2017 #4: Tiny Hinged House {by Julie Ann Lee}

2017 #4: Doors, Windows and Architecture

Julie-Ann's penchant for miniature art is always such a delight to behold, and tonight's post features another of her tiny house treasures. Nothing could be more appropriate as we explore this fantastic structural theme.

Hi everyone, Julie Ann from Magpieheaven here.

I'm delighted to be here on the PA blog tonight. When I saw that the topic for this fortnight was Doors, Windows and Architecture, I jumped at the chance to explore an obsession of mine: doors and windows into the past. I love creating little houses and since discovering that I can not only cut out my own shapes from MDF; but also connect them with dolls' house hinges, I've been eager to show you an experiment in combining my own artwork with Ink and the Dog stamps on tea-bags and miniature hinged houses. The end product is a kind of hinged-house shrine to my ancestors that I can fit into the palm of my hand.

The texture of dried-out tea-bags takes Archival ink and water-colour so beautifully and they have that vintage look. I've often thought they would be perfect teamed with Ink and the Dog stamps. Since I've been researching my family history, I wanted to create a miniature that looked old and mysterious - a house of secrets!

This is the moment when I can allow my imagination to take me inside those magical doors of possibility! I have stamped out my images in Coffee Archival; gathered some sheets of designer Paper, smoothed and gesso'd my house shapes and I'm ready!

I was so excited by the effect of this little group from Ink and the Dog, Buttons, Plate 4 ...

...on this stained tea-bag. I never tire of the sheer joy at seeing the effect of images stamped on different surfaces. At least one of those ladies was going to find her way into my miniature house.

Even at this early stage, when I am attaching paper with Matte Medium and filing off the edges, I feel the occupants of the little house beginning to make themselves known. This is Annie, the lace-maker who dreams of some day creating the lace for her own wedding gown.

Once the paper and tea-bags are smoothed into place and the edges neatly sanded, I can begin to add detail, playing with different embellishments. I discarded this little window frame in favour of something smaller, but experimenting with different additions until you are satisfied with the effect is so much fun.

Ink and the Dog Schooldays, Plate 1 ...

...on tea-bags, over Chatsworth paper with a hand-drawn face looked like it might just work!

For an aged look to the roof, I created some Crackle Glaze strips, using Blue Oyster Fresco over Little Black Dress and embossing with a Verdi-Gris embossing powder and the decorative border stamp from School Days 1. Sponging with Coffee Archival and melting gold UTEE along the joins provided the finishing touch.

These words from Ink and the Dog, Letters, Plate 5 ...

...have always intrigued me and now they seemed perfect for the door that opens onto Annie's house.

Were there things Annie left unsaid to Judah, the taylor, who became her husband? Are her hopes and dreams there in the fading writing on the walls?

Thank You so much for stepping inside Annie's house. I was so pleased with the effect of stamped tea-bags over patterned papers. You might like to cut out your own miniature houses from sheets of MDF, if you have access to a band saw, but there are lots of wood and MDF house shapes out there that you could decorate,using PaperArtsy stamps. If you've been exploring your family history, why not create a little house using stamps and real ancestor photographs and re-create the architecture of your past?

I'm so looking forward to visiting your blogs to see what you come up with for this topic.
Julie Ann.
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The story you weave of Anne, and her dreams really brings this little house to life. It is so easy to imagine a row of neighbours, each with their own hopes and dreams to share with the creator. Thanks Julie Ann for sharing your delightful insight and talent. ~ Leandra

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