Skeletons in My Closet

Welcome to the All Things Altered Blog Hop!

It's getting close to the bewitching time of year, and while I'm not a big Halloween fan, I am a fan of wonderful quotations. When I saw this quote by George Bernard Shaw: "If you can't get rid of the skeletons in your closet, you'd better make sure they can dance," I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

I had been hoarding these little 6" skeletons for a couple of years and I think I bought them as a garland at Dollar Tree. They've been sitting in my Favorite Stash Drawer (yes, it's all caps because everything in there is just that important), waiting for me to take them out to dance (no pun intended).

Larry and I are junk store junkies and a few weeks ago we went to a row of them in Memphis, just spending the day browsing. I went in one and immediately turned around and came back out. The proprietor laughed at me because he knew I was afraid of the 16' stack of junk on either side of each aisle with barely enough room to squeeze through. My claustrophobia didn't help either. He assured me that it wouldn't fall on me, and I went back in once again. I sure am glad I did because I found this little wooden cigar box for Rum Runner cigars for $2. I knew immediately that it was going to become the house for my skeletons.

I am putting a condensed version of the directions on here. If you have any questions, please email me at candicewindhamdesigns.xipline.com.

Supplies
Cigar Box
Plastic Skeletons
Duetica Lettering Arts Studio
Sizzix dies (Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals, Tattered Leaves and Texture Plates)
Graphic 45 Papers and Metal Label Holder
Pennant Borders (Paper Dreams Factory)
Metal embellishments (Tim Holtz for all flower centers;Monn was an online purchase from an individual)
Alcohol Inks (Ranger)
Inka Gold,assorted colors, and Paper Soft Color, Walnut and Orange (Viva Décor)
Makin's Air Dry Clay, Black
Book Binding Tape
Double stick adhesive (Red Liner)
3M Scrapbook Adhesive
Adirondack Color Spray, Butterscotch
Glitter, orange, porple, yellow
Organdy ribbon, 3", three colors, 12" each
Gold Angel Wings (PaperDreamsFactory)
Ink Jet Printer and cream cardstock
Sponge
Small Tag
Mulberry paper
Copper Sheet
Copper Paint
Awl
Small dowel or skewer
Wire, black and copper
Tiny clothes pins
Marvy 2" circle punch

Box Cover
1. Roll out Makin's Clay, impress with texture plate and cut to make doors. Set aside to dry.
2. Sponge orange alcohol ink over skull trim. I used alcohol ink rather than dye ink because it was a slick paper.)
3. Cut flowers and leaves from chipboard(cut additional leaves from mulberry paper and copper sheet), then run chipboard and copper sheet through Big Shot with assorted texture plates. Apply Orange Paper Soft Color to all elements except copper sheet, then apply Walnut Paper Soft Color on edges. Apply Inka Gold to all pieces.
4. Adhere metal embellishments to flower centers. and set aside to dry.
5. Apply small black pennant to inside of skull trim on cover.
6. Adhere Graphic 45 paper to chipboard, cut to allow a 1/8" border on the backside of the clay doors. Apply Inka Gold to door fronts.
7. Determine where you need to punch holes to hold key and latch. Attach key with black wire and latch with brad. Apply book tape to chipboard side of shutter liners, leaving 3/4" of liner showing. This will make your hinge. Adhere liners to clay shutters with 3M glue and allow to dry.
8. Place shutters so that they touch in the middle and adhere book tape to hold in place.
9. Print "If you have skeletons in your closet" on cream cardstock, trim and adhere behind shutters.
10. Tie on tag  and attach Metal Label holder.

Inside
1.Paint skewer with copper paint. Punch holes in box sides with awl. Run skewer through to make closet rod.
2. Fold ribbon in half to make 12" x 1 1/2" wide. Gather and stitch around skeleton waist. Adhere gold wings with double stick tape.
3. Form shoes around skeleton feet with Makin's Air Dry clay. When dry, apply 3M adhesive and glitter.
 4. Form coat hangers from copper wire. Use clothes pins to attach skirts to hanger and hook over rod.

Inside lid
1.Cut black paper to fit inside of lid, leaving skull border uncovered. Apply Walnut Paper Soft Color to orange pennant border. Use double stick tape to adhere  around inside.
2. Punch out printed sentiment with 2" punch. Punch and additional piece of chipboard with punch. Apply double stick tape to chipboard circle, then, with sticky side up,  add purple pennant border around edge. Cover chipboard circle with sentiment. Apply double stick tape to back of chipboard and add orange pennant border. Glue down in box lid center.
Note: The font I used, Piper, is from the Duetica Lettering Arts Studio. I was able to scroll through and make each letter look the way I wanted, especially in the word "Dance" so it looked like they were dancing, using this software, which I absolutely adore!

I hope you enjopy the rest of the hop.

Here are the participating artists' blog addresses:
1. Pammejo http://scrapbookflair.blogspot.com/
2. Nicole http://canadiannickelscrapn.blogspot.com/
3. Betty http://scrappybetty.blogspot.com/
4. Gloria http://www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com/
5. Irit http://iritshalom.blogspot.com/
6. Christine www.scrapbookingtechnique.blogspot.com
7. Debbie - http://studiobeecreations.blogspot.com/
8. Jennifer - http://hydrangeahippo.com/
9. Jess B. - http://thatzuneek.blogspot.com/
10. Barbara R. - http://blackholeartstudio.blogspot.com/
11. Shelley http://heartstring-designs.blogspot.com/
12. Candice - http://candicewindhamdesigns.blogspot.com/

13. Eileen http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Prize Alert!!!

Now to the best part, this is the "Prize" pictured above that one person will win. All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment on ALL of the designers blogs and let Pam know, either on her blog or you can email her at pammejo1@yahoo.com

2. Become a follower of ALL our blogs, because as you visit through them you will be surprised how many are giving prizes away. :)

Now, hop on through all the blogs, then go hug someone you love!



I received product from Sizzix, PaperDreamsFactory, Viva Décor, Duetica Lettering Arts Studio and Makin's Clay.