"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,..." Charles Dickens

My daughter is currently reading A Tale of Two Cities.   We love to discuss it over the phone.  Even though the book was written over 100 years ago it is still an amazing and moving read.  Originally in 1859 Charles Dickens published the story in weekly installments.  That would have driven me wild!  I did this ATC in honor of one of the, shall we say "pivotal" people during the time period in which the novel is set, Marie Antoinette.  This ATC is also one of my wooden blocks that measures the standard 3 1/2" x 2 1/2".  These blocks are 1 1/2" thick so there is a lot of surface to decorate.  I prepared the block with acrylic paints by Claudine Hellmuth Studio, in this case her Modern Red semi-gloss acrylic paint, and then added my decorations.  All of the "Young Marie" Antoinette images are from Alpha Stamps.  Talk about instant gratification!  I order the digital download of collage sheets and Voila! there it is, no trips to the store, just print it right off of my printer.  The sheets are amazing and beautifully colored.  (And they did not pay me to say that, I just love their stuff that much.)  On the front side Marie is the focal point with edges cut with a fleur-de-lys corner punch.  There are little pearls in each corner.  On the side there is a portion of the first paragraph in the book, torn from an old paperback saved and re-purposed from the second hand store.  I tore the edges and inked them with Ranger's Tattered Rose ink.  I then covered the quote with a piece of Mica.  The back side is also a picture of Marie (the same Alpha Stamps digital downloaded collage sheet) in all her glory embellished with a strip of Studio 18 rhinestone clusters.  The tattered flowers, Tim Holtz trimmings, on the next side were inked with Ranger's Antique Linen.  The block is topped with a little crystal pull by 7 Gypsies, some wired red gingham ribbon, and fitted with some speckled bead feet, kind of a French Country look.  Makes a nice paperweight.

Pin It