trAshEd bOx sWaP - a step outside the box

Every time I do a swap, I find that I'm trying something new, which isn't that amazing since I have only belonged to art groups for a couple  years:) From inchies, Artist's Coping Kits, to ATCs, fairy jars and, last week on Art-e-Zine, trash outside the box.  Like many of the projects I've so enjoyed, there was a lot of freedom, the only requirement being the box.
So, I found a heart shaped yard sale cast off and went to work. I got out wAy too much - paper, tissue, scraps, trims, beads and found items, then I sat and stared. I tried planning, holding things against the surface to see how they blended, if the colors matched. That got me absolutely nowhere. I glued a layer of paper on all the outer surfaces, ending up with purples and greens.



After some serious stewing and procrastinating, I finally found that switch inside that turns off the monkey brain and lets the hands work as though unattached from the circuits that try to control, er, perfect the process. I began a gluing frenzy and only changed my approach once, until the entire box was finished.
Sometimes having too much to work with is an obstacle. Sometimes worrying that it's for a swap so it has to be better than something I'm just, well, making because I felt like experimenting; someone is going to end up with this?! I guess it's fairly obvious that I've only been in a handful of swaps:)



I cut up a doll's tutu and glued in on to cover up the inside rim and cut shapes out of thin tissue, glued scrunched up wads of pink tissue paper and purple handmade paper.... 


Found some purple rick rack, more papers and glued with such passion that I totally forgot that I needed to make it perfect, and then, before I knew it, I was looking it over and thinking, hey, this is OK. Some pale green bias tape glued strategically to cover overlaps and a giant jewely thing and some gems to tart it up, as Gillian Allen demonstrated it her mini-tutorial on Art-e-Zine, a site that you must know about, and if, for some reason you don't, you must - it's absolutely loaded, I could spend hours perusing the fabulous projects and galleries that have been posted in the past few years. I began donating (small sum) long before I joined the group, and it's worth a hundred times more. Take a peek. 



Finally, after I similarly finished the inside, it was ready to wrap up, seal and figure out the best way to ship off to the Canadian hostess who has been kind and patient with all my questions. Then again, that's what it's all about, the sharing and caring thing. I so get that! On to the next project...

Comments

Tommy Schmitz said…
Hey! I just went to Jim's website, paged through his portfolio (awesome), then found your blog link (yea! cool.) And just wanted to say hi.

How's your house!?

How're the kids and Jim.

I'm still in Des Moines. Life is good. I've been in a relationship for almost two years with a girl named Jannie Covington. We've been living together for over a year.

Tak graduated high school in Hawaii. The girls are still in Tokyo.

Marc and Joe (remember them?) are still in Florida.

I do most of my blogging at baloooma.stumbleupon.com but I've parked a copy of my story via scribd, here, at blogspot.

Also do music reviews at tommyschmitz.imeem.com

Anyways... hope you're well. Say hi to Jim and the kids.

big hugs, - tom schmitz
Jodi Ohl said…
I always stress about doing swaps and sit there with a project I know I'm perfectly capable of doing, yet it goes no where--because I'm afraid of failing in someone's eyes. And then, I just start doing it and more than not, it turns out just the way it should if not better. Love what you did with your swap box, it turned out lovely!

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