Sunday, March 2, 2008

No such thing as Trash


Today I made my first ever Gothic Arch…and let me say that I am now addicted. Not that I am not addicted to almost all the challenges but this particular one just seems to really grip me.

Today the challenge was to…

Our hostess this week is Klaartje who has a very creative challenge for all of you. She created this precious arch using “trash” - items you would normally throw away….think package labels, bubble wrap, a lid of a tincan and…..?

Well, there was absolutely no way I was rummaging through my trash can since the top item was a discarded banana peal…YUCK!! But lou and behold, my DH had not cleaned up his tea bag from the night before. As many of you know Tea is one of my favorite things, to drink and to use in my pieces. So that little tea bag and the wrapper came with me to the stamping room.

I don’t throw brown paper grocery bags away so I am not sure my background counts as trash. But it is a brown paper bag crumpled and then aged using Tim Holtz distressing ink. I then over stamped the definition of tea from Stampington & co. repeatedly and using colored pencils highlighted the tea leaves.

The image of the woman sitting with her tea is from an old magazine. I cut her out and placed her so. Next I disassembled the tea bag, saving the tea leaves and gold embossed two tea cup on the actual tea bag. After threading the tea bags string through the left hand side of the arch I glued the tea cups on. Last I glued on the Tea’s label at the top of the arch. To finish it all off I edged the arch with the tea leaves.

I think I did a pretty good job for my first arch! Any and all comments, critical or just plain love it are welcome.

Enjoy!
Caro

22 comments:

Gayle Page-Robak said...

Trash to treasure - fun indeed. Great piece, and welcome to the challenge fun!

Dymphie said...

Love your tea bag arch.

Sandy said...

Wow what a great arch. Lovely details and great trash.

Anonymous said...

Really really beautiful arch.
Great image...I love it.

Dymphie said...

Hi Caro, the bookmark at my blog is Godelieve's design:
http://stampingmathilda.blogspot.com/2008/02/bookmark-templates.html
Thanks for your kind words :)

Anonymous said...

it's a wonderful arch, I love the papers tea

Femmy said...

Great teabag arch!!! love it!

Karen Owen said...

Really gorgeous arch!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful arch.

Kris Dickinson said...

Great arch!

Janny said...

Nice elements together!

Anonymous said...

Looks great ! ! !

Jacqueline said...

Wow, this is beautiful - love the vintage tints! Makes me want to make another one!

Louise (KardKrazy) said...

I think you did more than a pretty good job for your first arch. Amazing use of trash, came out beautifully!

Tami Bayer said...

Oh my goodness. You should play in the challenge every week, so happy to hear you are addicted. This is absolutely amazing.

sandee said...

Well, you did a GREAT job!!!

Frieda Oxenham said...

Caro, this is gorgeous!! I love the finishing touch of the labels specially!!

Maryanne said...

wow....

Jeannie Phillips said...

I love this tag it is really pretty... you do very unique work... i eneded up here from Dawns page...so glad that I did.
Jeannie

Barbara Hagerty said...

Fantastic! What a lovely vintage piece! I am also addicted to the arch shape, and was from the first that I made. Yours is beautifully done!

Barbara Hagerty said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
~*~Patty S said...

Wonderful arch with such delicious ingredients! I relate to your subject line very much! Welcome to the addicting world of arches :)