Working Within the Box!

 

I am part of a small Australian group that has an "Art of the Month" one-on-one exchange and in October I made this for Jacky. 

I had bought the shadow box some time ago specifically with the intention of taking out the mass-produced item that it featured and replacing it with a collage of my own.  Needless to say I did not get around to doing it and in the interest of using up the items I have on hand (and there are an awful lot!), I decided to use it as the basis for my item for Jacky.  I stamped the text on the front white exterior with StazOn ink but decided it looked a bit stark so cut the black and white paper to fit on opposing corners.

Photographing it flat really shows that it is a shadow box!

The collage inside is based on some beautiful blue handmade paper.  I used the colour as the basis for the rest of the collage, using some painted vintage paper, stamping, decorative paper scraps, paper flowers (I know they are everywhere but I just love them and I want to start making some of those gorgeous spiral ones), a vintage image and some machine stitching to hold it altogether.  I stitch all of the collages that are based on the handmade paper as I find things don't stick to it terribly well and I don't like to use much glue on them.

And to share some Western Australian beauty this was the sight out of my front door one evening recently.  It was absolutely stunning in its vibrancy!

I loved the colours at the end and cloud patterns too!