A Ladies Diary & Retro Cafe Art + A Give-Away

Well you all know I LOVE  Graphic 45. And the Theatres from Retro Cafe Art are so much fun to work with. So I knew they would be perfect together for this project.

 

Now I want you to know how you can make these. They take a little time, but the rewards are great. I know anyone can make one, and I'll try to show you a few steps along the way.

 

Of course, G45 papers practically put themselves together and need very little else to make them special. To make the colors just a bit richer, I add markers here and there. I also edge my papers with black permanent pen.

 

 

 Kristin has these very cool little Theatre Character Stands that were just perfect for these lovely ladies. They're made out of Masonite as well, so you can move them around anywhere you want like paper dolls. I fussy cut the gals, the roses on the drapes, the Sign on the top, and the Roses behind it. Everything else is straight cut here.

 

This starts with the Large Ornate Theatre Shrine Kit. I didn't paint it or anything....I like the dark brown color of the Masonite as it is. The finished theatre here is 7" wide, 8" tall (including the legs added) and 3  3/4" deep.

 

I used Karen Burniston's Fancy Frame (again, I seem to love it everywhere) for the lady on the end here. It's hard to see, but it's Rock Candy Distress Stickles Dry Glittered up.

 

For paper to paper I use Glue N' Seal, and for adhering paper to the Masonite, I use Matte Multi Medium applied with a large brush.

 

You can see I've cut out and layered a small stamp as filler at the bottom corner, and the end has 2 layers of paper 1/2 inch in difference for the framing affect. The flowers are added over the top of the frame for depth. 

 

 This is what started this whole project....we think this looks like Lady Mary from Downton Abbey, in the Oval Frame. Isn't she gorgeous??? More fussy cut flowers and 3D Black Foam Squares are used here.

  

 

 This is the floor, or base of the theatre. Here I show you how I traced the first layer, then took off about 1/2 inch all around for the 2nd layer. The other pieces are found in the trim page of the 8x8 paper pack. LOVE the lace, don't you?

 

I've also found Tea Dye Distress Ink added to these papers makes the color a little bit richer. So I add it sparingly to edges and lighter colors.

 

 And this is the back wall. Using a darker paper to make a framed piece always makes the colors pop. I also added a few flourish stampings with Coffee Archival Ink for contrast.

 

Distress Markers or water based markers add more color and shadows.

 

 

This piece of paper only has the one green edge (the top) in the paper pack. I trimmed extra edges off and used them to frame in the back piece of paper. You can frame anything you want using trim like this.

 

You can see in this detail shot of the side and front, how the flowers and frame are raised with foam squares to add dimension.

  

Once you get all the pieces decorated, a little bit of glue puts these together. Easy-Peasy. And it's so much easier than trying to get my fat little fingers inside a pre-made piece to measure and glue!

 

Truly!

  

 

The Drapes and front are all one piece traced and glued to that section. I layered another contrasting paper on top of it..a bit smaller, and then the fussy cut Roses as the top layer.

 

The sign on the top is added over the Roses with Black Foam Squares.

 

I painted the stands white after painting them brown didn't work well for me. The lady in the Theatre just has a piece of cardstock folded like an easel stand and glued to the back to keep her in place.

 

To raise the Theatre up I used wooden pieces painted brown.

 

AND.....WHO WANTS TO WIN A FREE Retro Art Cafe piece to make for themselves????

 

Kristin is sending me a box of goodies and we've decided someone should WIN one of their own Shrines/Theatre and a few goodies to go with it.

 

Soooooo, leave me a comment here on my blog and we'll have a drawing for a great prize!

 

Linda