Our First Home Mixed Media Shadow Box

This creative project is close to home... it celebrates the day we bought our home!

I used a shadow box from Hobby Lobby to fill with the memorabilia.  I printed a photo of the house right around that time and the photo of Himself and I with our realtor on the big day.  They are attached to the back of the shadow box.

Then I added the keepsakes...

I'll start with the SPAM can as I'm sure that is what grabbed your eyes first!  LOL  Here's the story:  Himself's uncle worked for Hormel for 41 years.  When we visit in the fall it is a tradition that he and his wife take us to the SPAM museum.  (Yes, there is really a SPAM museum and it is quite interesting!)  Anyway, on our 2007 visit he bought this coin bank in the gift shop, dropped the change in it, and handed to Himself saying "This is the fund for when you decide to buy your own home."

We weren't planning on buying a home then!  But a few months later thru a series of events we decided it was time to make that step.  The bottom left photo shows us when we finalized the purchase, our realtor opened the can and the change inside finished the payment cost!

The key is the one we got a few minutes later.  (And a couple hours after that I had the locks changed!)

Both the metal can and the metal key are for prompts from challenges at Pile It On and Craft Hoarders.  And the key itself for the prompt at Tando Creative.

The Luna moth is another story about our home.  

I was very unsure about this house.  We are WAY out in the country and there were a few other things factoring in too.  I prayed for something to show me that this was the home God intended for us.  Something unusual.

As I was walking thru the upstairs the sun was streaming in the windows.  On the floor was the shadow of a BIG butterfly.  When I looked at the window, there sat a beautiful perfect Luna moth.  He just sat there and slowly fanned his wings as I stared at him.  I haven't seen many Lunas in my life... and never one in the middle of a hot afternoon!  After a little while he gracefully flew away.

The lovely wings on this crafted Luna (no moths were hurt in the making of this shadowbox) fill the challenge of 'wings' at Deep Ocean Challenge and Craft Room Challenge.

I had a lot of fun putting this memory capsule together.  Great challenges from everyone!

http://www.tando-creative-challenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/week-4.html

http://craft-roomchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/05/things-with-wings.html

http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/05/pile-it-on-21-metal.html

http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/challenge-78-wings_7473.html

http://gloriadesignschallenge.blogspot.com/2014/05/challenge-8-show-us-some-metal-or-glass.html 

Ombre Auras Mail Art

It's been a long time since I've done anything 'artfully' creative.  I've been so busy with other type of creative endevours like cleaning out my shed (where, among other things, a lot of my larger supplies are kept), setting up my own studio, and creating garden beds in my yard.

I have quite a collection of cardless envelopes, so 'mail art' was the perfect project to get back-in-the-saddle with.  

I decided to to a bit of zentangling since I really need to get some practice in.  My favorite is the Auraknot so I went with that.  When I finished the Auraknot I thought it would be fun to give it its own 'aura'.  

The colors I used were inspired by a resent incredible sunset.  I colored it with markers, as that is what I have on hand.  

http://artfultimes.blogspot.com/2014/05/challenge-55-mail-art.html

http://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/2014/05/its-in-mail-is-try-it-on-tuesdays-new.html