My submission for Take it, Make it challenge two

This is for Craft Stamper Take it, Make it challenge two and involved tearing and ripping.I decided not to make a card although I can still can because there's still plenty of time and have 2 important things to be completed before this months ends. I feel so energetic right now like a Roborovski hamster. I didn't know Craft Stamper had a challenge going until I went on their site, brought a copy of June issue of their magazine. Used to buy a lot of magazines in the past and was nervous of submitted a card when I did it was gone and none of my ATCs submitted were publish the ATCs swap is gone as well blame this on high cost of postage.
I had some ideas in my head and sketched out a few drawings in my sketchbook mainly to put them to rest so I won't have to keep thinking about them.

I used Paper Artsy, Ink and Dog Mystery Plate as it came with house like stamp and perfect for making small matchbox shrines. The matchbox template is from Mirkwood designs and decades old, the box itself is made out of Idea-ology Paper Stash of Lost and Found. With all of my designs I don't know how it will turn out like until the object is finished because make it up as I go along.
Paper scraps coloured in Distress Inks/Stains or mixture of both were used for triangles and other pieces. House, labels and other parts were stamped in TLC Violet ink and Staz-on Jet Black. Other stamps used are Stamping bella, Crafty Individuals. I found the if edges look better if they were embossed or outline using a sharpie. Stampendeous Frantage Aged gold embossing powder gives a dynamic texture when used as gilding as the powder has mixture of coarse and fine grains. I wasn't sure to add to central area whether to use stamped image stuck with foams pads, charms or 3D embellishment. 

As you can see here I used charmed made from stamping bird cage from Paper Artsy Hot pick range HP1004EZ on to clear shrink plastic. Archival ink work best but stamping takes some skill.
I added from cross screw heads from Prima marketing- Junkyard finding these are yard I think are suited for scrapbooking or altered arts assemblage. This when jewellery making wire works comes in very useful for attaching metal embellishments which are Route 52, 7 Gypsies and others. As final touch I added a chitchat the whole thing is intended to be hung. This is the third matchbox shrine I've created and managed to acquire 2 of the configuration shadow boxes. Something to try out in the future.

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My take on Tim Holtz configuration boxes

It started with matchboxes shrines and then I thought I could combine several to make shadow boxes with different compartments. I was influence by Tim Holtz idea-ology configuration boxes but these are so hard to get and on most sites only book cover type is available. There's one place I can still try Sir Stampalot I used to buy wood mounted rubber stamps and Magenta pewter stickers.

Configuration boxes are also expensive it would be cheaper to make my own after all I've done a lot of paper crafting in the past (assembling papermodels). I started with 9 matchbox layout and changed so that I could smaller shapes and these can be rearranged. Each box is made out of Paper stacks- Lost and Found with left over sheet from K and Company. It helps to check the stuff in clearance shelves for more bargain goodness. I realised I could of drew the layout in PaintShopPro or DTP along with the individual boxes and print directly on the paper. The good think about idea-ology paper stash is the other side is plain.
I certainly I won't buy the crap from Create and Craft they are so bland and also p and p builds up with each item added to basket. The presenters act like complete noobs, well any way shadow boxes are like 3D scrapbook or collage- assemblage and great way of displaying mementos.
The trouble is I have to deal with no only tiredness, but excessive noise and idiots who won't watch in tv in silence and have volume turned on full blast. Looks like I going have to invest in noise cancelling headphone at least I won't have to hear the spite comments and devil worshipping crap.
I feel a day is wasted if I don't make something.

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Free time after 2 weeks of studying

Whenever I update my blog I first have to update my flickr photostream as well after filling in the descriptions its exhausting. I was off for 2 weeks on study learning about customer service and First Aid and had little time to do my posting which is steadily building up. In the free time I did have I managed to make some atcs and few of these.

My tags were chosen at all not be let down I started again and focused to making tags for January. My first tag ends up being too dark even though there's nothing wrong with it. Focusing what the month meant new year, winter and fresh start. Checking back on Tim's previous monthly tag I noticed he used Distress stains Picket Fence along side another colour and gave me an idea.
I used broken china as the additional colour and darken with Distress ink- faded jeans and added some peeled paint. After tinting up the wings I added some stickles it's best to squeeze a blob on craft mat or catalogue in my case and using a your finger to rub some glue on then dry using the heat it tool. If you are careful the inkjet printed image won't smudge as much. Collected some scraps and add them on numbers stamp from fairytale frenzy work great when stamped in forest moss and little outline for extra touch. Most of time I'm staring at the tag what to add because less is more. Chitchat stickers are useful to create your own pearls of wisdom but hard to choose from all those text. As there is no word for 'new' then I thought of what it represents. New day is like blank page in journal ready to filled and life can be one big journey or adventure for the soul. I've finally acquired some crinkle ribbon to finish off the tag, these work best if the ribbon is scrunched and up after colouring and dried under the heat it tool. All done I hope only use one tag for April when rest of materials arrives so expensive buying all of stuff for monthly tag in future I'll use what I have already only buy if necessary. Here is are ones created so far.

Altered this a while ago it's a holder for moo cards and was rather plain I had no idea how to decorate it so as when I brought hot fix tool I used sample gems and stuck them on felt and added charms and clasp. Now attached to my bag.

I've been looking at matchbox shrines for while when I was still studying on the course, there's one discussed by Arttrader magazine and thought to give it a try. On one boring Sunday I was making 9 matchboxes unfortunately I was sick in the evening probably something I ate, a knock on head can cause it well I did bang my head and felt some pain.

This the inside view it's better if the elements were positioned so it resembles a scene. I have collected some much 'stuff' over the years and majority of don't fit. Oh well use a bigger matchbox next time.

I discovered when I was making the matchbox shrine it crosses over with my jewellery making skills. The whole process feels like assemblage not just a collaging a great way to use bit of scrap. I was over the top with the wings, majority of matchboxes I've seen uses butterfly wings why not bird or bat. If you have wings than fly.

I have a lot of clay elements which are too fragile to be used as jewellery, tags and shadow boxes might be useful. It takes 2 days to complete, 1 day for sanding and painting and another for layering of varnishing. I was partly influenced by the configurations these cost money but buy something you can make already it takes a little time.

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