creatologie from carol wingert studio

A twosome of "onesies"...

I am not a rocket scientist...thankfully!

But, I've figured out that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that you all really LOVE onesies!

Onesies are the one of a kind, totally unique "I Start, You Finish" books hand created in the creatologie studio by moi.  Onesies sometimes include coordinating products that you can use to finish your book art masterpieces.  They may or may not include storage containers for some of the product.  The thing about them is that each one is carefully thought out, carefully and lovingly created and coordinated and carefully packaged for a very special you!

Today, I'm releasing two more onesies!  Yay!

Here they are:

"BUTTONS AND BEZELS"

Vintage and shabby...neutral...generic in theme...and best of all, old buttons and bezels on each mini collage on the cover as well as on the spine!

This 11 x 9 3/4" heavy chipboard three ring binder is covered with natural duck cloth on the front and back.  The spine is constructed from multiple layers of fabric and finished with old buttons and bezels, each sewn onto the fabric.  The nine mini collages on the cover are created with lots of detail...tiny images, a hand made silk fabric rose, mini chipboard dye cut shapes, layers of paper, fabric, lace, twine, transparencies, envelopes and images...as well as a button and bezel on each one.   Can I tell you that pictures just don't do this cover justice?  You will want to touch each one of these little squares...and there's just so much depth on each one of them.

The inside 14 surfaces are left open for your personal creativity...BUT...I'm including lots of product to help you along the way.

This collection of coordinated products include a woven strand of mother of pearl buttons, two strands of wired buttons, printed tissue, dressmakers tissue patterns, trims, lace (some hand dyed), old button cards, several vintage vocab cards and even a vintage South African card of brown snaps...can you believe they come in brown????

I've also included a variety of fabrics and appliques...perfect to continue the vintage theme throughout the inside pages.

In keeping with the "mini" theme, there are mini images, more vintage buttons and bezels and even two Parisian clocks attached to old bezels!  I've pulled together 22 different vintage papers to be used inside...they are cut to 6x6...perfect for lots of mini collages.  Expect to see some vintage metal elements such as a key, rusted wire hanger, index plates and an optical lens.  There's even a large tin of buttons in shades of white and a spool of wire...perfect for stringing together to create a garland.

I think you will LOVE the variety of elements in this collection.  I'm including vintage music paper, vintage die cut paper strips, awesome mini chipboard pieces, French book paper, a couple of interesting frames and a sheet of rub-ons.  If you are a lover of vintage and mini's, can this be more perfect?

I'm here to tell you, "YES, it can!"

Why?  Well, because I'm including a fabulously distressed, scratched and dented white and black metal lunch box, complete with a lift out divided section to store those "littles"...of which you will have many!

Honestly, can you stand so much goodness in one place?

If this one is calling out to you, this entire collection can be yours for just $167...a fabulous project started for you, loads of wonderful coordinated product and a splendid container...definitely a great buy!  Shipping is extra (within the US please) and sales tax for AZ residents is included in the shipping price.

Simply click on the Buy Now button below and I'll ship this huge stash to you within a few days.  You won't want to miss out on this one!

IT'S GONE.  THANK YOU!

Next up is:

TICKING AND TOILE...BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

For those of you who are lovers of all things French, what could be better than a book featuring two fabrics which are trademarks of French design and tradition?  Ticking and toile...a fabulous combination, especially when they are done in black and natural linen!

This 8 1/2 x 11 (approx) hand created book is totally made from canvas.  There are 14 interior surfaces on which to create and I've included some luscious fabrics to help you there.  The cover features ticking in black/ivory, hand created ticking roses in ivory/black and fabululous natural flax fabric in a traditional toile pattern.  The roses are secured to a beautifully patinaed chain...graphite in color...and includes fabulous black and silver charms which are attached to the chain between the roses.  There's also a woven garland of mother of pearl buttons as well as a metal index plate for your book title.  The open space is perfect for your own photo and guess what?  I'm even including a sheet of printable cotton canvas so that you can personalize your cover.  There's a fabulous sequin and bead trim attached to the inside back cover...oooohh la la...so very French!

There is something so warm and inviting, yet classy, about both the styles and the colors of the fabrics I've included in this collection.  In addition to large pieces of the cover fabrics, I've also added a piece of natural flax and a piece of the flax printed with a variety of French phrases, letters and documents.  Ballard Designs sells this fabric by the yard and they call it their "Document" fabric.  Some of the pieces are actually large enough to make an accent pillow!  

Speaking of Ballard Designs, I'm including a wonderful fabric bag, exclusively from Ballard in the Document fabric, as part of this collection.  The bag is brand new and is approx. 10x7x 3 1/2 (in the gusset area).  Oh just think of the possibilities...a great storage bag for some special treasures to take to an event, crop or retreat...a cosmetic bag for travel or to accent your vanity table...or just a wonderful display piece for your studio bookcase.  Yours will be filled to the brim...with awesome French trims (and a few made in the good old USA, too :)).

There are 16 different French trims, each at least a yard in length, that come from France (my trims are carded and labeled "Made in France" from sometime in the 1960's.  I've carded each of them for you...you'll be able to use them for more than just this project, for sure!  I've also included some black ball trim as well as a few others...a wonderful way to add interest and texture to your pages.

Appliques and mini doilies make great toppers to your fabulous fabrics and I'm including a kraft stamped pillow box filled with some gorgeous pieces...you will love them...plus, you can use the box for storage or gift giving.

Your collection would not be complete without some trinkets and treasures...so look for some great metal accent embellishments, a beautiful chandelier crystal, mini vintage images and a pack of rub ons...a perfect way to accessorize your amazing fabric book.  This will really be a work of art that you will treasure for years to come!

This treasure trove of ticking and toile (but that's not all) can be yours for only $127...a rare collection of goodies that you wouldn't find in one location anywhere.  Shipping is extra and for AZ residents, sales tax is included in the shipping charge.

Just click on the Buy Now button to make this part of your artistic collection!

SOLD.  THANK YOU!

I hope that you have enjoyed this twosome of onesies!  As always, thanks for reading, for your orders and for your referrals to friends and family.

Be on the lookout...more onesies are on the horizon!

From my studio to yours,

Carol

search...stash...share!

For a long time, probably eight years or so, I had been in the mode of searching and stashing, hunting and gathering, putting away for a rainy day (which could be a long time in Arizona :)) and just generally collecting some very cool bits, baubles and doodads.  Several years ago, I started sharing things from my collections...in Heirloom kits, in pieces of art, and most recently, in special one of a kind projects I've created especially for you!

Some of you have asked how I can part with my treasures.  I have to be honest with you...at first it was a bit tough.  You know how it is...there are things that can't be found again, those one of a kinds, scrapbook products that are no longer available, vintage items that I picked up in antique malls and flea markets that I'd probably never see again...all great reasons to hang onto the treasures and never let them go :).

There was something that happened when I started letting go of some of the bits and baubles.  I started discovering bigger and better things, finding great deals on items in bulk, discovering new sources for vintage stuff and get this, the ideas for new projects just started flowing like crazy.  What an amazing outcome, isn't it?  Since that time, I've found it easier and easier to share from my bountiful collection...the blessings just keep coming back, not just in more stuff, but in hearing back from you about how thrilled you are with what I've sent and how excited you are to create with new and different things.  Can't beat that!!!!

Today, I've got three more one of a kind pieces of art to share...I'm so excited about them...and, truth be told, it's been a teensy, weensy bit hard to part with them.  They are really right up my alley, so to speak, and soooo much my style...I was definitely in my "sweet spot" when I was creating them.  Here's what's new from the creatologie studio today!!!!!

AUTUMN SHIMMER (aka METAL MANIA!):

I absolutely LOVE this book!  It's a hand created hard back book with three interior signatures and 38 interior surfaces.  The inside pages are textured ivory cardstock, as well as textured ivory cardstock that has been glazed in a flourish pattern (perfect for inking).  The cover is built with a number of layers...background paint and metallic glaze on the book, paint and metallic glaze on the heavy textured paper, distressed and aged chipboard and hand aged, stamped and embossed copper metal.  Check out the detail on the copper...all done by hand...by moi!  And, you know what's so cool?  You can create your own title by stamping or writing in the index plate on the cover.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the spine...once you see it, you'll have to agree that it's definitely metal mania!!!!

Whoa, Baby!  Can you believe all of those charms?  There are actually 21 of them, each attached with a jump ring to a chain which is connected to the spine.  Some of the charms are quite old...a rusty key, an old copper flower, a token, a vintage glass pearl, vintage MOP buttons...and others are new with a vintage look.  You will love the look...and the feel...and the sound :).

If you were to make this one from scratch, I'd venture to guess that creating the structure, aging and embossing the copper, adding the other cover details, and attaching all of the charms would be a class that would take the better part of a day...i.e., lots of cool details!

There's more with this package!

I'm including a rusty trunk (the rust is sealed so that it won't rub off on your hands or on things inside) that is super cool.  It's 12" wide by 8" deep by 5 1/2" high...large enough to store a lot of treasures.

Inside the trunk, you will find some gorgeous coordinating fabrics (the color on a couple is showing purple but in fact it's a gorgeous, rich tobacco brown), 12" of copper mesh tubing (soft metal mesh that you can use to create little tubes or bags), velvet leaves and organza roses.  I'v also included some copper pieces...one piece that's aged, one that's not, plus two pieces of stampable mesh, one in copper and one in bronze.  You'll also receive some manila envelopes, library pockets and other envelopes, plus some 7 gypsies rub-ons to add to your pages.

There are 12 pieces of Florentine metallic papers (8 1/2 x 11) that are made in Italy which will be perfect for the inside pages of this book...you will LOVE them.

I've also included a collection of metal bits and bobs...all wonderful additions to decorate your pages.

All of this...the hand created book, the trunk, fabrics, paper goods and metal bits...can be yours for just $147, plus shipping (within the US, sales tax included in shipping for AZ residents).  Just click on the buy now button below and I'll ship out your "metal mania" goodies in a few days.

SOLD.  THANK YOU.

Next up:

BLESSINGS!

We are in the season of the harvest...and the season of giving thanks for our many blessings.  What better way than to put your thoughts, stories and pictures into one very special, very vintage, shabby and fall looking book.  I've called it "Blessings" but because the index plate is left open, you can title it whatever you want!

There is so much goodness on the cover of this hand created book.  It's a repurposed hardback, approx. 7 1/2" x 9 1/2", with 16 interior surfaces on which to create.  This book has a flap at the back, which adds a cool dimension, and the pages are actually heavy water color paper.  OK, how cool is that?  You can use an ink wash (and guess what, you'll be getting a jar of walnut ink crystals, too!!!!) or watercolor paints to prep the backgrounds of your inside pages.  What a super fun art challenge!

But, back to the cover!  There are layers of paint, glaze, vintage style patterned papers, and dyed cheesecloth to form the background.  Then, there's a fabric covered vintage spool cone that spills out vintage lace, an old doily, hand dyed and hand made flowers, a vintage pearl chain, leaves, hand dyed ribbon and a metal framed cameo.  This would be a perfect book to display on an easel...a very beautiful and feminine piece of book art!

This is another one of those books that would probably take a six hour (or longer) class to put together.  Here's the spine...gathered hand-dyed fabric and a mother of pearl button chain...yum!

On the inside of the flap, I put together something fun...a great way to count your blessings!

There's a whole strip of these hand painted metal numbers...from 1 through 6.

And, I'm also including some coordinated products with this book.  

There are vintage appliques, vintage lace, old dress pattern tissue, a wire hanger and wire note holders, some fun stickers, a journaling card and wonderful, old pearl and mother of pearl embellishments.  As I mentioned earlier, you will also have a jar of walnut ink crystals to create a page wash or to dye fabrics, lace, or ribbons.

I've also included some coordinating trims and fabrics, envelopes, library pockets, single slide mailers and even a little brass framed title block which says "blessings"!

This amazing piece of art, along with the coordinating products is available today for just $97, plus shipping (within the US, sales tax for AZ residents included in shipping charge).  Just click on the buy now button and I'll happily (remember the blessings :)) ship out your book and products.  Can't wait to see what you do with your book!

SOLD.  THANK YOU!

Now for the third!

LA MAISON RUSTIQUE!

If you are a flea market junkie...or you love going to antique malls, you know how hard it is to find vintage ledger books, especially large ones.  Well, this one will blow your socks off!  The ledger book, which forms this piece of art, is huge!  It's 11x14 (approx) and actually has writing inside.  The first entries are from 1932 and while there are some missing pages, there are still a lot of pages included inside that have writing and others that are plain.

La Maison Rustique...the rustic house, in French (of course)...is the perfect name and the perfect cover for this vintage/antique fabulous find.

The cover is a combination of vintage/antique finds and newer product.  There's an old bottle, vintage tinsel garland, an old metal key, vintage pearls and mother of pearl buttons, very old berries and little silver balls, vintage, glittered leaves, old crystal buttons and a new shimmery little bird, nesting quite happily on the crystal topped bottle.  This is really such a cool project.  I wish you could feel the flocked velvet paper, the old lace, the the coolness of the mother of pearl "Lucky" buttons.  And, to finish it off, there's shimmery flaked mica applied to certain areas of la maison.  La maison also boasts vintage music paper, vintage crepe paper, an old letter and old ledger paper.  Very fun!

Here are some details and a picture of the first entry in the ledger book:

For those of you who would prefer not to alter the interior pages, this would make a perfect display piece on its own.  And, to help you accomplish that, I'm including a metal easel, perfect for holding this fabulous book and cover.  Wouldn't "La Maison Rustique" be a wonderful addition to your holiday home this year?

I'm offering this wonderful, shabby ledger book with a completed cover and metal easel for just $97 (plus shipping, sales tax for AZ residents including in shipping charge).  Those of you who have looked at ledger books know that this package is a really good deal, as some ledger books alone can cost almost this much :).  Just click on the Buy Now button below and it will be YOURS!

SOLD.  THANK YOU!

I searched...I stashed...and now, I've shared!  I can't wait to have you share with me what you've done with the books and products.

As always, thanks for reading, for your orders, and for your referrals to friends and family!

From my studio to yours,

Carol

One of a Kind: The Old School House

Yesterday, the Arizona desert experienced its first fall-like day.  That got me thinking about the days when school would get started for me in Pennsylvania...usually about the middle of September and usually when it was starting to cool down quite a bit in the mornings and evenings.  That got me all inspired to create a school album and pull together related products...all of which I've called "The Old School House".  

I've completed the cover and spine of the 11 x 9 1/2" chipboard 3 ring binder and if you love good old fashioned vintage, you will love it!  I've used vintage 7 gypsies papers on both the front and back covers and quite a few of the products I've included on the cover are no longer available.  So, unless you have hoarded tons of 7 gypsies products (like I have), chances are pretty great that the pieces I've included will be hard to find.

The cover boasts an actual wood framed chalkboard which I stained, and decorated with paper tape, an old ruler, a knob, glass bottle charm, typewriter key charms, hand dyed binding, tiny Scrabble letters, a pencil, tiny name plate.  Add a picture and some journaling with actual chalk or a white Sharpie marker and your cover will be totally complete...and totally personalized to be your very own.

You have to check out the spine...it totally makes me grin!

Yeah, I know, you're grinning too!  

I was thinking about the possible uses for this album as I was putting together the many layers of the cover and spine.  Maybe you have a child or grandchild who is a senior in high school this year...this would be a fabulous way to summarize the oh so busy year with the many activities and all of the hoopla.  Or, maybe you've got a collection of school stuff from your children who are now grown and out of the nest.  Take the best of the lot and include them in this family school album.  The beauty of a 3 ring binder is that you can add to the 6 double sided pieces of indexed chipboard already included in this album.  Or, maybe you have school ephemera from your parents or grandparents.  This would be a delightful way to preserve those memories and showcase them in a beautiful, and artful book.

To make the completion of your book easier, I've included lots of coordinating products.  There are pieces of fabric in script, practice handwriting "paper", and music.  There are tags in a variety of sizes, some printed, some plain.  You will love the clear resin typewriter letters...perfect to spell out your own words.  There are charms-large pieces of 7 gypsies hardware, a key, typewriter key charms to spell "be", plus rubons, canvas labels, envelopes, a louvered card to store lots of littles, buttons, Bingo markers and gaffer tape.  I've included plain twill tape in ivory and black and there are several pieces of pre-printed 7 gypsies tapes that are no longer available.  Add to that some binding, rick rack and printed ruler tape and you'll have a such a blast finishing this book.

There are several pieces of vintage 7 gypsies 12x12 printed papers, all in keeping with the school theme, plus some handwriting practice paper, vintage ledger paper and an old school book called "Tall Tales", which will provide some 1950's flavor to your album, as well as a mini composition book (great for recording some of those stories).

And, as if that wasn't enough, I'm also including a black metal cigar tin, which stands about 6" high and is perfect for storing paper products such as tags, mini envelopes, rub ons, etc.  It can also be used as a pencil or marker case.  I love the fancy wire handle...perfect to hang, if you want.  There's also a vintage wooden cigar box (7" wide x 5" deep) with a brass clasp that will house some of your little embellishments.  

And, to top it off, or I guess to hold it all together, I'm also including an 11 x 13 1/2 French wire paper organizer (in black).  Oh, you are going to love all of these treasures!

This fabulous album and product kit, "The Old School House", is available today for just $147, plus shipping (within the US, sales tax for AZ residents included in shipping amount).  When you think of what you are getting--an album with a completed cover and spine, extra papers, ribbons and embellishments (some no longer available in the marketplace), a cigar tin for storage, a vintage cigar box for storage, and a fabulous French wire basket to keep all those papers together, that is a really good value.

To make this one of a kind kit yours, simply click on the "Buy Now" button below and I'll ship out all of the goodies within a few days.

Thanks for looking...and for your orders and referrals!

 

IT'S GONE!  THANK YOU.

By the way, check out the post below this one for a couple of really special canvas books, also with completed covers and coordinated products.  Maison de Provence is on its way to a new maison...but the other two very special one of a kind hand made beauties are still available.

See you soon...with more new projects to share!

P.S.  Thanks for the fast response!  What just happened is exactly what I was describing in the email.  Appreciate your orders and your continued loyalty and support!

An active mojo means more art!

My mojo has been going like crazy lately.  Maybe it's because I took off some time this summer and now it has to catch up :).  It's all good...unless it's 3:00 AM, which has been happening quite a bit of late! Then, I'd rather be sleeping!

This time around, I have three vintage lovelies that I called Dazzling Denim, Grandmother's Clocks and Buttons and Maison de Provence.  Sound wonderful, don't they?

All three are canvas books with completed covers and I'm including some additional product to help you fill the interior pages.  The books are all approximately 8 1/2 x 11 and all have 14 interior canvas pages on which to create.  Creating on fabric is so much fun...you can layer with other fabrics, paper, tissue glued on with  gel medium...or you can paint on it, stamp your heart out or even use rub ons.

I've got some pictures to share and then I'll follow it up with a little description of each.

"DAZZLING DENIM"

   

 

Dazzling Denim...a stunning contrast between sturdy utilitarian denim and beautiful feminine vintage lace, accented with fabulous and dazzling diamantes, rhinestones and crystals.

The natural canvas book is covered with a blue floral linen fabric from Ralph Lauren.  The next layer is a vintage doily, followed by an old denim pocket.  Handmade and hand dyed fabric flowers, dazzling Swarovski crystal ball beads (attached to the doily with jump rings), wired diamantes, old lace, a rhinestone button, ball trim and a canvas tag finish off the cover brilliantly.

You will love this blend of girlie, tomboy and vintage!

To help you finish this book, I've included two large pieces of new denim (one has a floral print woven into it, simply gorgeous), a piece of the Ralph Lauren floral linen, a set of appliqued angel wings, another vintage doily, several ivory colored appliques, a set of carded buttons, a piece of vintage gathered crocheted lace, two crystal stick pins, wired diamantes, a vintage rhinestone belt buckle, a vintage rhinestone waterfall brooch and 3 vintage crystal buttons (2 large and one small).  Oh yes, I've also included a Russian vocab card for the word "blue".

This book and product package can be yours for only $97...handmade and one of a kind...plus shipping (within the US, sales tax included for AZ residents).

Just click on the Buy Now button below to make Dazzling Denim part of your collection!

 

SOLD.  THANK YOU!

"GRANDMOTHER'S CLOCKS AND BUTTONS"

This book and the products remind me so much of my grandmother's house!  With her propensity to collect (which she definitely passed on to me), I could always count on having a huge cookie tin filled to the brim with buttons...and could always count on hearing a chime or two from her clock collection.  It's those memories that inspired me to create this book which I've called "Grandmother's Clocks and Buttons".  The fabric book boasts a ruched canvas cover, layered with beautiful lace and trims.  The hand created clock is rimmed with vintage buttons, each painstakingly sewn on by hand, and hangs from a vintage looking mini wire hanger, which is attached to a ceramic vintage clock knob.  Hand dyed binding finishes off the look.  LOVE it!

This book is accompanied by a small wooden box (5 1/2 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4) which opens to hold an antique empty pocket watch case, perfect for creating a dimensional collage and added to the inside of the book.  There's also a length of mother of pearl button trim, several dyed shipping tags, 7 gypsies metal hardware charm with a Parisian clock inserted, and two vintage looking trinkets (a clock and a keyhole).  The clock trinket has a 1950's Japanese glass teardrop pearl hanging from it...also wonderful to include in your book.  In addition, you will receive another piece of the cover lace, a piece of script fabric and two old button cards.  

This is sure to be a favorite in your collection and it can be yours for just $97, plus shipping (within the US, sales tax for AZ residents included in shipping).  Click on the buy now button below and I'll ship out within a few days after receiving your order.

 

THIS ONE'S GONE, TOO.  THANK YOU!

"MAISON de PROVENCE"

Reminiscent of an old French farmhouse, you will love the linen and old, faded red tones of this product and accompanying products.  You may remember that I had posted a book similar to this one as an idea for how to use a patterned fabric cover...well, in fact, it's the same book with a few added embellishments, like buttons and charms.  Truth be told, I knew that I wouldn't be creating the interior pages for a while...so much to do and so little time, you know.  So, I wanted to share the book and the amazing collection of coordinating fabrics with you.  The cover features a hand made flower from hand dyed ribbon and vintage stamens.  A vintage applique, vintage leaf trim and hand dyed binding finish off the display.  There are buttons on both sides of the flower.  The title can be stamped on the canvas which covers the large oval metal sign.  Pearls and a couple of charms finish off the sides of the sign.

The background fabric of this book is a striped linen/cotton blend from Moda/French General.  This fabric was part of just one print run and is difficult to find.  I've added 8 additional pieces of no longer available coordinating French General fabric from my personal collection to use throughout the book, as well as a piece of natural linen.  Six gorgeous trims (4 of which are shown), including a length of mother of pearl button trim and a couple of vintage crocheted laces, finish off the product portion of this offering.

This gorgeous, French flavored book and coordinating fabrics can be yours for just $97, plus shipping (within the US, sales tax included for AZ residents).  You will love working with the beautiful fabrics and trims...a real beauty, especially if you love rouge!

SOLD!  THANK YOU!

 

As always, thanks for looking and for your orders!  My mojo is calling...be back with more later!

From my studio to yours,

Carol