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Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Dresses CAN Be In The Bag

Dress Shop is one of my most elaborate wall art pieces.  The idea started when I decided to draw some card stock templates of dresses.  I've forgotten what they were originally for.  I do remember that the idea for a dress shop design sprang full-blown into my mind.  You know how these art pieces do.  They just insist on coming to life!

Mixed media wall art.
I wanted the dresses, which I cut from scrapbook paper, to appear to be hanging in the shop windows.  The answer was to elevate them with sticky dots.  I have so many types of scraps to make my own glue dots that I don't buy them.  I think I saw some on a clearance rack and grabbed them for fun.  They're just the round, white discs that are sticky on each side.  I used 2 for each dress, one near the top and bottom.


Dress templates for Dress Shop design.
To further add to the illusion of dresses hanging on racks, I chose to add shadows.  Rather than use gray, I decided to color the shadows in fuchsia, turquoise and lime.  I cut out matching dress templates in scrap card stock, and in keeping with the tri-color theme, placed a complimentary color behind each dress.

Tags and ribbons used in mixed media art.
The title is designed with small tags that I painted, altered and stamped with text.  The little ribbon and paper flags are stapled to the tops.  Note the fuchsia-colored, fabric covered shank button that I used to accent the yarn ribbon hanging at each side of the shop front.  I used one other button at the top of the gable.

8 dresses in my Dress Shop.
Each wire hanger is hand-twisted, and all of the belts and accents are handmade.  I sketched the door, steps and windows, accenting them with paint, marker and clipart.

I painted the turquoise and white awnings freehand, and accented them with black marker.
There is so much going on with this foam core backed hanging art that I can't remember everything.  Even the hole reinforcers that I spray painted silver and used to cover the ribbon  yarn tassels along the bottom are reminiscent of potholes along the cobble-stoned street.  There's also fabric, hand-painted paper, flat sequins and beads.

Dress Shop was sold through my Storenvy shop Marry Me On A Dime.  It's the first of several dress shops to come.   











11 comments:

bohemiannie! art said...

This is absolutely wonderful! I LOVE it!

bohemiannie! art said...

I just bought it! I gave my son's address since we'll be there next week! Can't wait!

Artsy Craftery Design Studio said...

Well my goodness, Annie! I'll be in touch. :)

Gemiel said...

Sandi, I just love this!!!! Such fun dresses, I'd love to shop there! Now all we need is a shoe store LOL.

Artsy Craftery Design Studio said...

Gemiel I just may make a shoe store,lol, but I like dresses the most. Thanks for stopping by.

Unknown said...

Sandi, a fantastic piece as usual! Congrats on the sale of it too!

Cynthia said...

Sandi,
Your work is amazing, inspirational and fresh! I love it! I will visit, often! ~Blessings!

J C said...

Love this. I pictured it hanging in a little dress boutique. Maybe it will. Now, I agree, a shoe shop. My daughter loves shoes. And all the fancy artsy shoes are a big rage right now. Do it!

Really, really nice work Sandi.

Artsy Craftery Design Studio said...

Thnks, Teresa. It really is a fantastic piece because of the creation. I especially enjoyed designing it, though it was quite elaborate. Still when creativity flows, it flows, and there's really not much stress in it, except the stress of just doing it! Lol.

Artsy Craftery Design Studio said...

Hi Cynthia: Blessings to YOU too. Your work is marvelous. I have my eye on those coffee & God bookmarks.

Artsy Craftery Design Studio said...

Hi Judie: Thnks! Maybe shoe shop, maybe not. But anyway, I do like desiging shop windows with a foam core base, or cardboard too. I'm a papercrafting addict! Thanks for visiting.