It's that time of the challenge where we have the pleasure of a guest spotlight from a previous winner and announce our last challenge winners. Today we are delighted to feature an awesome project from the very talented
Mo from almo craft who was the winner of our 'Spring flowers' challenge...
I started crafting when I was a young girl, I loved taking old packaging boxes, jam jars and empty sweet tins etc. and decorating them with old wallpaper and gems to store bits and pieces in. I took up dancing in my teenage years which was my main hobby for a long time, I picked up my crafting again to fill a void when I retired from dancing about 10 years ago. I live with my hubby Alan who is my biggest critic, but is also very supportive of everything I do. I have always admired work of Tim Holtz who I have had the honour of meeting twice now. My style tends to be Vintage/Shabby Chicand as I love all things botanical, animals, birds and the seaside these themes show up a lot in my work. I don't really plan my projects in advance, I just go with the flow and see where my imagination takes me.
I cannot begin to tell you how happy I was to be asked by the amazingly talented team to be a Guest Designer for A Vintage Journey. When I looked at the standard of work from previous designers my first thought was how do I follow that! It was indeed a great honour to have been given the opportunity. I put my thinking cap on and thought about a project that would fit the theme for this months challenge hosted by the lovely Anne who chose 'All about Him'. I looked at the untidy pile of bits and pieces, my hubby Alan creates on the table whilst emptying his pockets every evening and decided that I would make him a box for his stuff.
This started life as a plain old wooden book box with a hidden drawer, and I decided to go with the metallic theme as he was a metal worker for over 30 years. I used Tim's Painted Industrial technique throughout, using different embossing folders and tools to create the various different patterns
The photograph on the box is one of my favourite childhood photo's of Alan, he was about 8 years old here. I have backed it onto Kraft resist papers cut with the cabinet die. The old money on the bottom left is his, kept for a rainy day! the ideology pin has the wording stuff on it, and miscellaneous seemed to be a good word to describe what he collects, he is like a magpie! the admit one ticket stamped onto the back of an adage ticket is there because if we have been to a show or anywhere where you get admission tickets, he carries them around for months (I think its a man thing).
The clock, cog & spinner represents his watch which also ends up on the pile set at 6pm the time generally gets in from work, I have added an ideaology buckle and an old button to the box because for some strange reason if they break off his shirt, belt or bag, he forgets to let me know so I can fix it, again he just carries them around. The notepad and pen is to represent the pen that he keeps in his pockets and the notes written on bits of paper. The little clip board is inked mount board stamped with the Tim's wood stamp from wallpaper and wood set, I have just cut a few sheets of cream paper down to size, inked the edges and stamped the top one using a stamp from the Warehouse District set and watering can archival. I finished it off with a pen nib, clip and a little chit chat sticker. The bike stamp I will explain later.
The bulb relates to his metal working days, he used to make 1000's of lamp guards to protect the bulb of the lights in large factories. I found on one of the Wallflower papers it related to a brass guard which some of them were made of, so popped that in too, he is old school and still uses inches for measuring. The stamped hand on the old luggage label points to a key to represent his house keys,
The sweetie is a gem from old jewellery and the little star is a stud which broke off from somewhere and Alan picked it up!. On the bottom left we have Label letters in an Ornate frame and mounted on a journalling ticket.
On the base and the sides of the box you can see the metal embossed patterns much better. The feet were something else he picked up, they were studs off an old belt he found and he thought I could use them for my crafting, so use them I have.
The front of the drawer has builders shim under the foil, and I have got the pattern by running a ball tool over it. I did not have a handle that looked right, so I went hunting around in Alan's shed and found this old bike spanner and a couple of nuts and bolts. He used to ride his bike to work every day (thus the stamped bike I mentioned earlier on the top), he does not have it any more so the redundant spanner has found a new use.
Inside the box I have just lined it with the metal, and again used an emboss folder for the base.
Here you can see the pile of stuff that gets emptied out every night.
The stuff all neat and tidy in its new box.
This is such an inspirational project Mo with some fabulous ideas - the shim underlay, the spanner handle - fantastic! (Dare we say, it's also such a practical solution to that irritating man thing, lol!) Thank you for supporting us and guesting with us today!
Thank you all very much for your entries to our last challenge which was Terry's 'Fond memories' theme - so many creative and clever projects! As usual, our Creative Guides have voted on their favourites and here are the results...
#19 - Meggymay of Meggy's Way
The CGs have also decided upon the 3 projects they consider to be most 'Pinworthy'. These entrants will receive a 'Pinworthy' blog badge and their projects will be pinned to the appropriate Pinterest board:
#4 - Karen Garrard of Winton Rose Paper Creations
#11 - Julia Sanders of My Altered Life
#20 - Sue Horsley of Vintage Efforts
CONGRATULATIONS to all of you, emails and badges are on their way!
Thank you to EVERYONE who took part in this challenge, it was really hard to choose, and good luck for our current and future challenges.
We have another fabulous guest post on Monday so please pop back and see us. Have a creative weekend all!
The Vintage Journey Creative Guides xxx
