Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great weekend so far. I'm still playing with the bird theme for this week. I suppose I'm looking forward to Spring! I'm especially excited about our brand new Bird Cage Dolls that hold ATCs! They are the perfect mix of our Theatre Dolls and Door Shrine Kits. The Folding Ruler Joints are also a must grab!

 

CHECK IT OUT HERE

I had a blast playing with our new 3-D Bird Cage Doll! First I painted her with FolkArt Gold Acrylic Paint. I used Turquoise Inka Gold for some highlights and for her wings. I added some stamping, and then made a nest with some moss and added some Egg Paper Cuts! I really enjoyed the Inka Gold. Because I was working on a painted surface, I was able to wet a paper towel and wipe off any Inka Gold if it went where I didn't want it to go (bonus). Also, FYI, if your Inka Gold dries out, placing a baby wipe inside the container over night will revive it!

Supplies Used: 3-D Articulated Bird Cage Doll, Turquoise Inka Gold, Fairy Doll Head Paper Cuts, Angel Wings, Egg Paper Cuts

Isn't this Dress Form Art Doll by Marie Garot just stunning? I absolutely loved her bird theme which fit right in with the new goodies. Her doll was part of the inspiration for the new Bird Cage Dolls! The Santos Head she picked is just perfect for this piece too. Simply stunning Marie! Thank you so much for sharing! 

Design Team Member Linda Cain created this breath taking piece using our Santos Doll Shrine Kit. Hop on over to Linda's blog for more photos and instructions. Can you believe the awesome stamping on this piece? Amazing Linda! See more HERE on Linda's blog. Go say Hi!

You still have lots of time to join in the Sweet Heart Fairy Shrine Swap! Fairies are due February 24th!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

These beauties were created by artist (and swapper) Luci Brito! I especially love how she placed a transparency over each niche, and then filled them with mini sequins. They are fun to shake! Love them Luci! xo

Steampunk Birds, Nests, and More!

Happy Saturday everyone! We have some super fun new Birdy goodies in the shop! I love them all, but for some reason I'm quite smitten with the nests! And of course the Steampunk Birds! I hope you love them too.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

 First I made this sweet little ATC and a neat thing happened. We've been looking at new houses off and on for a few months now. We're not in a hurry to move, but wouldn't mind upgrading a bit. Yesterday we looked at a house that has the most promise yet. While making my ATC I was thinking that the word "home" would be perfect for the theme. I opened my 1949 garden book and there it was right there, the first word I opened to, "home". Maybe it's a sign?

Supplies Used: Chipboard Nest Cut Outs, Masonite Bird Cage Cut Outs, Black Mat Board ATC Base, Egg Paper Cuts, Small Diamond Stencil, Halftone Stencil, Retro Pattern Grunge Collage Sheet, Gelatos Gift Set, Glue N Seal, Sharpie White Paint Marker.

This guy was very fun and easy to make. And took very few supplies! I was curious if Gelatos would work well directly applied to white paint and it worked perfectly. I painted my bird base with white acrylic paint and then scribbled on my Gelatos. I didn't blend them since I loved the look. Then I simply painted the "frame" with black acrylic paint and added some Sharpie dots!

Supplies Used: Masonite Steampunk Bird Ornament, Gelatos Gift Set, Diamond Glaze, Sharpie White Paint Pen

While we're on the top of Steampunk, I wanted to share this gorgeous piece with you using our Santos Doll Shrine Kit. She was created by Krystal Lynn and posted to our Facebook Fan page. Don't you just love all the metal bits? Thank you for sharing your talent with us Krystal!

Here is another stunning Steampunk piece created by Design Team Member Lynn Stevens using our Steampunk Heart Ornament. Of course this ornament would go nicely with the brand new Steampunk Bird Ornament! I love the combination of Steampunk and Valentine's Day!

And how adorable is this Dress Form Art Doll by Design Team Member Amy Nieman! I'm in love with her colorful dress and all those stripes. So fantastic!

You still have lots of time to join in the Sweet Heart Fairy Shrine Swap! Fairies are due February 24th!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

This amazing diver fairy was created by Constance Taylor! Absolutely fabulous! Another swap you don't want to miss... xoxo

More Manikin Doll Kits and Glitter Galore!

Happy Saturday everyone! We have some super fun new goodies in the shop including more Manikin Doll Kits featuring several Coffee Break Design favorites, more new Inka Gold colors, Distress Inks and tools, Distress Glitter galore, and a few other Ranger products. I hope wherever you are, you are warm and safe. It's supposed to be 42 degrees here today - heat wave!

 CHECK IT OUT HERE

I had a blast playing with a few of our new Doll Kits. You may recognize them from several other Coffee Break Design products. Now they are larger and even more fun to play with. And it's no coincidence that they were perfect for more play with Gelatos! To make my dolls, I colored the included white Cardstock Paper Cut with Gelatos (the Gift Set includes a perfect skin tone) cutting the Paper Cut as needed. For the Muscle Man's shorts, I used part of the Paper Cut as a template - the red sparkly bit is from the cover of a Rolling Stones Magazine. I never throw away beautiful papers! I finished off the pieces with some stamping, collage, and stenciling, and then attached the bits using Glue N Seal. (I love that brush top lid!) The Cigar Label I picked says "High Grace Hope Chest". Perfect for Mr. Muscle Man!

Supplies Used: Medium Anatomical Position Woman Doll Kit, Medium Muscle Man Doll Kit, Fairy Doll Head Paper Cuts, Psychedelic ATC Stencil, Cigar Labels, Collage Sheet DP313, Gelatos Gift Set, Washi Tape, Glue N Seal Matte, Sharpie Paint Marker White  and Black, and Colored Valentine Word Paper Cuts

Check out this stunning Steampunk Heart by Design Team Member Linda Cain!

Hop on over to Linda's blog for more photos and step-outs of this wonderful piece!

Supplies Used:

Layered Masonite Steampunk Heart, Antique Silver Faux Charm, Antique Brass Skeleton Key Charm, Tim Holtz Mini Gears, Brass Arrows, Tim Holtz Steampunk Stamp Set, Vintage Music Sheet II, Time Travelers Collage Sheet. 

You still have lots of time to join in the Sweet Heart Fairy Shrine Swap! Fairies are due February 24th!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

The stunning fairies below are by Design Team Member Lynn Stevens! Each time I look at them, I discover something new. So awesome Lynn!

To close, we have a shout-out for an awesome online art class event!

Artful Gathering Online Art Retreats 2014 opens for attendee sign-up on Feb. 1. 

Check out exciting new art workshops, new and returning faculty, and loads of fun activities!

The Event runs June 6th - August 27

http://artfulgathering.com

Water Color HeARTs and More!

Happy Saturday everyone! As many of you know, I'm obsessed with Gelatos lately! They work well on many materials, however since they are water-based they work best on Water Color Paper! So today, just in time for Valentine's day and my Gelatos obsession, we have Water Color Paper and Masonite Heart Sets, New Cameos, not surprisingly a new Gelatos Set (smaller than the gift set), and more!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

These sweet hearts were born not only for my desire to try all of the colors in my Gelatos Gift Set (as you can see I didn't stick with common Valentine's Day colors), but also as gifts for the Sweetheart Fairy Swappers! I generally make handmade gifts for the participants, however these will all be one of a kind! Time consuming, but I'm excited. Maybe a few per day? A little bit of daily art time is good for the soul! Wish me luck! These backgrounds are nothing but Gelatos and a water brush at this point. The supply list is for the next photo :). 

Supplies: Medium Water Color and Masonite Classic and Folk Hearts, Gelatos Gift Set, Washi Tape, Metallic Eyelets, White Valentine Word Paper Cuts, Mod Podge, Sharpie Paint Marker White and Black, Vintage Sheet Music Collage Sheet, Flower Background Collage Sheet, Retro Grunge Pattern Collage Sheet

I also played with the new Large Masonite Heart Ornament. Very simple, but very fun. Sometimes there's nothing like good ol' paper and glue collage!

Supplies: Large Classic Heart Ornament, Gelatos Gift Set, Washi Tape, Metallic Eyelets, Colored Valentine Word Paper Cuts, Mod Podge, Sharpie Paint Marker White  and Black, Vintage Sheet Music Collage Sheet, Flower Background Collage Sheet, Valentine Circle Labels Collage Sheet DP259

On New Years day, I had the pleasure of getting together with several of my good friends for a day of food, fun, and ART! Yes, we had tiaras too! I worked on my heart backgrounds which was great since they required very little concentration. I was free to gab. Doesn't get much better than that!

(The lovely lady in the Tiara is my talented friend Joanie. I'm of course behind my Gelatos.) 

A messy art desk in numbers is way more fun!

You still have lots of time to join in the Sweet Heart Fairy Shrine Swap! Fairies are due February 24th!

CHECK IT OUT HERE

The stunning fairies above are by Design Team Member Linda Cain. You can find more photos and step outs on her blog HERE.

Supplies: Sweetheart Fairy Shrine Kits,Arrow Cut Outs, Glasses and Monocles Cut Outs, Small Heart Tree Stencil, Valentine Collage Paper Cuts,Heart Mix Set,Valentine Word Cut Outs, Ornate Mini Frames, Antique Brass Winged Heart Charms, Antique Brass Love You Hand Charms, Gold Stickles, Silver Stickles, Christmas Red Stickles, Fairy Art Doll Head Paper Cut Outs.

In case you missed it, 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!

Art Sample  by Design Team Member Amy Nieman using this free sheet! 

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