Tag Archives: Graphic45

Treasures await beneath the sea

Treasures await beneath the sea
Treasures await beneath the sea

 

Only the Mermaid knows what timeless treasures and crusty old bones hide deep beneath the Sea. Nuggets of gold, silver platters, ancient relics…the fierce Mermaid and her scaly steed guard this watery tomb.

BetsySkagen UndertheSea-122815

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Making an altered art circus mini album

Making an altered art circus mini album

Paper-Calliope-Mini-Circus-Book-Cover

As I wrap up my month as the guest blogger for the amazing company Whisker Graphics, I took advantage of all the stripes, dots and zig zags that their products offer to create a fun mini circus album.

Anyone who visits my blog regularly knows that I love anything with a vintage circus theme, and this mini album is chock full of circusy fun. I made the album for a friend of mine who has been especially kind this last year. She is the mom of a talented youth circus performer and I thought she could add ticket stubs, photos and other mementos of her daughter’s performaces to the mini album.

Paper-Calliope-Mini-Circus-Album-page-1

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Artist Trading Block: “Rain” #2 in Jane Austen ATB Series

Artist Trading Block: “Rain” #2 in Jane Austen ATB Series
Artist Trading Block: “Rain” #2 in Jane Austen ATB Series

Several months ago I began my foray into the world of Artist Trading Blocks (ATB) with a sculptural block celebrating Jane Austen’s Emma.

A delightful quote from the 1996 Jane Austen movie Emma, starring Gywneth Paltrow, inspired me to create that first ATB. Yet, a second line in the movie, when a drenched Mr. Knightley proclaimed his love to Emma, also caught my attention.

“I rode through the rain. I’d ride through worse than that if I could just hear your voice 
telling me that I might, at least, have some chance with you.” 

As the months went by, my desire to make another Jane Austen ATB based on this line only increased. Finally, as our long winter finally slid into spring, and our own rains began, I decided to go ahead and make this ATB.

The trouble is, I knew what I wanted it to look like and I knew it would not be easy. Then I came across The Robin’s Nest Sea Glass Tear Drops and I knew I had found my perfect raindrops.

I might write a tutorial for this ATB in the days ahead–but this project took so long to create and I am so pleased with the results, that I am reverting back to my five-year-old self and cannot wait any longer to show it to you.

Introducing: “Rain” #2 in the Jane Austen ATB Series:

Artist Trading Block Rain by Paper Calliope

This is how the Rain ATB appear when it is closed. Mr. Knightley’s horse sits atop the box.

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Altered art goes retro

Altered art goes retro

Creating a vintage recipe box

Rebel that I am, I decided to break away from the crafting styles of late and head in a new–or rather, should I say, an old–direction.

With this altered art project I went back in time and put a little kitsch into the mix by transforming a cardboard book box into a retro pink refrigerator, or as it was called in the olden days, an ice box. Read the rest of this entry

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

hatching-egg-using-graphic-45-materials-by-Paper-Calliope-web-2

Graphic 45 hatches its new designers for 2014

Open your windows and put out the patio chairs for a new season has arrived. It’s the season when Graphic 45 selects its new design team for 2014.

Just like the Graphic 45 Staples Collection Metal Butterfly, I am irresistibly drawn to this event. The projects below serve as my audition to this prestigious annual event.

 Project 1: Giant Egg Hatches Graphic 45 Logo

Butterfly-using-Graphic-45-Staples-by-Paper-Calliope-web

I made this gigantic egg (you can see it at at the top of the post) to add a little playfulness into the audition. You poor judges can only look at so many scrapbook pages, before getting a little blurry eyed.

The egg stands 11 inches tall and features the Graphic 45 Sweet Sentiments collection. The 45 is the numerical portion of the actual Graphic 45 logo, which I enlarged, traced and then hand cut from several pieces of foam core. I then stacked them together in order to give the 45 substantial depth. Read the rest of this entry