Monday 6 October 2014

October Twins

Hello and welcome to Magpieheaven! In the summer I did what I can only describe as a life-changing online class with the amazing artist and teacher, Mary Jane Chadbourne. It was called 'The Imaginarium, the Anthology of an Art Doll'. I learned so many new techniques and met some incredible artists. I made my first three art dolls using wood cut from my kids' old bunk beds! When our lovely neighbours, Scott and Loretta told us they were expecting their first child - or 'children', as they are to have twins - I wanted to create something for them with unusual stamping to create a gift that celebrated fantasy and imagination. I should like to link my little houses to Fashionable Stamping Challenges, where they have an 'Anything Goes' theme.

 I picked up a couple of little money boxes made from MDF and I decided to create 'Day Dream' boxes for the twins where they can save their coins to purchase the toys, books or materials that will stimulate their childhood dreams. I do hope at least one twin will be saving up for paints and clay!

I won't be going into the full step-by-step, as I used many of Mary Jane's techniques and I would strongly advise you to take a course with her if you ever have the opportunity! What I will say is that these little faces are made from Polymer Clay and they are only the second and third faces I've made in this way. They were built up on MDF heart bases and when they were dry they were painted with Gesso, then PaperArtsy Frescos and finally details added with Water Colour paints.
I chose to use PaperArtsy Fresco paints in Turquoise and Very Berry for the houses. Unlike the Art Dolls, these little houses had more space to decorate on the sides. Anyone who knows me or my blog, will be aware how much I love to use Shrink Plastic for embellishing, so as well as embossing the sides and using Treasure Gold for accent, I added painted Shrink Plastic leaves, cut with the Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves die. You can find my tutorial for creating, painting and stamping Shrink Plastic embellies here.
I think one of those little birds has taken flight and is looking down on the roof-tops, which, as you can see I crackled with PaperArtsy Crackle Glaze and then stamped with the script from PaperArtsy Hot Picks 1006.
I stamped the backs of the houses with the Alphabet stamp from PaperArtsy, Ink and the Dog, Mini 18, and the label encouraging the twins to 'Day Dream' is from a 'Rogue Redheads' plate. 
When I first started to create seriously back in April 2014, I bought some stamps that really captured my imagination. They were Sandra Evertson's Petite Whimsies from Stampington. I wanted to include these on the twins' boxes because they seem so fairy tale and so imaginative to me. If I could have been one of the Good Fairies at the christening of Sleeping Beauty, I would have given her the gift of a vivid imagination because I believe this to be the greatest gift.
I painted my shrink plastic with Fresco paint then cut it into the leaf shapes and finally stamped with Sandra's designs in Jet Black Archival before melting. I used different papers on my little projects: Paper Artsy Chatsworth and Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Oriental.
I spent so much of my childhood daydreaming and I'm a great believer in the importance of dreaming. Without daydreams how will we live a life of purpose and vision? It's our daydreams that reveal to us what who we are and what we have to give to the world. I do hope that the twins will fill their boxes with daydreams and that some day those dreams will become reality for them. Thank you for stopping by today. May all your daydreams turn into creativity this week and in the weeks to come.

18 comments:

  1. So much detail, so much to look at Julie Ann. What an inventive gift for them and useful too. Great neighbour bearing such unique gifts! Xx

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  2. What a lot of thought and wonderful wishes you have put into the Day Dream boxes Julie Ann. They are beautiful, totally unique and sure to bring great pleasure to the twins in years to come.

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  3. Oh boy Miss Julia Ann you have made 2 AMAZING keepsakes for those twins, I adore the faces, I love the crackled roves, gorgeous texture on the sides, love the hearts, the letters on the back, but my favorite is your signature pieces they are fantastic, love the fairy images, their parents will treasure these unique gift made with love, I too hope they fill them with daydreams what could be more perfect, thanks sooooo much for sharing these treasures, I'm off to swimming and will have these dancing in my head. wishing you a wonderful week full of creativity, ((( HUGE HUGS ))) my kindred spirit..

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  4. Nice name to call the Twins money boxes, the faces you made are unique and full of life and emotion. The colours and images you have chosen all make up one very special gift.

    The course you did sounds really interesting, enjoyed seeing all your beautiful Art Dolls along the way.

    I am sure the twins will use their Daydream Boxes and pass them onto their children:-) xxx

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  5. How cool is this Julie Ann and to call them 'Day Dream Boxes' is very apt. I am sure they will be putting all their pennies in them. Brilliant.

    Thank you for sharing with us at Fashionable Stamping Challenges.

    Warm crafty hugs from Shirl x x x
    ShirlsCards.

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  6. oh Julie Ann these money boxes are beautiful, and as always I love the writing on your post too. I hope your neighbours children will adore them and dream some wonderful dreams!

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  7. wow Julie Ann what a wonderful gift!! I hope they love their day dream boxes and like you say at least one of them will be saving their pennies to buy paints and clay!! xxx

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  8. These money boxes are wonderful Julie Ann! I love those faces! I hope you will come back and let us know when the twins are born!

    Lucy x

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  9. What wonderful gifts for those twins Julie Ann!! You are so lovingly amazing! xoxo

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  10. What gorgeous gifts, they're fabulous! xxx

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  11. Wonderful idea and fabulous dream boxes.

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  12. These are so beautiful Julie Ann! A wonderful idea and they are sure to be treasured as they really are something special! Love those faces! Hugs, Chrisx
    ps Thanks for your lovely comments on Sam's blog - it was indeed me!xx

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  13. These are wonderful, Julie Ann!!!

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  14. Two wonderful boxes, the details look fantastic and I'm sure they will be treasured. thank you for joining us at FSC this time
    Yvonne/Meggymay

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  15. What wonderful unique gifts to commemorate a life-changing event! I love your polymer faces, beautifully painted, and all the colour and textures are so eye-catching. It's fabulous to hear (and to have seen) the impact the class made on you and your work… what a joy!
    Alison xx

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  16. I loved your write-up on this...the daydream boxes look amazing.
    Thanks for joining us at Fashionable Stamping Challenges.
    Dot x

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  17. Lots of delightful details in these money boxes, perfect keepsakes for children too! Love the faces, sounds you had an educational time with Mary Jane...

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  18. WOW wow wow the money boxes are amazing, I bet the mum to be was delighted with them. WOW your clay faces are awesome, they look so imaginative I love them. Kezzy :-) xxx

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