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.

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.