We're All Mad Here.......

Hello all! Lora here, just hanging around making stuff for Alpha Stamps today.
The theme for April is Alice and all that Wonderland brings to mind.
I decided to go with an Alice Altoid tin shrine this go 'round. I really like the red, black and white theme - very eye catching!

And the back....

Here's where I began:
I started with an Altoid tin. Notice the little hinges holding the lid on?

Using a pair of pliers, I pulled the hinge out straight so I could take the lid off.

After removing the lid,  I snipped off the hinge as close the edge of the tin as possible. Flush cutters work well for this.
I sanded the sharp edges down (make sure you use a sanding block or fold your sandpaper over a couple of times, you don't want to cut yourself!) I also sanded the tin and the lid to rough up the surface. It makes it a lot easier to glue paper down when there is more tooth to the surface.

Next, I cut my papers using the tin and lid for templates and trimming carefully to fit each surface.
You will need a piece for the inside back of the tin, the backside of the tin and one piece for the top of the tin lid and one for the outer edge of the tin sides.
I painted my insert and the Altoids Topper black and also painted the sides of the inside of the tin as well, making sure I got into the edges.
I cut out my images from my collage sheets as well.

I glued my papers on the tin and then I glued little corks on the back of my Alice to bring her forward in the tin, and did the same for a couple of the paper roses so that they were at different depths inside the tin. The corks work out well as they are light weight and tapered and easy to work with.

I used a pair of tweezers to position Alice and the roses inside the tin. Dry fitting them first and gluing them in when I was happy with the arrangement.

I added Dresden Trim to the outside edge of the tin, then glued the insert on to the top edge of the tin. after that dried, I glued on the Altoids Topper to the top and let it dry.
After it dried, I added white dots (using white acrylic paint and a brush) to the insert as it needed some detail and glued a red paper rose to the top center of the Altoids Topper.
I also trimmed out the edge of the topper with some Black Diamond Stickles.
Because glitter.
I glued the 'We're All Mad Here' banner on the bottom of the tin and set it aside to dry.
Oh, and I wanted to put something odd in her hand and I thought this little five of hearts dude was just the right size and I loved his expression. Kind of WTH?!!

I glued my last piece of paper on the tin lid and let that dry.
I added the same Dresden Trim (called Baroque Dresden Borders - Black) around the outside edge and then some snazzy mini red pompom fringe.
When all was dry, I attached a white painted finial to the bottom of the tin, glued that down to the center of the tin lid and added a couple of paper roses.

Last but not least, I added an image to the back and signed the piece.

Thank you for visiting!
For a link to all the awesome supplies used on this project AND the Bonus Project below, click HERE

SUPPLIES LIST:
Altoid Tin,  We're All Mad Here Collage Sheet, Alice Covers Collage Sheet (tiny little card man), Altoid Inserts Vignette (oval), Altoids Topper 2, 1/2 Inch Red Paper Roses, Tiny Paper Roses (red and white), Baroque Dresden Borders - Black, Black and Ivory Diamonds Scrapbook Paper, Black Diamond Stickles

BONUS!!!
Alices Little Deck of Cards in an Adorable Wee Box!!
It's so tiny and cute!

 Itty bitty cards.

Sweetly Scented Houseflies

These little houseflies work hard. They buzz around your house searching for smelly things - got a teenage boy? Then you know what their socks are like! Kitty box? No problem! After-a-party bathroom? Their favorite!
These industrious little houseflies flitter to the funk and let loose the lavender scent in their pretty eyeball flowers on a lovely breeze created by the flutter of their little black glittery fly wings.
Charming!
Yes, it's a little crazy.
Anyway....
Houseflies!!

Here are the elements I used....
Mini House Shadowbox 3
Standard Shingles Half Scale
Petal Corners Minis
Faux Metal Number Plates
Wings and Halo (coming soon)

I started by painting everything. The inside of the houses I painted white and the rest of the pieces got a coat or two of black. (Except for the shingles and the house numbers)

After the house (outside and back) the wings and the petal corners were painted, I glued the shingles on the roof.
I cut what I needed to fit and started from the bottom and worked up, like a real roofer would. After they dried, I painted the shingles a rich brown.

 

I glued the wings to the back of the house, positioning them carefully and  glued the petal corners to the top gable of the house.

I added some Black Diamond Stickles to the wings, glued a little eyeball to the flowers and glued a small cork to the back of each flower to bring then forward from the back of the house.
Before gluing the flowers down, I applied a drop of lavender oil to the petals of the flowers.
I glued a Faux metal number to the top of the petal corner and some black tinsel garland around the edge of the house. Kind of reminiscent of hairy little fly legs!

Thank you for stopping by!
SUPPLIES:
Mini House Shadowbox 3
Standard Shingles Half Scale
Petal Corners Minis
Faux Metal Number Plates
Wings and Halo (coming soon)


Supplies from Alpha Stamps:
Miniature Black Tinsel Garland
Black Diamond Stickles

Additional supplies
Acrylic paint (black, brown and white)
Silk flowers

Trading Cards Magnets

Something slightly odd and cheerful for my turn on Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts today.
I tried to come up with a name for this trio of trading squares, but I just couldn't make up my mind...
When Pigs Fly, Time Flies (or a Flock of Clocks) Air Mail Trading Card Magnets was just a wee bit too long.
So Trading Square Magnets it is.

 (magnets from the hardware store....they are gnarly)

I stared out with these little guys...

I cut paper for the back and the fronts and painted some bird cages black. I also cut out door openings where needed.

I had a scrap of pretty blue sky with clouds paper and cut them to fit the backs of the bird cages and glued them in.

I sanded all my squares and inked around the edges with gold ink and cut out little tiny clocks, stamps, pigs and butterflies and glued the butterfly wings on the backs of the stamps, the pigs and the clocks.

I used washi tape, green leaf ribbon and dots of black paint (the round end of a paint brush dipped in paint and then daubed on) as the background on my squares.

I glued the bird cages on, then the critters in arrangements I liked and added the Tiny Number Plates and any extra leaves or dots.

I like 'em!

SUPPLIES:
2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch Trading Cards  (On the way!)
Mini Bird Cages
Faux Metal Number Plates

Black acrylic paint
Scraps of scrapbook papers
Images from Graphic 45  Olde Curiosity Shoppe
Moss Green Stitched Leaf Ribbon  from Alpha Stamps (you can get it HERE)
Magnets....I got mine from the hardware store, they are stronger and stick better.

Thank you for visiting!