some more game piece boxes

 available at sk3tchbook.com

here are some new boxes.  i have been having a really hard time finding pieces.  i drove all the way to fort collins on saturday, and only found ONE piece!!  it's the globe on top of the one box.  i am seriously getting down to no more stuff to make boxes with.  it used to be easy!!  guess the world wants the things i want, now.  i ordered a game off ebay the other day.  i was desperate.  i had to pay $15 for enough pieces for one box.  and that's just the "base" coat!

i love making these.  i think it's really fun, satisfying, and good problem solving.  so i gotta figure out a new source for stuff.  seems like the folks on etsy are buying up all of the games, dividing them up, and charging exorbitant prices.  like $6 for 10 or 15 alphabet tiles.  and i need about a hundred for each box.  that calculates out to about $50 for each box, just in pieces!!  agh.

i think i may have to raise my prices.  i hate doing that, but i'm thinking i have no choice.  each box takes at least 3 hours to make.  i start by painting the interior and then placing game ephemera (like directions from games) inside the lid and bottom of the box.  then i start assembling.  i use gel medium for glue (don't even ask how much that costs!!) because it's thick and flexible, and acid free.  and you can imbed stuff in it for a great "stick".  i use a little brayer on the flat stuff to get good adhesion.  i get the base coat of pieces on, and then let them dry overnight. next day or so i start the "decorations".  these are also left to dry overnight.  then two coats of matt medium to seal everything up, and a coat of spray sealer on top of that to make sure everything is durable.

that's that!  by the way, these look really nice in groups.  i have four on my living room table together, on a black tray.

installation almost ready!

these are the boxes, almost ready for the big night on friday.  after this picture, i added price tags.  i tore up an old memo pad and wrote the prices in pencil.  then i pinned them on the books or the wall near the pieces.  the other stuff is for sale, too.  and below the boxes i am selling parts so that you can make your own assemblage box!  all you need is the box, the creativity, and the patience!!

series complete!

these are the last 3 in the eggbox series. i was having a bit of trouble photographing today, maybe the metallic finish is skit-zing the camera out? anyway, the good news is that they are done!! i am going to install them along with some other stuff for the artful evening at the shop on november 19th. after that, they will be available on the sk3tchbook.com website for sale (if there are any left! ha!!)

the first box is about 5x8x3 inches, and the paper covering the outside is teresa's workbook from 2nd grade. her handwriting is forever preserved as a work of art! the second box is the smallest in the series...about 3x5x3 inches, and inside i have wired a wonderful old french ivory frame with a sweet bird from a tobacco card inside. there's a mirror, and some tiny china, and oh!, some eggs! last one is 8x11x3". this time i have some glass things inside. i couldn't glue them because you would see the glue through the glass. so i drilled holes in the box and then "sewed" them in with wire. i like the effect. i think it's a neat change. i always like to show hardware, so it goes right with that theme. the little wooden plaque at the back is an old shopping list, but i turned it over because some little kid decided to practice writing on the back with blue crayon. "NO" it says over and over. funny! i love stuff like that. it also has the last large piece of the rusty metal johnine gave me.