Nails Shape The Cross

About two months ago, in preparation for Easter, I wanted to design something that would act as a reminder of the price Jesus paid for our sins and our desire to celebrate His resurrection at Easter time.   I also wanted to start working with metal in my art pieces.  Nails shaping the cross tied together with wire struck me as a vivid metal art form.

My Easter series has vintage hymnal music, distressed with vintage photo ink, in the background.   Songs such as, "He Is Not Here, He Is Risen" and "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" were used. 

The Nail Cross hanging art piece measures 6" x 3 1/4" with an additional 5" to 6" of metallic ribbon attached.  I've produced several different pieces.  Some in gold, silver, and copper.

A background effect was created to resemble the richness of the painted religious artforms of the Italian Renaissance period that I saw on my trips across Italy and the Mediterranean. 

I also wanted the over all appearance to have an aged patina effect to them.

My next series using this same nail cross and background technique has Gospel Hymnal music.  This one is Amazing Grace.  Of course, you can find these on my FaithfulCrafter etsy store. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing these.  Hopefully, they present a solid reminder of the price Jesus Christ paid for our sins, and the joy of His resurrection!

Springtime Affirmation Tree Tags

So I get a telephone call from my niece.  Can you make me some tags, they are like wedding wish tree tags, but these need to be affirmation tags for a banquet at her church. 

How many I ask? About 400 of them and 50 matching table numbers too she says laughing.  Sure, I say no problem, when do you need them by?  In four days!  Yikes.  Thank goodness my sister was visiting. 

We got busy right away, die cutting the affirmation tags and table number tags. 

Oh and let's hand-stamp them with pretty spring flowers using different colors.  Yeah sure.

She also wanted a bible verse on the front.  Yeah, sure why not.  Got busy getting those printed out and applied.

Due to timing, I had my niece's committee add the ribbons for hanging these little beauties.  After all, there is a limit to what a crazy crafting woman (me) can do.

Actually, these came out really cute.  Whew!

Shamrocks and Horseshoes

More lovely vintage postcards.  These celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

These very pretty postcards were printed in Germany.

This one dated 1908, with the little girl, is from a German-American Novelty Art Series.  Her cart is filled with a horseshoe, mushroom, shamrocks, and some, unknown to me, blue flower.   Both the girl and cart are embossed.  Gold foil is used to detail her dress, cart, and horseshoe. 

This card dated 1914, is so pretty.  Once again, those blue flowers.  Maybe they are forget-me-nots?  Gold foiled embossed lace anchor the corners of the card.  Horseshoes are gold foil and embossed across the top.

St. Patrick's Day Greetings heads this 1908 postcard.  Beautiful golden harp is in front of a green flag.  A cute white top hat sporting a pipe and bit of shamrock are tucked in its hatband.  Shamrocks float gracefully upward on the card front.  Gold leaf details the harp, flag staff and shamrocks.

Hope you enjoyed these treasures from the past.

Precious and Unique Gifts

I love it when someone likes a piece of art work I made for them so much, they want me to make another one, just like it, for a friend of theirs.  As happy as I am to craft another gift, I struggled with the idea of making another piece exactly like the first one. 

Nope, couldn't do it.  I feel, each piece I create needs to have a little life of its own.  I know the client, and she'll really like the special touches I added to this gift to make it a little more unique.

So, although this one may be similiar, there are different embellishments I added to create something personal and special for Toya's name banner.  A hand-made stickpin, a piece of vintage jewelry, a little blue bird, and hand-made fabric flowers just to name a few pieces.

Almost shipped this off without taking photos of it.

Each of the panel are secured together using 5/8" black satin ribbon.

Toya's name banner hangs vertically and is made using four heavy weight chipboard pieces as the base.  Each piece is covered with Anna Griffin designer paper from the Flora Collection.  Everything is inked on the edges with Tim Holtz Walnut stain.

Each panel back was hand-stamped using Anna Griffin rubber stamps from the Flora Collection as well.  I used leaves, butterflies, flowers, and florishes. 

Then I added scripture from Proverbs 31 titled A Wife Of Nobel Character.  Distressed and rolled the edges of each piece to add an aged appearance.

Time to wrap up this gift and send it on its way.

Have a blessed day.