Over the Top Studios

Marie Antoinette Mail Art Fan Swap

Okay, I have been so under the weather the last few days. I just was feeling better yesterday and had a luncheon and a meeting in the afternoon. I was able to put in a full day  - even cooked dinner for the familia:) but unfortunately have not been in my craft room since the beginning of the week. By the way I am in this great group called Marie Antoinette Mail Art . I joined over a month ago and one of the criteria for being in the group is to join a swap. These gals and a couple of guys are very talented and dedicated to Maria so I have been a bit intimidated. I thought a fan swap would be a great way to start out but I fell miserably behind due to all the cake topper stuff going on. The deadline is today and I fell sick on Monday while making the fan. I have just now finished and off it will go to my fan swap partner Becky who has been so understanding. I promise to get it out today toot-sweet. This was so much fun to make. There was definite criteria you had to follow - this is serious stuff guys - and some guidelines:

THEME DETAILS: You will be making a paper fan. Your fan should be somewhere between 8-12 inches at the widest point. THIS SWAP IS NOT FOR PADDLE FANS. I would like everyone to make their fan NOT alter a fan. You can use whatever type of paper you wish. After the fan is created please include at least 3 of the following: flowers, pearls, beads, fabric, lace, ribbon, jewels, vintage jewelry findings, tulle, fibers, images, brass charms, buttons, trims, and/or any other decorative element you can think of.

So I found a site that had a fan template:

fanshttp://www.stampington.com/html/tempting_template_fan.html

I enlarged to 100%, made a template, then cut them out of chipboard. I made five for this fan.

Then I went on line for images. There are so many beautiful images of Marie Antoinette, all you have to do is google her name and there are hundreds of hits. I remembered one I had seen a while ago and saved that I particularly loved. The colors and images where so vivid. I decided to make that painting the focal point of the fan and then filled in with two other images I had used before.  

I printed the piece out twice onto heavy card stock in order to get all three images just the way I wanted them on the individual fan paddles.  I filled in the other paddles with other Marie images and altered them with scrap booking and collage paper. Then the fun started. I laid out my pieces and started adding embellishment: feathers, vintage flowers, Dresden scraps and of course a little bling and banner declaring "Let them Eat Cake".

 When I had it just the way I wanted I followed I the directions from the fan site and put it together using the ribbon method they describe. I did decide to add a little interest with the circles to cover the glue. My fan still needed  more so I made a Fleur de leis and covered it in German glass glitter.

I added more ribbon and a sweet dove. The crystal is from and old chandelier I had .I covered the back of it with another portrait of Marie. Simple Elmer's Glue did the trick.

 

And there you have it. My fan is finished and ready to be shipped today. Becky, I can't wait to get yours in the mail soon. I know I will love it! This is so much fun. I am already picking my next swap. Have a great weekend everyone. Saturday I will be spending the night at Relay for Life. My husband Tim and I are chaperons for my daughters team. We have the 10:30 pm - 5:00 am shift. So I will be dragging on Sunday. At least the forecast is for good weather:)  Have a wonderful weekend!

New Kids Party Hats and "Mini Marie"

 

 

    It has been a busy week for Over the Top Studios, two new products have been added to the line including a new kids party hat available in 4 colors and a mini Marie "Let them Eat Cake" gift box. The kids hats are very retro in feel and I am marketing them under the name "Snips and Snails". I love these hats because they are so cute yet affordable. The Marie mini topper looks good enough to eat. Topped with sugar coated berries, lavender pansies and purple glittered flower buds this mini version of one of my large toppers exclaims "Let them eat Cake" and has a hidden picture of Marie inside.

    In the midst of all of this I am still getting ready for the big Bridal Flair Event at Common FolkApril 18th. This is going to be a great event with unique, one of a kind items for your big day. Kathryn has been working on the event day and night and it promises to be a day of great food, great ideas and amazing vendors. I will be there all day and I have been creating some one of a kind wedding toppers just for this event. Common Folk is such a wonderful shop, if you haven't been there before you are in for a treat. Kathryn has such great taste and the shop reflects her artistic flair. There is something for everyone. She carries the entire Over the Top Studios line so come in and take a peek at the beautiful display she has put together.  I will be working almost exclusively on this event next week so I won't have a new project for you until after the event: don't worry I already have something fun in mind . By the way, thanks for all the great comments I have received regarding the SPRING BANNER project I posted last week. I am looking into teaching it at a local scrap booking store, if that works out I will post it on my blog with all the details.  By that time it may have to be a summer banner, but that's okay - we can just switch out the colors.

It is Good Friday today and Easter this Sunday, I hope all of you have a blessed weekend filled with family, friends good food and great conversation, but most of all hope - after all that is what this week is all about. Here are a few images to get you in the spirit.

New Marie Mini Crown and Treasue Box

The new line is off and running. I am adding to it every week. I am so inspired by all things French and especially Marie. She had a horrible reputation for extravagant parties, expensive shoes and her favorite color was Tiffany blue. How bad could she have been? Centuries later she still inspires us to give elaborate parties, drink fine champagne and just have a royal time doing it. I have had great feedback and response to the new line of "Eat Cake" crowns, hats and Pretty little things. I think that's why I keep adding onto it - maybe it is just fun!  Here is a peak at the latest in the line. A sweet mini crown (about 2/3 the size of my large crown) still big enough to impress and easy to wear. I designed this line with friendship in mind. I envision a group of women getting together for a "Marie Soiree" sipping champagne, eating cake, laughing and basically having a great time together. Everything in the line makes a wonderful birthday, anniversary, achievement - just friendship kind of a gift. I recently gave one of the masks to my girlfriend Cindy as a hostess gift - she loved it! I design with what I would love to receive in mind. Here are a few peeks at the new crown and "Treasure Box". The treasure box is the perfect packaging for a small trinket. A bracelet, earrings, watch, pin etc. Wrap the box in a clear cello bag with a beautiful French ribbon and tag: you are set. Enjoy!

 

   

Front view. I put it atop a German Glass Glitter Pedestal that I made. Maybe I will teach you all how to make one for your Marie Crown.

I handmade the white flowers. The centers are blue antique faux pears.

"Celebrate"

I hand glittered the dress.

 

The new treasure box

Don' you just love the crown on her head?

Secret message inside "Eat Cake"

I picked these faux blue pearls at an antique shop over the weekend, they are perfect as knobs.

Marie Mask and Valentine

The new Marie Opera Mask is now finished. I worked late into the night on it and I believe I got it just right. I started with a lovely blue and dijon toile paper which is placed over the mask and glittered at the edges. A handglittered butterfly and dove along with vintage music sheets and festive "Let them eat cake" banner adorn the side. I have also included white feathers, pink tulle ribbon and another banner exclaiming "faire le fete" or Celebrate in French. A single bead string of pink dangles from the butterfly and blue and white ribbon cascade down the either side of the mask. This  would be so much fun as a birthday gift for that Francophile in your life. 

Valentine Scrap booking

 I know it is the day before Valentines Day and this year my hubby and I decided on small gifts as it seems we always do. While at the scrap booking store I found some fun Valentine papers from Reminisce's Flirt line, I used the "shimmer scallop edge heart"and from Teresa Collins Crush line I used "Cupids".  This page went together quickly. I have been using a lot of crepe paper in my new party hat line and so I decided to create a gather with red crepe and placed it in the middle of the page. On top I placed a smaller piece of blue crepe which I cut with pinking shears. OKay I know some of you hard core scrap bookers will cringe at the thought of using crepe paper because the dye could fade or even stain the image. Your right! I don't know the long term effects but if you are like me you have your images saved on a few different media just in case. That gives me the liberty to do things like this without the sweat. I then finished the top with a single strip of cupids. The flowers are Prima,  and bling from Heidi Swapp and of course "crazy little thing called love" Also from Teresa Collins. I have the best husband in the world, he is sweet, kind and always incredibly supportive of anything I do. On top of that he thinks everything I do rivals the The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.   I also have another "homemade" surprise for him that I will give him tomorrow.

Party Hats, Crowns and Wedding Toppers

I am so excited to finally unveil my new hat, crown and wedding topper for 2009. I hope to add more to the line in the following weeks. I was so inspired by the Marie Antoinette craze that has hit that I just had to create  a collection of "Let them Eat Cake" Birthday hats and crowns.  I love this color palette, soft pastel blues, pinks and yellows with a splash of red and deep green for dramatic effect. I used a mix of vintage crepe paper, sheet music and garland with new treasures, some even handmade. Oh yes, of course plenty of German glass glitter. As I researched Marie I found she had an affinity for lavish hairstyles, rumor has it she even incorporated a birdcage with live birds to her up do. Hence I have payed homage to her by adding doves to adorn my collection. Ms. Antoinette was perfectly "Over the Top" which makes her perfect for this line. The hats stand about 13" tall and are all handmade. Each hat is lined with sheet music mint green velvet leaves. They are sturdy and made to be worn or as a beautiful centerpiece. The crowns are  handmade. They stand about 7" (not including flag) and are also made to be worn. I really love the way these turned out. As with everything I make there will only be a limited amount available. I can never guarantee I will be able to get the same materials. I will be adding to this line a Marie Opera mask and 1" silhouette buttons of Marie warning "It's your birthday, don't lose your head".  I will be updating you next week on where and when they will be able to purchase them.

View from the top

Detail on the dress

Front view of crown

From the side

From behind

 

Detail of flowers and dove

Wedding Topper

My new wedding topper "...And they lived happily ever after" is now available. While researching the 2009 wedding scene I noticed a lack of romantic, heirloom quality pieces. I had even heard stories of couples saying they really couldn't find anything they loved. It seems many of the new "affordable" toppers are plastic with figures of brides and grooms being pushed and pulled away form video games and TV sets. Certainly that may seem cute now but believe me in 20 years that will not be the way you will want to remember your wedding day. I love romance, I believe in it. As I thought about my own marriage, now almost 21 years later, the first thing that came into my head was "...And they lived happily ever after". And we have. I wanted to make a topper that epitomized that. This topper is all handmade out of crepe paper, paper and silk flowers, German glass glitter, ribbon and lace. The couple on top have been embellished with top hat, veil, and pearls. Rings are tied to the base with ribbon and banner proclaiming "with this ring". This topper will be very limited. Some of the materials are no longer available. I willl be coming out with my "Honey, I Do" topper in the next few weeks which willl be available in larger quantities.

"With this ring"

From behind you can see her veil

That is the line for now with the addition of the mask and pins which I will post over the weekend (if I can get this computer working properly) Please leave me your comments, suggestions or requests for locations where they will be available. I should have all that information for you soon.

Wedding Topper and Antionette sneak peaks...

  I had a busy weekend picking up supplies and designing  my new wedding toppers and party hats. I am very excited about these and hope to approach stores in the area to pick them up. They are all hand-made and some use beautiful vintage crepe paper, ribbons and flowers mixed with new glittered bobbles and velvet leaves. While visiting wedding shops and party stores I noticed a void, romance! Much of what I saw for toppers were plastic figures of brides and grooms dragging each other around as if to say, "Your going to marry me or else", certainly not the way I would want to remember my wedding day 20 years from now. Those that did attempt to take a stab at romance were done poorly and cheaply. Let's face it most of this stuff is mass produced in an attempt to keep cost down and unfortunately for the modern bride it shows. Now take a look at the bridal magazines and you will see a variety of toppers as well, they are beautiful and they should be for the price. Many ranged from $250-500 dollars.What I wanted to do with my wedding toppers was to provide the bride with a beautiful one of a king topper, handmade and filled with romance for a price that would be affordable and fit into almost any wedding budget. They could also be used at a bridal shower or rehearsal dinner as a centerpiece if you display it as I do, on a German glass glittered pedestal. My first topper is done and ready to be reproduced. Now, when I say reproduced I don't mean mass produced or even identical. Each piece will have slight variations and rightly so. I am using some vintage pieces which I only have a limited supply of. In fact I only have 10 of this design because I could no longer get the paper bride and groom I used.  I am so excited to show these off but until the line is finished only a sneak peak.

Looking down from the top. You can just catch a glimpse of the bride and groom.

From behind the bride and groom.

"With this ring..."

I am working into the wee hours on my Marie Antoinette line of birthday hats and crowns. Again each will be slightly different depending on materials available. It seems that "Marie Mania" is sweeping the Internet so I decided to join in. My "Let them eat Cake" line is looking quite regal and each hat or crown will be encrusted in German glass glitter, paper flowers, ribbon and crepe paper. Perfect for celebrating that special birthday. It is great as a centerpiece and they can be worn as well.  Just remember "don't lose your head". Have I said too much?

I love this color palette.

That's all for now. This week I will be making a Valentine candy box perfect for giftgiving. You will be amazed at how easy it is to make and the many customizing possibilities. Stay tuned...