Parol 101: How to build a lightbulb for the lantern

Supplies Needed: plug adaptor, lightbulb, plug, at least 1 ft-any length of plastic coated electrical wire (2-wire, can be easily split in the middle of the plastic coating)

Instructions:
1. Cut through the middle of the length of the wire for about 1" on both ends. Make sure that the cut is only on the plastic part and that no wire is exposed during the cut. (WARNING: Exposed wires can cause electrocution!) If wire is exposed, cut through the middle more and cut off the parts that were exposed.

2. Then, carefully cut around each group of the copper wire, making sure that the cut is only up to the plastic part, not the copper wires. This is important since if many of the copper wires are cut, then electricity will only be able to flow through fewer wires. Then, using your fingers, pull the cut-off plastic part, and twist the exposed copper wires to make them into neat ends. This will make it easier to use as well. Do this to both ends, then set aside.

3. Unscrew the 2 screws underneath the lamp base. Twist the exposed wires around the screws and screw them down. Take your time in doing this. No copper wire should stick out from the screws. The neater this is done, the safer the wiring.

4. Take the plug and unscrew the casing. Open the plug, attach the remaining ends of the wire (by twisting and screwing the wires) to the 2 metal prongs of the plug. Close the plug.

5. Screw in the light bulb and plug to check. For safety, you can wear silpat gloves or any rubber when plugging. If it lights, then it's good to go inside the parol.

6. Insert the lightbulb in one of the corners of the parol. The wiring comes out at one of the sides. Use masking tape to keep it from moving inside. When covering the parol with cloth or paper, don't completely glue in the cover on the side where the wire comes out. I suggest a flap that opens and closes so that you can always replace the lightbulb later should it go out.

BIG TIP: Cloth is a good covering material because light shines through. If using paper, it's good to have it perforated or have a design that is cut through so light can pass. Another is to just keep the sides of the parol uncovered so light shines around the star instead.

WARNING: Don't leave the parol unattended when on. Always take it out of the electrical socket when no one is around as a safety measure.

Parol 2008

I finally finished my parol this year. Every year, I make it a point to make a parol for every Christmas of Galo, sort of a marker for his year. So far, I have 4, always on display above my capis divider.

This time, I used scrap jusi cloth which I sprayed and rubbed with Glimmer Mist (graphite, merlot and olive vine). Then, I stamped StazOn Olive Green all over using the FP Bella Brush script stamp. In the beginning, I thought it wouldn't turn out well. Was I surprised myself when it did come out gorgeously vintage as planned.

Materials: jusi cloth, Glimmer Mist (graphite, merlot, olive vine), StazOn Olive Green, Carolina's lace, Carolina's textile flowers (love this stuff!!!), misc. olive green ribbon. Stamp used: FP Bella Brush script.

Techniques: stamping, rubbing and spraying glimmer mist.

Visual Creations November GDT Project # 2 - Tin Soldier's Ballerina

The 2nd project I made for Visual Creations is the ballet tutu on the CI dress form. This was so much fun to make! I've always wanted to be a dancer and making my own tutu using paper is one vicarious way of reliving my passion for the performing arts.

To bring out the shape of the dress form, I painted it black with acrylic first. I used predominantly paper so I had to figure out how to make the cuts, nips and tucks on paper, just like I would have done to cut cloth for a dress. I had to make sure there were overlaps to make sure there were no holes in the dress. I traced the "seams" with the lace to cover them up, then further covered the overlaps with glitter.

To make the tutu skirt, I hand-folded the paper like an accordion fan. Of course, the folds were not too neat and of the same width, then I glued them to the sides of the bodice. To make sure that the tutu doesn't fall off, I also glued the same lace underneath the top layer, just to prop it up. I did the same for the 2nd and the 3rd layers, but also cut them shorter, once they were glued all together. To finish it off, I adhered a pink satin ribbon, and attached a rose cufflink in sterling silver. The latter came from the Nevermore Kit I got from Gauche Alchemy. I actually used that for an altered eyeglass case, but had to reuse it here because it seemed to be more apt. The rose cufflink reminded me of the Tin Soldier's story, so I named the piece the Tin Soldier's Ballerina.

Do check it out as http://www.visualcreationsonline.net/gallery/index.html where it is being shown together with Visual Creations' Design Team Member, Cabbie Lopez, the queen of altered art. Also, do check out the many new and different items Visual Creations offers. I'm sure they'll make you drool!!!

Materials: CI dress form, Lefranc & Bourgeois Fine Acrylic Mars Black, Michael's seed pearls, Leeho Glitter Glue, 7 Gypsies Vale, remaining scrap pps: IOD Steel Toe Mary Jane Collection, Foof-ala AL.

Visual Creations November GDT Project # 1 - 3D Family Tree

I did two projects for Visual Creations for November. To see them, plus Cabbie Lopez's great work in the Visual Creations' Gallery, go to http://www.visualcreationsonline.net/gallery/index.html

The first is a small family tree that I've always wanted to make. I used the Cosmo Cricket Botanico Album Kit, but only the front and back covers. Since the inside of both covers didn't have the tree design, I scanned the tree on the front cover twice, cut them out (it was so meticulous, I almost gave up in cutting small scrolls in the leaf tree design!), then pasted them on the blank sides.

Next, I made a cut a straight line from the top of the tree to way past the middle of 1 of the boards. Then I made a similar cut from the bottom of the other tree to way past the middle of the 2nd board. Then, like a paper doll, I inserted them into each other. Waaalaaah!!! Instant stand alone tree!

To make the family tree, I assigned 1 family per quarter of the tree: one for my hubby, son and myself; another for Galo's ancestors from my side, including both my parents and their parents; another for his ancestors from hubby's side, again including his parents and their grandparents; and lastly, one quarter for writing the title Bonoan-Lagazon Family Tree.

Since the tree is small, the best I could do was to rubon letters to form the names of all of Galo's ancestors. These make up 4 generations.

To finish it off, I added flowerettes and a few chipboards from the Botanico Album Kit, then rubbed walnut ink around it.

Materials: Cosmo Cricket Botanico Album Kit (chipboard covers only), Carolina's lace ribbon cut into small flowerettes, misc. olive green ribbon, KI Memories RubOns Ice & Silver, Tsukineo Walnut Ink.

KAYA 19 Challenge #3 Distressed Look

I did this challenge thinking it would be easy. Distressing is easy for me since it is the core of my vintage style. Unfortunately, I am definitely challenged when it's a Christmas Theme. Of all LOs, I am consciously aware of avoiding Christmas, from avoiding the prerequisite bright greens and reds, to the cute Christmas papers and embellies being sold. For some reason, I sometimes think my vintage style and Christmas don't go well together, at least most of the time. I was really glad it did for this one though.

This photo of Galo however started to call to me. This is last year's Christmas Day at his grandfather's house. He just received his gifts, and yet he still had an open hand, as if asking for more. At 3 years then, his grasp of the meaning of Christmas is limited by his experience of receiving many, many toys (much to my horror whenever I think about where to put all of them, and how to weed out last year's batch!). After all, he's still a kid. And so he will be for a few more years. ---I guess, what I'm saying is, let him have his fun.

Journaling:
All I want for Christmas are more... Christmas Toys.

Materials:
Love Elsie Noel Tree Lot, Tinkering Ink Yuletide Joyous Noel/Mulled Wine, Daisy d's Rub Ons Telling the Story, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Merlot, Brilliance Moonlight White, misc. gold ribbon, Carolina's grey cord, Carolina's lace, Pigma Micron 03 pen.

Techniques Used:
Folding and sanding the photo, inking the photo, paper tearing, rolling the sides of the LO, spraying mist around the sides of the LO + rubbing same mist on the undersides of the rolled portions.

KAYA 19 Challenge #2 Negative Space

I made this LO this morning, hoping to reach the deadline this evening. The KAYA 19 Challenge#2 in the PinoyScrapbookers Challenge Blog is to make use of negative space. Of course, I couldn't make the LO have more than 1/2 of negative space. I just had to add so many things, including stamping a french script on the paper.

The photo shows my favorite topic, my son Galo. Journal reads: Tagaytay, Summer 2008. Galo learned to be independent early. He has his own ideas of what he wants and who he wants to be. He has his own path to take.

Materials: BG Aged & Confused Vagabond Green bean, MME Tres Jolie Ooh La La Unique Card, SR Chipboard Plain Butterflies, Carolina's lace, ProvoCraft Alphaletterz Brush Seaside Express, Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan, Ranger Distress Crackle Paint Weathered Wood, Whispers Embossing Powder Blue, Puff Ups Puff White Translucent, misc. crystal glitter, Tsukineko Walnut Ink, VersaMark Watermark, Pigma Micron 03. Stamp used: Stampin' Up En Francais.

Techniques: handwritten journal, ageing photo through LightRoom, crackle paint, stamping and layering embossing powder and puff powder, inking, rubbing with walnut ink.

Luscious Kits + ephemera = One-of-a-kind memories!

I've ever subscribed to scrapbooking kits until recently. I saw the value of the kit and compared it to how much I would spend if I bought the items individually. When I saw that the kit is ALWAYS of better value, I went ahead and enrolled myself in the local kit club.

NOW, Gauche Alchemy's Kit is something else. I've seen it first hand. The kit is really different. It had the usual papers and alphas, of course, but it also had something else that I didn't see in other kits: PERSONALITY. To me, the extra ephemera is what makes a LO or project different. I see everything as possible art. This means that whatever I do, the little things I place into it must mean something.

What are those little things? Aside from magazine cut-outs, and images that are preprinted, there are the sprockets, gears, crystals and one-of-a-kind cufflink. In fact, just by receiving this kit for the GDT in October, it opened me to all sorts of possibilities that I've never even thought was possible! For my friends out there looking for a really worthwhile kit to have, this is it. Head over to the http://gauchealchemy.wordpress.com/ You'll thank me for it.

Oh by the way, I still haven't used everything in the kit. There's quite a lot, I still have to figure out how to best use them!

Visual Creations November GDT Projects coming up!

In a space of a few days, I've created 2 altered art projects. One involves my heritage, something that I've been planning to do for the longest time. The idea was simple really. I wanted to have a visual representation of my family to remind Galo of his heritage. I already had all the necessary materials from Visual Creations, I just didn't have the time to execute it. Of course, I wasn't sure it would work, but when it did, no one was more pleased than yours truly.

The other project involves my childhood dream. Again, I wasn't 100% sure I could do it. In principle, I knew that it would probably work. And I was still surprised that it really did! It turned out so beautifully, I keep on wondering if such a thing is saleable. I even have a name for it. I call it "The Tin Soldier's Ballerina." That's a big enough clue as it is!--- Oooh! I wish I could make money out of this! I had so much fun, it's tempting to make and sell one-of-a-kind items such as this one.

Because of the success of this last project, I'd like to go all out on the next one, maybe not for the GDT, as this would make them redundant. But first, I'd need white feathers. Lots of them.

KAYA 19 Challenge #1

Finally, I was able to make a LO for KAYA 19. It took me a while to make a LO again since I seem to be pulled to make altered art a lot.

This is a photo of Galo in Loyola Memorial. This was the first time he became aware of a cemetery visit. Journal reads: Galo met his paternal grandmother on a visit to the cemetery. He had no fear, only questions. Typical of a young child. A day to remember.

Materials used: Bazzill cs, AC Amplified Woodstock, Tinkering Ink For the Birds, MME Tres Jolie Mon Cheri Girl Card, MME Tres Jolie Birthday Boy Frame, Daisy d's RubOns Chloe Marie Ornate Elements, MM 5th Ave Blossoms and Buttons, Bo Bunny Bella Journee circular brad, Carolina's lace (cut into a flower for the ribbon), Carolina's ribbon, Stickles Dark Blue, Leeho white glitter, Whispers Dual Tip Markers Vintage, Versamark Watermark, Perfect Pearls Blue Patina, Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan, Pigma Micron 03.

Techniques Used: handtearing of cs and photo, inking sides and photo, rubbing perfect pearls patina for aged look, doodling and adding glitter for feathers of the bird, handwritten journal.

GDT Work in October and more to come

I am done with my 1st GDT! And these are what I was able to come up with this October. Although I wasn't prolific, I was quite happy with what I was able to come up with.

Hopefully, my GDT work for Visual Creations for November will even be better.

Oh, I'm also going to host the KAYA Challenge for December. Something to do with a tree.... hmmm. Lee put me up to this. So if there's anyone to blame, blame it on her! But I promise, this challenge will be really worth doing for the Christmas season!