Gypsy Continued

First of all, Carol asked about Junk Market that was featured in the last post. 
The Junk Market show that took place every Sept just outside of Minneapolis does not exist anymore since the two owners have parted ways.  Before you get too sad, The Junk Bonanza show has taken it's place (you can also find it on our left sidebar) in the same time slot in Sept and in a very similar location.  The Junk Market name does exist as a blog talking about reusing/re-purposing old junk but again there is no specific show that the name is attached to (that I am aware of).  I admit I am not a fan of the JM blog format since you have to click on each tiny picture to see if it is something you are interested in, but it does seem to be popular for people that want to share what they have done recycling and reusing what has been cast off.  If you are one of those people and you have the time to click on each picture, then you should check it out.  It does have some great ideas.
NOTE: If anyone lives in the Minneapolis/St Paul area has any information about Junk Market or Junk Bonanza please leave a comment for our readers. Thanks!

Let's pick up where we left off...in the big state of Texas.

 transparency

 another flip out page

 the mother of all cupcakes...

 this is just a piece of chipboard with a 4 x 6 photo adhered to one side and paper on the other.

 a repeat of the photos mounted on chipboard

 This is two 7gypsies elastic bands stretched across a page to create a "pocket" for tags and ephemera.  This works because I mounted the red paper on both sides of a piece of chipboard so the page will stay flat even with the pulling of the elastic band.  The vintage button is threaded onto one elastic before threading the end into the punched hole with the eyelet.

 This is the back side of the same chipboard page.  You can see the barbs that are at each end of the elastic.  I utilized the two that have come through the eyelet by adding a tag onto the barbs.

 The tag spins upward to reveal the armadillo purse (that none of us bought).

 another flip out page

love this page with all the layers you see at one time

NOTE: lest you run out to Ft Worth to find Simple Things please note they have closed this most beautiful and inspirational location and have been running the business out of a warehouse in Benbrook while they create a NEW, bigger location.  I read on their blog that it will be open after the first of the year.  Keeping our fingers crossed!

 A little word booklet given to us by our Texas sisters.  If you didn't know, Deb and I have sisters that live down the street from each other (for 25 yrs) and that's how we met.

Well, we're leaving Texas and on to Arizona tomorrow.
See you then for the last of the Gypsy journal.
cheers!
paula

Gypsy

Still working from the archives this week due to CHA projects...today one of my favorite journals, Gypsy. 

I made this journal when the sticker 'G is for Gypsy' came out.  I thought it was the perfect sticker to tell the story of junk shopping over the years.  The journal itself introduces the cast of characters, then is split up into "chapters" or states where we have gone junking.  This was an easy way of organizing my photos since they were from multiple trips so no worrying about whether a picture is from 5 years or 5 minutes ago, they just go in under the chapter heading.

The journal structure was created with 2 pieces of black book board, 6 x 8" for the front and back covers then punched with the Binderie Punch.
Paper: Gypsy Market
Cover flocked paper: Tobar

One of my favorite parts of this journal is the plaque on the cover.  In person, one might think it is old leather because of the texture but it is just plain ole brown chipboard. 
I cut a piece of heavy book board to fit what I wanted to spell.  Then glued the patterned chipboard letters to the board.  I painted the entire board with two coats of red acrylic paint and let dry completely.  After the paint was dry, I used a foam brush to paint a heavy coat of Golden Gel Medium (matte).  Golden is thicker than the multi-medium I normally use.  For this project it is necessary since it is the stuff that gives the texture to the board, multi-medium will not give you that texture.  So as I said, apply a good coat of gel medium, work it into all the crevasses.  If there is buildup at the edges of the letters, that is good, don't wipe it away.  Now set it aside to dry.
Once completely dry, paint the entire piece black, let dry.  Use sand paper to take a bit off the top to reveal the red underneath.  Ink with Vintage Photo and add one more coat of Gel Medium to the top.  Let dry.  I admit the process has a lot of steps and drying time but it's well worth the extra effort.  I added the tiny brads to the corners to finish it off (they do not go through the book cover).
Chipboard Letters: Gypsy Market

Ephemera: Gypsy
Ribbon: May Arts

Transparencies : Gypsy and Vintage

Transparency over a 6 x 6 envelope.

 Card inside the envelope.

 Introduction to the chapters

 Each state has a start page of sorts, made from chipboard covered with paper.  It had to be wide enough to be punched with two holes.

 A pocket made from a folded up file and gaffer tape.  Perfect place for extra pictures.

Tags sewn to vintage flashcard

 Flip out page

 a mix of 7gypsies ephemera, stickers and cut up photos of signs.

I will be back tomorrow with more pages...

cheers!

paula

Setting the record...

We're back from our week long hiatus from blogging.  I hope you got everything you wanted for Christmas and that it was everything you expected it to be.  I finally got my tree decorated two days before Christmas (that might be a record for me) so each night since, the lights have been on so I can enjoy it before it comes down on New Years Day.  I promised my husband that next year I wouldn't wait so long to decorate!

 Loving the SIMPLE bottle  brush tree display I did on the mantle.  When the fireplace it on each night the hanging stars flutter in the air coming from the fire.

Santa brought me a Silhouette Cameo.  I have never owned a cutting machine before...not too much a gadget girl.  But Santa thought I needed something new.  So I will try it out this week and see what it can do.  Hope I can figure it out!  Any advice will be appreciated!

 With CHA (industry trade show) in only a few short weeks, Deb and I have already started the booth planning...getting all the product into the right area, getting samples made, and planning the displays that have become a big part of the booth.  Sometimes it's hard to top what you did the time before, but we're always hopeful we can.  In the end, it all seems to come together and the booth looks magical, at least to us.

Of course we've seen the NEW 7gypsies collections...just fabulous. 
I know you are going to like what they are offering this winter!  I am also sure the sneak peaks will begin in the next few weeks so we will keep you posted on that.

Today, I'm going back into the archives to a project that I don't think I have ever shared before here.  It's a wall hanging I created for the show booth a few years ago but since it's made from many found things I thought it still relevant to today's trends.

I started with a base piece of black foam core.  I gathered the photo folder in the right bottom corner, the book spine at the bottom center and the book cover second from the top left.  Those items were a set size that couldn't be changed.  Then added each individual piece like a puzzle until I had a mosaic of pieces that fit the foam core.  It did let the pieces at the top run past the foam core about 1" so I could add the eyelets used for hanging the piece.  When I look at it now, I wish I had created it in a frame instead of the hanging method but there is always something one might change about a piece so at some point you have to say, done and walk away.

 All the pictures are photocopies Mod Podged onto book board, sanded and inked.

 This center piece is a copy of my mothers bank book that was zeroed out two days before she got married.  I found the words, "just a little more than seventeen" in an old book.  The key is 7gypsies.

 I wired a button to the top picture.

And used a 7gypsies elastic to make the center piece a door that comes down.  I added the polka dot paper over the black foam core backing.  Inside the secret compartment is a letter my mother wrote my father before they were married.

 This is the door closed.  The hinge was made with the ribbon that hooks into the book below.

 At the bottom, a paint brush is wired to an old book spine with the number 28 (year she was born).

 The metal tag is the year the were married.

And there is a copy of the Enchilada Recipe I talked about on day one of the 7 Days of Giveaways.  By the way, I will be having leftover enchiladas for lunch today.

 Just some gathered things on the linen added to the book cover.

And the hanging chain.

As I said before, the 7gypsies Design team is currently working on samples for the trade show booth.  For me, that means I have three projects (that I cannot divulge) due in the mail by Friday.  So I better get to work!

cheers!
paula