guest post: Connie Fong!

Library Drawer Turned Shadow Box

- Connie Fong

A couple years ago, I found the posts for Deb and Paula’s Junk Drawer Advent Calendar, and I was hooked!  Deb and Paula are designers for 7gypsies and I’ve been following their blog (http://www.2gypsygirls.com/) ever since.  I've been inspired by their many creative ideas.


So fast forward to last month when Deb asked me to create a project for the 7gypsies booth at CHA. I was full of emotions: happy, excited, nervous and scared. How fun it would be to receive a box full of 7gypsies product; but how nervous I was to create a project for them that would live up to their standards.


My assignment was to make a shadow box from the library drawer.  I felt that was doable and allowed me to focus in one area.


I have to share with you how I started the project. I layed out and sorted all the product on my kitchen table. I stared at it all day and then went to bed, not doing anything with the supplies yet, but just allowing the ideas to crystallize in my head.   In the middle of the night the ideas came to me and I got up and sketched this.

The sketch got me going and the next day I put it all together. It’s so much fun to be able to take an item and try to use it in a unique way, such as using the rulers as my dividers. 

Here's some close up shots. One of my favorite items are the apothecary bottles.

I was happy with how it came out and hoped they were, too. (we were SO happy!)


Visit Connie's blog for more fun! http://artfulplay.blogspot.com/

from the studio of: vanessa spencer of stampington & co.

we are so excited to share some gorgeous 7gypsies projects created by Vanessa Spencer of Stampington and Company. 

click the links below each project for product details, a fun little explanation and more photos!

 creative ephemera storage

 daily calendar journal

 monthly ephemera drawer

 parisian notebooks

printers tray storage inspiration

guest post: ellen hutson!

Easy Gifts for the Holidays
by ellen hutson

Thank you 7gypsies for the privilege of sharing these projects with your readers! With the holiday season upon us I thought it would be fun to share several ideas that I think would make perfect gifts.

The first project is this fun little "message center!" Using the solo shadowbox together with the wonderful display trims it was quick and easy to create this fun accessory for my home.

displaying Santa photos is something we love to do at our house - the letterpress tray is perfect for showcasing these special photos.

the optical lens can be turned into a fabulous customized ornament. what a wonderful gift this would be for a grandparent! simply create a custom rub-on of your child's silhouette, add a date and hang on their tree!

you can find complete instructions for these projects at the following links:
7 Gypsies Shadowbox Message Center
Waiting for Santa Letterpress Tray
Custom Silhouette Ornaments

artist advent blog kit: section #12 by the gypsies

Section #12 - by a few of the gypsies!

Materials: (all 7gypsies)

Paris Tissue

chipboard (or 7G packaging)

ATC Photo Display tag (ruler)

Tag Kit: Affirmations (#12)

Paddington chip alpha

(3") Venice gaffer tape

Other:

2"x3" photo

Project tips:
- you can substitute the 7gypsies packaging in the kit for any of the chipboard/book board needed. be very careful when opening the packaging if you would like to use it.
- keep ALL your paper scraps from each section, you will need them for section #11
- you can use scissors in place of all punches
- you can use the purple ribbon in the ATC Photo Display kit in place of any string and wire

Instructions:

1. grab the letters "l o v e" from the paddington chip alphabet (or any word you want), coat the letters in mod podge (or other wet adhesive) and cover in glitter. set aside to dry.

2. cut 3 strips of tissue that are 4"x1" long and 3 strips that are 3"x1" long. scallop one edge of all 6 pieces.

3. use mod podge or tape runner to glue the straight edge of the tissue to the right and bottom inside edges and the upper edges of the receipt holder - one piece of tissue at a time, stacking on top of each other.

4. cut 3.5" of gaffer tape and cut a "v" into each end. stick this on the bottom of the receipt holder, on top of the tissue with the bottom scallop edges showing.

5. glue "love" on top of the tape.

6. grab the card with the ruler from the gypsy kit and your 2x3 photo. glue the card on the back of the picture so that the ruler is showing on the left edge of the photo. trim off any remaining edges of the card. slip the picture behind "love".

7. place the "#12" in the upper right corner with a glue dot.

Finishing touches:

1. fan fold Venice gaffer tape and wrap around the apothecary bottle.

 2. tie black ribbon from ATC Photo Display tag kit.

 3. weave the brown ribbon from the ATC Photo Display tag kit into the chain and attach crystal dangles (ones with 4 crystals on them).

4. fill apothecary bottle with glitter or item of your choice. using leftover brown or black ribbon, tie the apothecary bottle to single crystal dandle and clip to top center.

And there you have it gypsy friends! The project is now complete. We hope that you enjoyed creating with our design team and staff and can't wait to see pictures of your own version of this wall hanging. Don't forget to visit our Facebook page and post your projects!

artist advent blog kit: section #11 by the gypsies

Section #11 - by a few of the gypsies!

Materials: (all 7gypsies)
Tag Kit: Affirmations (good things, sow a character, #11)
(4") Venice gaffer tape
(4) Display trim pyramid studs
ATC Photo Display tag (calendar tag)
Lille clear stamp (3kr., ledger)
All the Lille scrap paper you've kept throughout the project
(3) black naked labels

Other:
index card print from developed film or 3 tiny photos (about 1/2"x1/2")
string
black stamping ink
mod podge (or other adhesive)



Project tips:
- you can substitute the 7gypsies packaging in the kit for any of the chipboard/book board needed. be very careful when opening the packaging if you would like to use it.
- keep ALL your paper scraps from each section, you will need them for section #11
- you can use scissors in place of all punches
- you can use the purple ribbon in the ATC Photo Display kit in place of any string and wire

Instructions:
1. If you haven't done this already, you will want to find the section #11 clip area and flip the receipt holder over. using pliers or other tool, bend the clips so that they come loose and the clip comes out completely.

2. Grab all the scrap pieces of the Lille papers and cut them into uneven, crooked, strips of paper. find your least favorite card from the affirmations tag kit and start gluing the strips of paper to create a "striped" paper.

3. Use your distress ink (or stamping ink) to distress the edges of the card.

4. grab the 3kr stamp from the lille stamp set and stamp in black ink (or whatever color you prefer) on the card.

5. cut small slits in the #11 tag, vertical, one on each side of the #11. cut another piece of the leftover lille papers or a strip from an affirmations tag to the size of the slits you made and slide it through. start at the front to give the look of a belt. place two pyramid studs on either side of the #11 circle and glue to "striped" tag.

6. we used pictures from an old index print for the banner pictures. using three (or however many pictures you want) blank labels, fold them in half over the string about 1" apart, to create a base to stick the pictures on. using a small amount of the gaffer tape, fold that in half over the string in between the pictures and trim to give a penant look. glue the small pictures onto the blank labels.

7. grab the "good things come to those who wait" card from the affirmations tag kit. stamp the small listing stamp on the back of the card in the upper left corner. glue the small calendar tag from the gypsy tag kit at an angle over the bottom right part of the stamp - DO NOT glue the hole in the tag as we will be tying the banner to that later. cut out a heart from any leftover papers you have or the back of an affirmations card and distress the edges. glue on top of calendar piece.

8. coat the "s" or the letter or number of your choice, in mod podge (or other adhesive) and gently lay a piece of the tissue paper on top. allow to dry for ten minutes. using a small nail file or piece of  sandpaper, gently file (rub) the edges of the letter until the excess tissue paper falls off. 
tip: don't try to tear the tissue, just keep sanding or filing the area as it will eventually sand off.

9. glue the chipboard letter to the back of the "good things come to those who wait" card, over the heart.

10. tie one end of the string banner you created to the hole in the top of the calendar tag. grab the gaffer tape and cut to the height of the affirmations card. cut a scalloped edge on one side. stick the tape down in section #10, just before the spring starts. attach the tape to the edge of the affirmations card to create a door. add the two pyramid studs, one on top and one on bottom.

11. grab the card with the #11 on it, position the banner so that when you open the door, the banner will pull tight. cut a small slit in the card and slide string into it and tuck behind the card and fit snug in the receipt holder.

Join the gypsies Thursday for section #12 and all the final touches! Other items you will need:
2"x3" photo

artist advent blog kit: section #10 by ann mabee

Section #10 - Ann Mabee

Materials: (all 7gypsies)
(2.5"x3") book board or 7G packaging
6x6 Lille paper (life is good (not shown in picture below), crazy love, adventure)
Paris tissue paper
ATC Tag Kit: Affirmations (crown, #10)
(1) crystal dangle
(2) mini keys
(3) display trim pyramid studs
paddington chipboard alphabet
(3") Venice gaffer tape

Other:
Large and small scalloped oval punch (Fiskars) or scissors
small heart punch (Fiskars) or scissors
dictionary page (from an old, discarded dictionary)
glitter and glue
distress ink and blending tool
chipboard circle
needle and thread



Project tips:
- you can substitute the 7gypsies packaging in the kit for any of the chipboard/book board needed. be very careful when opening the packaging if you would like to use it.
- keep ALL your paper scraps from each section, you will need them for section #11
- you can use scissors in place of all punches
- you can use the purple ribbon in the ATC Photo Display kit in place of any string and wire


Instructions:

1. Cut bookboard or packaging piece to fit desired space. Cover with the red, rectangle area that says "Life is Good" from the Life is Good paper. Trim affirmations card to fit just inside the paper, leaving a small border. Ink all edges well. 

2. Punch a large scalloped oval from the clock portion of the Lille paper. Punch a small scalloped oval from a dictionary page aligning the focus word within the oval as desired.

3. Ink the edges of the ovals. Mount the large oval on top of the affirmations card so that pieces of the card are visible behind the oval. Fold the small oval over the top of the card with the focus word at the top of the card below the fold. 

4. Add the small heart that was punched from the red portion of the Lille paper. Tear a small strip of gaffer tap and attach across the large oval about 2/3 of the way down on the card. Add the pyramid studs in the other three corners of the card.

5. Ink desired chipboard letter and adhere to the bottom right of card.  Cut a 1.25” strip of the tissue paper that’s the width of the sheet of tissue (about 18”).

6. Using a needle and thread, make a running stitch about 1/4” from the edge of the tissue, gathering it up to form a ruffled circle.

7. Carefully tie the end and knot to secure. Mount the tissue circle on the chipboard circle to reinforce.

8. Using a foam brush run a bead of glue along the outside edge of the tissue circle. Add glitter. Open the jump ring on the dangle and add two mini keys. Punch a tiny hole in the bottom of the 10 circle and attach the dangle. Adhere the 10 circle with the dangle onto the center of the tissue circle. This will then be attached to the clip portion of the receipt holder.

I chose to focus on the word unlock from the dictionary page and with the heart, the mini keys attached to the dangle and the letter M, it means that I would like to unlock the key to my husband’s heart! The number 10 has significance because we currently have 10 beautiful grandchildren!


I spend my days with my husband, since we are both retired now! Since he retired in May, we have been privileged to take a few trips and enjoy the beautiful country in which we live. We love to go junkin' together and we spend a lot of our time with our children and our grandchildren. We love to attend our grandchildren's sporting events, concerts, school functions and other activities. I enjoy working in my scrapbook room and getting lost in the creative process. My favorite projects are those I make just for fun. I also enjoy doing needlework, sewing and working on our family history.


A blog I check out frequently is http://www.u-createcrafts.com/. I always have enjoyed recreating things I see that I like. In my younger years, we couldn't always afford the things I wanted, so I generally figured out a way to make whatever I wanted. Now that I can better afford things, I don't always buy...I enjoy the creative process and the satisfaction of making things of my own and with my own twist to them. You can always take a good idea and tweak it a bit to make it uniquely your own! Nothin' better than that!!!


Join the gypsies Tuesday for section #11. Other items you will need are:
index card print from developed film or 3 tiny photos (about 1/2"x1/2")
string
black stamping ink
mod podge (or other adhesive)