My Girl

I finished her the other night and hate to leave her anywhere. I move her from room to room with me throughout the day and love looking at her. She's my Angel of Inspiration and she represents who I am as an artist. She's constructed primarily of fabric and wire- my personal fave's. She is also very mixed media and glories in it. Besides fabric and wire she has a torso made of a spool of thread and arms that are paper clay. Her skirt and jacket are- of course- artist's canvas and have needles embedded on either side of the front. You've probably caught the sewing theme by now but for extra emphasis she's holding a small embroidery scissor given to my by my mother. Besides sewing she loves found objects (the pieces of carpenter's ruler) and she is of course, much enamored with birds. Because she represents my inspirations I had to include my love of drawing and color by adding in the used and broken bits of caran' dache crayons.

Because I love flowers (you all know that I do) she wears flowers, one in her hair at one at her breast. She's my girl and I love her and I hope you do too. She is also, my final entry for the Artisan contest so I am done done done! In the few weeks since I decided to jump in and enter so many amazing artists have contributed their work to the contest, I really want to encourage you all to stop over and take a look. But it's a little scary. There are some truly amazing works and I look at my entries and feel the pull to protect them and myself by not entering. If I don't then there's nothing risked and I won't feel badly if no one likes them. But if I do enter, and post my three little projects then I'll feel like I've been brave and feel good about myself for having done it. The flip side of course, is feeling regret if I let this opportunity, this chance, pass.

So I'm gonna jump- I think My Angel would approve.

Tutorial: "love you" Altered Book Photo Frame

Wondering how to say I "love you" with an old book, wire and a bit of fabric and ribbon? Here's an idea- How about creating this hanging book photo frame?

In Taking Flight, Kelly Rae Roberts had a photo frame project that I took this basic technique of cutting out a rectangle from the front cover from. It's worth checking out her version- it has some lovely wire and tissue wings.

Altered Book Photo Frame

Tools and Materials
Old Book
Wire words, "love" and "you" of 16-gauge steel wire
Ribbon
Patterned fabric or paper
Embroidery floss
Utility knife
Awl
Needle
Scissors
Glue stick
Craft Drill

Directions:
1. Decide whether you want the front of your frame to be the front cover or back cover of your book. Sometimes the front is too distracting and the back cover seems to be the best option. Using an utility knife and a ruler; measure, mark and then cut a rectangle from the front or back of your book. I cut right into the book, no mat needed. Pull out any cut up pages from the interior of the book.

2. Cut ribbon strips and glue around your frame window. Position your wire word "you" beneath the frame window, and then use an awl to poke a few holes through the book cover around the word. Usually one hole on one side of the first letter, a middle letter, and the last letter are enough.



3. Using a needle and embroidery floss (knotted at end), come up through the first hole, cross over the wire, and then insert the needle back through the same hole. Repeat once more and then move on and stitch down the next letter in the same manner. For the word "love" repeat steps 2 & 3 stitching it to the top of your frame.



4. Using a craft drill with a 1/16" bit, and drill two holes, one in each of the top two corners of the book. Drill through the entire book block. Open book cover and glue in the patterned fabric or paper in place behind the frame window. At this point some instructions suggest you use matte medium to seal the edges and cover of the book closed. I find that inserting the wire for the hanger wires the book closed very securely- no glue necessary.


5. Using the 16-gauge steel wire, insert the cut end through the top right hole and then pull through, insert through the hole on the left side of the book and then wrap cut end around wire at the top of the book. Leaving some slack in the wire, cut the wire on the other side and then wrap the end up and around the wire as you did on the left side of the book. Place your photo of choice in the center of the window attaching with glue dots, and then hang on the wall. Enjoy!!!