ALICE - THE JOURNEY

 When I think of ATC's, I think of ALICE, simply because ATC's are little works of art and can be anything you want them to be. I personally love making and collecting these from other artists.

 This is  my monthly post for August as a design team member for Retro Cafe Art Gallery. I am totally in love with the  variety of ATC holders available from Retro Cafe Art Gallery.This is my first ATC box, but for sure not my last. I have many ATC's that would look amazing in these little ATC boxes all lined up on my shelf.

 “The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kings”
― Lewis Carroll

 ~  HOW I MADE IT  ~

Lay out all the pieces from the kit: Santos Cage Doll ATC Box Kit

Dust off any residue from the pieces

Apply white gesso to back and front and let dry.

This is when I decide on a face to use. RCAG had a large variety of faces that fit each size kit.

The face I use generally determines the dolls personality and what the rest of the doll will look like.

Once the gesso is dry, I painted all the pieces back and front with my base color that I chose which was red acrylic paint.  

After the red paint was dry on both sides, I added images from Alice in Wonderland to the sides and the back piece that would be facing outward. I put the paper on the pieces and traced the pieces with my finger so it outlined the piece onto the paper making a pattern. After cutting out the images, I edged each piece with gold and then glued them to both wood sides and the back side.

I also used the gold with my fingers to edge all the wood pieces and the stars on the back piece, front and back. I did the same with the front piece adding gold touches to the stars and the edges.

I added three pieces not included with the kit, but available to purchase, two small keys and a word scroll that says "Cherish".  I glued these to the front piece of the box after painting them gold as well.

To her crown, I painted it gold and added the word:

DREAM 

(using Tim Holtz Remant Rubs)

On the bottom piece, I decided to go with a stencil, adding pink and then gold dots to the stencil. Then I enhanced the stencil design with a black gel pen.

After everything was dry, I added a word stamp to the dolls arms and attached them to the front of the body using the included brads.

For the word frame, I painted it gold and used the words: "The Journey" from Tim Holtz's Word Remnants onto a small white piece of poster board, cut it out and glued it to the back side of the frame. Next I glued it on just above where I positioned the dolls hands.

For the back inside, I cut two butterflies out and glued them to a piece of poster board. Before cutting them out, I painted the backside of the butterflies pink and stamped with a word script rubber stamp. Then I cut out the butterflies and glued them to the inside back of the box on each side.

I also added a little tea cake on the back with the word: Observations 

Lastly, I glued the face on and then edged all the pieces with some Patina Guilders Paste to give it more dimension, which I thought looked really good with the gold and red.

I assembled all the box together attaching the sides to the back and then adding the front and the bottom piece. Gluing it altogether with a strong clear transparent glue. 

Thank you for being here today and reading my post. I just adore this kit and I love how even without the ATC's placed inside, it almost looks like she is sitting on her throne.

If you want to make an ATC box of your own to store your ATC's, 

Be An ALICE, don't do nothin' at all!

“ALICE
She drank from a bottle called DRINK ME
And she grew so tall,
She ate from a plate called TASTE ME
And down she shrank so small.
And so she changed, while other folks
Never tried nothin' at all.”
― Shel Silverstein,
 

SUPPLIES USED
 

RETRO CAFE ART GALLERY

Santos Cage Doll ATC Box Kit

Gesso

Paper Cut Faces +

Crown

Harlequin Stencil

Stickles -use on heart

Tim Holtz Idealogy - Remnant Rubs

(used on crown and frame)

Guilders Paste - Patina

E6000 Transparent Clear Glue

Art Alchemy Paint - Gold Rush

Red Acrylic Paint

Pearl Pen - Gold

Mat Medium 

Alice Collage sheets

Butterflies 
Scrolls

Tea cake (used on back of doll) 

Small keys (Used on front of box)