all about repurposing...the window, globe, the broken frame, letters and the leaves.  Giving something old a new life is something I truly enjoy doing.  Thank you so much for stopping by!
 
Amy

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Custom Quatrefoil Window for Baby Emma

Hello friends!  Today I would like to share with you a custom window I created for a beautiful baby's nursery.  A wonderful customer and friend contacted me to create this special one-of-a-kind window to go over the baby's crib in the nursery.  The entire room is done in wonderful shades of gray, with lots of elegant patterns throughout.  From the chandelier and precious quilt, to the quatrefoil rug and painstakingly perfect patterned accent wall, this nursery is definitely fit for a princess!  
 
The window design itself is a new method I have been playing around with.  I created the overall quatrefoil pattern using the Sizzix Bigz Die - Label, Moorish.  I rounded up an extensive pile of gray patterned papers and was very pleased with the variety.  By spacing the diecuts, the negative space takes on the quatrefoil pattern that is so popular right now.  Leaving the open borders around the shapes, also creates a wonderful extra dimension you don't see in my other windows.  When hanging on the wall, it allows the color of the wall to shine through from behind.  Such a dramatic effect, I love the way it turned out. 
 
I congratulate Meghan on your new bundle of joy, Ms. Emma.  May this window bring a lifetime of enjoyment for your baby girl.  I sincerely thank you for allowing me to create something so very special, for such a wonderful time in your life.  :)