Moulin Rouge Art Event Bijoux Box Swap

I don’t know if you have noticed this button on my sidebar. But, I have signed up to attend another Art Event hosted by the amazing Kim Caldwell. I went to my first “Kim Event” in July of 2010 & fell head over in heels for Manhattan Beach, CA & Kim’s MAGIC. The theme was Mermaids for the last event (Go HERE) to see more(there are actually like 4 different posts but, this will get you in the right time frame). Over The Top is the only words to describe these events for they will blow your socks off! This years event is Moulin Rouge! Although not one of my favorite movies… I LOVE Paris & MANY THINGS FRENCH!

In honor of this upcoming event I changed my blog design back to my much loved Paris Theme & Banner (created by the amazing Tiffany). Hope you are enjoying it as much as I do.

One of the things that often occurs for these events is SWAPS. I usually get excited & sign up for them. Then the next phase is the WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS? And then the buckle down & get’er done phase happens. This time I signed up for two swaps. I have completed the first of them with the HELP of my precious friend Cindy Craine of Lilly’s Lace! Last week I went to Cindy’s house & she had bags of lace, trim & other stuff out as she thought we were going to make Magnolia Pearl Bloomers. But, after looking at the fabric she had chosen we decided it was too stiff & we would work on my Bijoux Box Swap instead. THANK GOODNESS because it is less than a month & the clock is ticking! Here is the result…

Top... Beautiful cotton lace on a padded top. The Eiffel Tower image under a sparkling frame. Under that frame is tea stained bridal netting from under one of the MANY different bridal gowns that Cindy has tea stained (she has a great tutorial for that HERE). Also, in two corners are large pieces of tea stained bridal lace. And then I used vintage jewelry pieces. The bracelet, an earring, & a little stick pin.

For this swap you were supposed to find an old jewelry box & decorate it. Then fill it with whatever you wanted to. A little treasure box. I didn’t have one of these little jewelry boxes so the search started on EBay & Etsy… $15 (& with $12 shipping do the math…) later this one was mine & in pretty rough shape. COVER the whole BOX!

The side view… Pretty pearl colored paper with tiny polka dots & some wonderful vintage Paris/French images. Gel Matte Medium was my messy friend.

A back view.

My partner wanted neutral colors with a little bit of pink or aqua… ?????…. Neutral/Pink/Aqua OK! That didn’t quiet compute but, I aim to please… Soft pink lining in the box. And some Aqua beads, German Glass Glitter… A few pages out of a vintage French Book. French to English Flash Cards…(thank you Linda) Some pretty vintage crocheted lace(Linda’s Etsy Shop again), a brass filigree heart, a vintage earring, Pink wrapped dark chocolate raspberry filled Ghuradelli squares…

The words Moulin Rouge spelled out on a Scrabble Tray(found at Bloom & Bee Swanky an adorable shop in downtown Waco & the owner Amy is such a cutie) , a pearl bracelet from another Art Event I went to (I didn’t need this or amazingly I hadn’t taken it apart)

I bought this adorable little box from Leaping Frog Designs. She made a jewelry box that pulls out to reveal THREE domino’s that have been repurposed with wonderful French Images. Notice the aqua color? Was that a lucky find or what?

And above is a Gallette hand made by my friend Jan Armntrout. She is an excellent needlework artist & loves doing ribbon work & lace making. When I told her about this swap she was working on a class sample for another event & she said “Let me make a Gallette for your box”. What is a Gallette? A French ribbon work created by MANY folds. She did it in the most beautiful sheer cream colored ribbon. And backed it with a German Glass Glittered back. She also made a Cacard (kind of a ribbon rosette) for the back to be glued on to the glittered part. But, I couldn’t glue it on the back for it would be smashed in the box. And I’m not sure I can part with this treasure although… she promises to teach me or make me another for myself… Let’s take a closer look at this amazing work of art. Beautiful isn’t it?

The box isn’t full yet but, I’m working on it. When do you stop? How do you know that it’s done?

How can I thank my generous friends for sharing their time, talent, & supplies? What wonderful fun times we had sharing & laughing as we created these gifts to give to a total stranger. Jan & I played one day last week on my second swap (A Pocket Pillow) but, it is not finished which is an excuse for another play date this week! I can’t wait! And Cindy… we still need to make those bloomers. THANK YOU SWEET FRIENDS!

Hugs from a busy crafter! Moulin Rouge I’m workin my way to you as fast as I can!

Charlene

Gifts I Made for Swap with Margaret

In late October Margaret of The French Bear & I did a private Fall Swap. I showed all of you the goodies that she had sent to me HERE but, I forgot to do a post to show you what I made for her. So, here are a few photos of the items I made/got for her. I made her three pairs of earrings all in Fall colors. I put them on a card I made with an image I got from Dawn of The Feathered Nest (THANK YOU Dawn). Also, I made her a necklace with a charm that could be hung from either side. The first side is again an image from Dawn. I love the image of the girls playing in the leaves. When I soldered this charm (which is fairly large) & used a thick & textured look for the solder.

And the beveled side of the charm was a Fall image (again from Dawn) that I thought was very pretty. I used natural stones & strung them in a long necklace so that the soldered charm would hang low on a pretty sweater. I loved the colors in the stones that hung on the bottom of the charm.

Next I did an apron for her. I used a poem that she had written called The Needlewoman & did an image transfer & stitched this onto an apron. I then used part of a cute hankie that I had been saving (that had sewing machine, needles, thread & all sorts of sewing items on it) which I put at the top of the apron. I did a pink breast cancer ribbon & put Margaret's sisters name on it (in memory of Karen).

For pockets I used two vintage doilies I had bought from my friend Pat of My Tattered Elegance (she has some of the most wonderful lace) & I then used some wonderful charms of sewing items & stitched them to the poem & pockets.

Here's a close up of the bottom of the poem with the sewing machine & scissors charm.

A thimble charm tied onto one pocket with black & white ribbon.

Next, a set of photo albums & a journal in beautiful Fall colors & tied with a pretty ribbon. Again, that same photo used for her charm with some cute glittered clothes pins (with magnets for the fridge to hold photos or reminders)

And being a seamstress & having read her blog I knew that Margaret loved buttons. So, I made her a button jar with this wonderful vintage image of a woman dressed in a bat costume (after all Halloween was during the time frame of the swap). I then ruffled crepe paper around the image & glittered the lid with BLACK glitter.

The finishing touch on the jar was a little sign which read "BATTY FOR BUTTONS" which was tied on with black netting.

Here's a few of her goodies all tied up in black netting & ready for the box for mailing. I hope you enjoyed seeing a few of my hand made goodies & Margaret did say that she loved all her things. Postal Love is a marvelous thing. Right now I have a few more things sitting on my work table waiting to be finished & mailed. Have a wonderful week my dear friends.

Postal Bliss!!!!!!!!!!! Packages Keep Arriving!!!!!

Where have I been???? Mother has been here for TWO WEEKS!!!!! YIKES!!!! Love her but, my ears hurt & I am having serious Blog with drawl. Bottom line I MISS MY FRIENDS & all the POSITIVE, beautiful things they talk & think & create! Being POSITIVE & surrounding yourself with POSITIVE is sooooooooooooooooo very important! My mailman of 12 years retired this month & I don't care for his sub but, TODAY when she rang my doorbell I liked her a lot better! There was my box for the FALL SWAP I did with Margaret of The French Bear! Do you know Margaret & know of her AMAZING works of wonder? Oh JOY! I couldn't wait to see what was in the box! And above is the first peek.

All the little packages & those sweet vintage images to tease me.

The first thing I opened was this tiny SPARKLING gold crown with a little envelope that says "you rule". This was wrapped in the sweetest hand made hat box stamped all over.

And here is The French Bear himself wearing his crown of GOLD! Isn't he the sweetest thing? Margaret used the most wonderful fabric to MAKE him. It looks just like soft golden fur. Can you believe she hand makes these little treasures? His features are absolutely perfect in every way.

And, a box of HAND DIED buttons with a HANDMADE VELVET PUMPKIN PIN CUSHION! I just can't stand the excitement of telling you how OVER THE TOP CUTE THIS IS!

Remember the little RED Christmas package?

Well, how the heck did that image get flipped around????? It wasn't like that in the photo when I loaded it but, I have NO IDEA how to fix it sooooooooo, sorry but, turn your head to look because it is VERY cute! And yes, Margaret I BELIEVE!!!!!!!

This sweet ornament was also handmade.

MY STASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't it all MARVELOUS? Also, not shown close up is the sweet hand painted metal heart & cute decorated clothespins. THANK YOU DEAR SWEET MARGARET!

And what is this? The invitation to the Open House for Winnie & Tulula's bit bash! Theresa at Garden Antqs Vintage had her amazing Give Away a couple of weeks agao & my $50 gift certificate to her shop at Winnie & Tulula's came in the mail Saturday. Yippeeeee I know I will love that little shopping experience. Also, enclosed in the envelope from Theresa was a gift card to Starbucks!!!! Gotta love that A LATTE! Hee Heeeeeeee. Thank you so much my generous amazing friends!!!! Have a great week & I promise I will be a bit better about posting now. Hugs~ Charlene