Santos Cage Doll Shrine Kits + a FREE GIFT!

Several of you have been asking me for Santos Cage Dolls for a while now and last Sunday I decided to go for it! Santos Cage Dolls have been popular in the mixed media world for some time now, so I'm super excited to bring you some, Retro Café Art Gallery style! I modeled my dolls after traditional Santos Cage Dolls and our fantastic articulated doll style worked perfectly for them! We also have several yummy new colors of Inka Gold in stock, just in time for Valentine's Day!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

I decided to play with one of our Medium 3-D dolls, which is quite large standing at 10-1/2" tall! The fun bits inside her cage are not glued down. I figured I might want to change them out now and then! I named her Joan, after Joan of Arc, a patron saint of France!

For those of you who don't know, "Santos" is the Spanish word for saint. Starting in the 17th century, Santos Cage Dolls were commonly used as altars or shrines inside homes. I can't wait to play with more.

Normally, I alter my pieces before putting them together. However this time I worked after the doll was already assembled and it worked out great. After a few coats of acrylic paint, I used a two step crackle, then aged her. I wanted her to look antique! I think my favorite part about the doll are the tacks (included in the 3-D kits!).

Supplies Used: Used Medium 3-D Articulated Santos Cage Doll Shrine Kit, Santos Doll Head Paper Cuts, Angel Wing Cut Outs, Dress Form Cut Outs, VerDay Paint Kit, Snowflake Paper Cuts, Large Antique Brass Eiffel Tower, Mini Bottle Brush Trees, Cream Paper Roses, DecoArt Perfect Crackle Medium

I wanted to share a few more Santos Doll photos with you. This cool antique doll above will only cost you around $3,400! And a reproduction (below) will run you between $100-$300 dollars. Well, now you can make your own! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with! Our Large 3-D Doll stands an impressive 16" tall!

I just had to share this awesome altered Santos Doll created by Artist Trent Miller! Trent has participated in some RCAG swaps and we love his work! And I adore what he did with this Santos Doll. As you can see, he started with a reproduction Santos Cage Doll and from there he worked his magic. You can read more about this doll HERE on Trent's blog! Scroll down for some more fantastic photos. Thanks or the Santos inspiration Trent!

 Download this FREE Valentine ATC Collage Sheet HERE. We love our customers at Retro Cafe Art Gallery and want to thank you for your support! We are THANKFUL for YOU and we are looking forward to a wonderful and creative 2014! xoxo

Be Still My Steampunk Heart

Happy Weekend Everyone! We have some awesome new goodies in the shop including my favorite, Steampunk Hearts! We also have some new Valentine Stencils, Stand Up Cupids, Paper Pads, Washi Tapes, and lots more. Christmas is almost here, so shop now so you have some pretties to play with after it's over!

 CHECK IT OUT HERE

Of course the goodie I wanted to play with most was the Steampunk Heart Ornament (also my favorite product to design)! It was very easy and fun to make. First I used VerDay Paints on the front frame. I wanted a lighter color on the base so I used Collage Sheet CV56 (love for backgrounds). Using a 1" clear cabochon I attached an image from the Time Travelers Collage Sheet using Diamond Glaze. I attached my two heart pieces, added my cabochon to the frame, and then attached some watch parts here and there also using Diamond Glaze. I added some Twinkling H20s around the frame for shimmer, and finally attached some chain to the the "clock key" using jump rings. I love how the ornament has a built in hanger! The finished piece almost looks like a cool pocket watch too! Super easy and I loved the result. So many possibilities with this ornament.

Supplies Used: Masonite Steampunk Heart Ornament, VerDay Paint Set, Twinkling H2Os Basic Rainbow, Collage Sheet CV56, Small Watch Part Mix, 25mm Clear Cabochon, Time Travelers Collage Sheet, Diamond Glaze, Copper Beaded Chain, Brass Jump Rings

Here is another awesome Steampunk Ornament by Design Team Member Amy Nieman! Isn't it stunning? I adore the colors she used and the way she utilized our Flourish Cut Outs and Gears. Just fabulous Amy!  

Supplies Used: Layered Cameo Frame Ornament, Steampunk Gear II Cut Outs, Game Spinners, and Victorian Flourish Cut Outs  

  

Last June our Inspiration Fairy Shrine Swap was so much fun. And several of you asked if we would do it again. So now we have these brand new heart-shaped sweeties that will be just as much fun if not more! Now is your chance to jump in!

I can't tell you how many people say "I wish I had joined this swap" once they start to see the samples on Facebook. After it's too late. Don't wait! Jump in NOW! They aren't due until February 24th, so no excuses :).

Supplies Used: Sweetheart Fairy 2, Sweetheart Fairy 3, Gelatos Gift Set, Rainbow Twinkling H20s, Sharpie White Paint Marker, Fairy Head Paper Cuts, Gold Swirl Dazzle Stickers, Ornate Mini Frames, Classic Candy Hearts, Arrow Cut Outs, White Valentine Word Paper Cuts, Valentine Word Scroll Cut Outs, Vintage Valentine Paper Cuts, Heart El Tiny Trinket Charm

I made my heart backgrounds using the included Cardstock Paper Cut, Gelatos, Twinkling H20s, and a water brush! Simply randomly doodle with the Gelatos and then blend with the water brush. Stamp with a rubber stamp, add some Twinkling H20s, and done! I'm loving Gelatos and Twinkling H20s together. My new favorite pair!

 

CHECK IT OUT HERE

The entire Christmas section is ON SALE! Grab these great deals while you can! HINT: Some of the goodies could EASILY be used for Valentine's Day or any day :). Find it all HERE.

Need a last minute gift for a creative friend? Or for yourself? Retro Café Art Gallery Gift Certificates are the perfect solution. You can find there HERE.

Shipping Schedule 

Orders placed Saturday and Sunday will ship Monday. Orders placed after the weekend will be packed on Thursday and will ship Thursday or Friday. Happy shopping and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

In case you missed it, don't forget to grab your Santa Circles Collage Sheet GIFT from us! xoxo

New Sweetheart Fairy Shrine Swap, Valentine Goodies, and more!

Happy Weekend Everyone! We have some sweet new goodies in the shop including Sweet Heart Fairy Shrine Kits, new Paper Cut Sets, Cut Outs, Gelatos, and so much more. OH, and a new ART SWAP. More below!

 CHECK IT OUT HERE

Last June our Inspiration Fairy Shrine Swap was so much fun. And several of you asked if we would do it again. So now we have these brand new heart-shaped sweeties that will be just as much fun if not more! Now is your chance to jump in!

Supplies Used: Sweetheart Fairy 2,Sweetheart Fairy 3, Gelatos Gift Set,Rainbow Twinkling H20s, Sharpie White Paint Marker, Fairy Head Paper Cuts,Gold Swirl Dazzle Stickers, Ornate Mini Frames, Classic Candy Hearts, Arrow Cut Outs, White Valentine Word Paper Cuts, Valentine Word Scroll Cut Outs,Vintage Valentine Paper Cuts, Heart El Tiny Trinket Charm

I made my heart backgrounds using the included Cardstock Paper Cut, Gelatos, Twinkling H20s, and a water brush! Simply randomly doodle with the Gelatos and then blend with the water brush. Stamp with a rubber stamp, add some Twinkling H20s, and done! I'm loving Gelatos and Twinkling H20s together. My new favorite pair!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Gelatos are also AMAZING on Chipboard! To make my cupid again I simply doodled with the Gelatos straight from the tube and then blended with mywater brush. Once dry I added Sunflower Twinkling H20s! Even more shimmery in person! I was thrilled with the results and it took under 5 minutes!

Supplies Used: Chipboard Cupid Tag,Gelatos Gift Set, Rainbow Twinkling H20s, White Valentine Word Paper Cut,Sharpie White Paint Marker, Pink Baker's Twine

Coffee break design has been making and selling our Clear Acrylic charms since 2004 and I'm excited to bring you two new sets! CBD even designed some custom charms for Mr. Tim before Fragments were even born! While our Clear Charms aren't new (except for the two brand new Heart sets) what IS new is that on ALL of our sets you can now get them with or WITHOUT charm holes! We know you love options! Now the sky is the limit. They are all on sale too! I had a blast making these earrings using our new Acrylic Hearts. For some inspiration, you can check out our Acrylic Tag Tutorial HERE. It's an oldie, but a goodie!  

Supplies Used: Folk Heart Clear Acrylic Tags, Vintage Music Sheet Collage Sheet, Gelatos Gift Set, White Valentine Word Paper Cuts, Gold Swirls Dazzle Stickers, Diamond Glaze

To finish the backs of my earrings, I painted them with gold acrylic, added pieces of Dazzle Stickers, and then sealed with Diamond Glaze!

Last week artist Constance Taylor inspired us with her awesome Nutcracker, inspiring the new Masonite Nutcracker Dolls! Well this week, she had a chance to play with one of the new kits! Isn't he wonderful?Nutcrackers aren't just for Christmas anymore folks!

To see more of Constance's work, you can visit her Etsy Shop! And check back often to see when new work is added. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing your talent Constance! 

Find all of the Coffee Break Design Valentine Goodies HERE.

Find the General Valentine's Day Section HERE.

Nutcracker Art Dolls, Gelatos, and More!

Happy Weekend Everyone! We have some wonderful new goodies in the shop including Nutcracker Art Dolls in three sizes, Gelatos, Twinkling H2Os, and more! I'm especially excited about the Nutcracker Dolls, inspired by my talented Friend Constance Taylor! Read more below. 

CHECK IT OUT HERE 

 Inspiration by Constance Taylor! Earlier this week, I caught sight of this stunning Nutcracker piece created by artist Constance Taylor! Constance is extremely talented as you can see from this gorgeous "Nutter" as she calls him (which I love and plan to use!). Seeing her piece got me thinking of a masonite version so I immediately went to work and created the new Nutcracker Doll Kits you can find in the shop! To see more of Constance's work, you can visit her Etsy Shop! And check back often to see when new work is added. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing your talent Constance! 

 I couldn't wait to try my hand at my own Nutter! This kit is made from our thicker 1/4" masonite (same as the fairy kits) so you get a lot of depth and dimension. And you get the face Paper Cut too! I simply covered him with patterned paper and then started playing with our new Gelatos! Then I added a bit of stamping, ink, Twinkling H2Os, and white paint accents. These guys would make excellent gifts! Here are the supplies I used: Nutcracker Art Doll, It's Christmas Paper Pad, Christmas Words Paper Cuts White, Gelatos Set, Twinkling H20s, White Sharpie Paint Pen, E6000 

I really loved playing with Gelatos for the first time! Truth be told, I decided to stock them so I could treat myself to a set as an early Christmas Gift :). It was like playing with adult crayons only better! They glide on creamy direct from the container so there is zero mess. I found that I loved blending them with my finger and of course played with the included water brush too! On my Nutter above, I simply used patterned paper, Gelatos, and some stamping, and I loved the effect. I'm definitely hooked. I also found that they worked great with our Twinkling H2Os as well, since both are water based and a type of watercolor paints. And just look at all those colors! I highly recommend these. Great for collage, mixed media, journaling, and so much more. They are excellent with stencils too! 

  CHECK IT OUT HERE 

 Inspiration by Linda O'Conner I just had to share this stunning piece by artist Linda O'Conner using our Large Dress Form Art Doll Kit! If I had more time, I definitely would have loved to try this crackle on my Nutcracker Doll Face. She used Crackle Accents over our Fairy Doll Head Paper Cut. You can see her full, stunning piece below! Gorgeous Linda! 

If you played in our Angel Ornament Swap your returns are on the way to you. A HUGE thanks to all of the contributing artists. All of the angels were AMAZING. You can see them all here on our Facebook Page! 

Snowman Magnet Kits and More!

Happy Weekend Everyone! We have some lovely new goods in the shop including some handsome snowmen, Tim Holtz Stamps and Stencils, Charms, and more! Why fight the crowds when you can stay home and shop in your pajamas! CHECK IT OUT HERE.

I made these mixed media snowman magnets for our Angel Ornament Swappers and just in case you would like to make some too, I put together a kit for you!

Supplies Used: Snowman Magnet Kit, Christmas Word Paper Cuts Classic White, White Sharpie Paint Pen, Black Diamond Stickles.

Victorian Scrap Angel Ornaments and More!

 

Happy Weekend Everyone! With the holidays drawing near, I'm really excited about our new goodies this week! We have awesome Victorian Scrap Angel Ornaments inspired by Vintage German Scrap Angels, More of our Cameo Frame Silhouette Ornaments, more dress forms, Christmas papers, glitter and bling, and lots more! The Victorian Scrap angels coordinate perfectly with our Articulated Angel Ornaments.The heads and wings are the same size! CHECK IT OUT HERE

I had a blast playing with the new ornaments! Since the surface is a bit smaller than the full size angels, they are faster to make. I whipped these gals up pretty quickly! They would make fantastic gifts for your family and friends. Handmade is always best! Here are the supplies I used: Victorian Scrap Angel Ornaments Style 1 and 2, Angels and Saints Doll Head Paper Cuts, VerDay Paint and Patina Set, Gold Doilie Rub Ons, Snowflake Cut Outs, Peace Dove Cut Outs, Mod Podge, White Sharpie Paint Pen.

 

These stunning Victorian Scrap Angel Ornaments were created by the talented Diana Darden. Don't you just love how they glimmer and sparkle? I also love the bits of vintage papers and sheet music that she used. These gorgeous gals will be a part of Diana's upcoming juried Gallery Show at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts November 15 - December 23. If you are in the Minnesota area you should check it out! SHOW DETAILS

 

 

The new Dress Form Cut Outs and Small Angel Wing Cut Outs are just the right size for jewelry and small ornaments so I had to give them a try. I created this sweet necklace which I plan to give as a gift to a sweet friend! Here are the supplies I used: Dress From Cut Outs, Small Angel Wing Cut Outs, VerDay Paint and Patina Set, Mod Podge, White Sharpie Paint Pen, Vintage Copper Bead Chain.  

 

 

Sugar Skull Magnet Kits! A few weeks ago I made some Sugar Skull magnets as gifts for the DOTD swappers. Since so many of you asked for a tutorial and/or a means to buy some, I listened! Not only is there a tutorial, but there is a KIT so you can have some fun and make your own! Grab them while you can!

Tutorial: http://ow.ly/qZ9kB

Kit (hooray!): http://ow.ly/qZ9vG

 

 

Swap Reminder! Angel Ornament Swap Reminder! Angels are due December 2nd. Details HERE. Please note, that is the Monday after Thanksgiving, just over a week from now, so be sure to get them in the mail by early this week!

 

Have a fantastic weekend! www.RetroCafeArt.com

Sugar Skull Magnet Tutorial + a Kit!

 

Hi Everyone! Last week I made some handmade sugar skull magnets to send as gifts to our Day of the Dead Mini Shrine Swappers. (you'll want to check out all the eye candy for sure!)

And then I decided to have a giveway with the extras!

So many of you asked for a tutorial and/or the ability to buy them, so here we are! And even better than that, I have put together a KIT for you, so that you can make your own Dia De delights! All you need to do is add the glitter, glue, and anything else you would like. They are available in two colors and you can find them HERE!

 

The Tutorial (couldn't be much easier!): First, grab yourself a kit. Each kit will make four! If you want to add color to the back of your magnet, I recommend doing that before attaching your Sugar Skull Paper Cut. I painted the back of my Masonite base with basic black acrylic paint so that I could sign them with a White Sharpie Paint Marker. Attach your Paper Cut to the base using Mod Podge or a similar glue. If you wish, you can ink the edges. If you want to seal your piece, you can do that now. I used a Spray Acrylic Sealer to protect my image. You could also use Mod Podge, Diamond Glaze, Glossy Accents, Crackle, Resin, etc. Next add some bling. I used Pink and Turquoise Stickles, and then finished off the piece with a Swarovski crystal. Finally, attach your magnet using a strong glue such as E6000!

 

 

See, now wasn't that easy? While you are most welcome to follow this tutorial to a T (permission granted), there are so many other possibilities too. Color them with Copics, add more crystals/bling, create an antique crackle effect, spritz them with Glimmer Mists, add some gold teeth via Stickles (lol), break out your glitter pens... you get the idea. Most importantly, have FUN! These make great gifts. You can even give the kit as a gift! Oh yes, they also make fantastic heads for our Doll Kits too! I'm so glad you were all as excited about these as I was. Thanks for the little push to share! xoxo

Sugary Sweet Marie Cupcake Dolls & Much More!

 

Happy Weekend Everyone! Keeping with last week's theme, we have some exciting new goodies in the shop! As soon as I designed our Dress Form Dolls last week, I knew what I was doing next! CUPCAKE DOLLS! Very Marie Antoinette "Let Them Eat Cupcakes"! A very 3-D version of one of my favorite Marie Collage Sheets from 2009! They are the perfect compliment to all of our Doll Kits! They are so sugary sweet, you'll want to eat them up!

 

CHECK IT OUT HERE

 

 

Of course I jumped right in and played with one of the new gals! Here are the supplies I used: Small Cupcake Doll, Marie Doll Head Paper Cuts, Gold Doilie Rub Ons, Pink and Red Stickles, White Mica Flakes, White Sharpie Paint Marker.) Find even more fun goodies in our French Inspired Section.

  

My favorite part about the Doll Kit has to be the CHERRRY HAT! I giggled when I was designing it, and I'm even more giddy now! The Stickles really make it pop. And I'm also amused that the bare Masonite, made for the perfect cherry stem!

  

For the cupcake top, I first applied a
layer of hot pink paint, and then I covered the entire thing with Pink Stickles. While it was still wet I sprinkled on some Mica Flakes. LOVED the result. The photo below shows it better.

 

Oh, and I was also excited that the bit of vintage bling I used looked like an "S" for sugar :).

  

CHECK IT OUT HERE

 

 

Design Team Member Linda Cain created this stunning Votive House Ornament! You can find more photos and step-outs on Linda's blog. I adore the way she used the Scalloped Dresden as shingles! Always thinking!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

 

 

Angel Ornament Swap Reminder!

 Angels are due December 2nd.

Details HERE