Sunday, November 19, 2006

Work in Progress: Soldered House

I attended a class today at Stamping Details, to learn to make a three-dimensional house made up of collages under glass. We were given supplies to make a copy of the teacher's example, or we could choose a theme and make our own version. There were only four of us in the class, two ladies focused on photos of their grandchildren, another lady made hers of herself at Christmas time, and I focused on myself at (mostly) grade-school age.

Here's what will become my front door:
WIP Soldered Front Door
I've posted the photograph previously. I was so rushed for time, that most of the paper used here is original.
Envelope: a card I received.
Background: vintage sewing pattern.
The lace is meant to simulate the roof edge.
The blue trim adds color as well as a sweet, girly quality.
The sparkle behind my head is on tulle.
This piece just needs to be soldered.

The house will be six-sided: two rectangles for the side walls, two long rectangles for the pitch of the roof, and two elonged triagular pieces for the front and the back. The bottom of the house is open so the entire piece can be placed over a light source and illuminated from within. Some of the ladies used color copies of photographs or original photographs, but most of us chose transparencies.

The class was scheduled for six hours, but after almost eight we still weren't finished.
Hence the work in progress.

After all that though, I'd like to share what I've got so far. Note most of the collages are completed, but all need to be placed under glass and soldered, then soldered to one another.

Roof side one: (click on any image to enlarge)
WIP Soldered House Roof 2
Peach: a vintage card I received.
Barbie fabric: vintage 60's also--my mom made me a dress out of that when I was a kid.
Moon: not vintage--it is a card I picked up yesterday in a thrift store, but I liked the idea of the moon on the roof and the similar color scheme.
Numbers: from a sewing pattern, and may be the year that photo was taken of me sitting on the couch in front of a silver Christmas tree, cut out here on a transparency to be me sitting on a peach (eek, now you guys know my age).
Writing is just some copy-right free stuff my teacher gave me to use as a background.
This piece is also under glass and taped, and is awaiting solder.

Roof side two:
WIP Soldered House Roof 1
I liked the idea of having an owl on the roof. This owl is original 60's, from a card I received as a child. On the back is my friend Anna's signature, though not visible.
Kitty fabric: also vintage 60's. My mom made me something out of that, and I in turn made a green pillow with a heart-shape cut out using that fabric in the center. I still have it.
The photo transparency is myself and my grandmother at the San Diego Zoo (those are turtles on the right). I have posted this image previously.
This one still needs some more stitching, and needs to still be taped and placed under glass.

Wall side one:
WIP Soldered House wall 4
A bit of sparkle added with a silver trim. You always need a bit of sparkle!
Ephemera used here is original.
First place for 'biggest and quietest guinea pigs'! That is dated 1970, but I covered it up.
Candy bar wrapper no longer produced.
I had scrapbooks as a kid, and even then saved all kinds of paper. The irony is that I had Pee-chee (now there's a memory) folders filled with magazine clippings that I saved for DECADES. I only recently tossed them all in one of my dreaded de-cluttering phases, wondering what I would ever do with these things. This included old programs to theatre events and productions like Torvill and Dean ice dancing...
Then I took a collage class and realized how it's such a well-suited craft for my interests. Now I'm kicking myself for not saving the stuff. I still have so much crap though--people hate helping me move, that's for sure.
But I digress.
This collage is completed, it just needs to be placed under glass and taped.

Wall side two:
WIP Soldered House wall 3
Sparkle under the hat is on tulle.
In this piece the envelope and Bingo numbers are ephemera the teacher gave me, so that postmark holds no meaning.
The cocoa and the ticket stub is original, and I can't tell you what made me save that package! Worked out cute though.
This collage is done, I just need to place it under glass and tape it.

Back:
WIP Soldered Back Door
Blue paper: my actual promotion letter, kindergarten to first grade. It's a shame I didn't photocopy this one and use it again, because the graphics on it are amazing.
3D glasses: original, probably from the 70's.
Candy wrapper: a common movie theatre type no longer available (70's?).
Ticket stub: my actual saved original--note the $2.50 price.
I'm not completely happy with the shiny, over-the-top edge to this collage, and may mess with it a bit. It also still needs to be placed under glass and taped.

Overall a really fun project, a nice way to meet people, and a great way to get ideas.

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7 Comments:

Blogger Very Mary said...

EEEK! I love them all and cannot wait to see them assembled! I also happen to have drawers and drawers full of ephemera, and I'd be happy to share some with you! Please send me your addy again?

5:22 AM  
Blogger Jennifer W. said...

I left you a comment on Flickr as soon as I saw these. I had no idea you were undertaking such a beautiful keepsake! I, too, can't wait to see it assembled!

7:22 AM  
Blogger Betsy True said...

Wow, Barb, cool stuff. Very inspirational!

8:23 AM  
Blogger deb said...

love that soldered house. I just soldered for the first time a few weeks back. I just love the look of soldering. Beautiful and glad you enjoyed yourself.

11:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This project has definately started me thinking...

5:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow Barb, this is so cool! I love your house and can't wait to see it all put together. Fantastic!

1:42 PM  
Blogger Teri M. said...

How very cool! I love how you've put all the bits and pieces together.

I wanted to try and take the beginning soldering class they have scheduled at the end of the month... guess I better make sure there's still room...

8:27 PM  

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