Challenges have been discontinued, but I hope you will enjoy browsing through this wonderful archive of Alice-inspired art!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Cheryl Baker's Altered Spool

Featured Artist: Cheryl Baker
Blog: Cheryl's Creative Cards & ATCs
Location: United Kingdom - Norwich - Norfolk

Cheryl first came to my attention when her submission to the Oh, Alice! teabag folding challenge caught my eye! One of the advantages of my being on the Oh, Alice! Challenge Blog design team is that I get to see all kinds of intreresting Alice creations. Cheryl is a great follower of The Altered Alice and you will see her kind comments on most posts!

Cheryl received some Graphic 45 Hallowe'en in Wonderland paper as an early birthday present, but I would say that we are all the benefactors of her birthday gift as we enjoy one of her lovely creations! Decorated spools (Cheryl refers to them as "poles") are a growing trend in altered art and I thought this one was very worthy, take a look! Click on any image to enlarge:
Great things can come from humble beginnings! Cheryl began with a kitchen towel roll core (paper towels for us Yanks) and two CDs! She covered these with beautful patterned papers. The base holds a tiny "Drink Me" bottle, a small key and a teabag folded flower.

On top we see the first of many flowers made from teabag folding. This one is centered with a lovely shank button, I think I have that same button on my jeans, LOL!  There are punched and embossed leaves, but notice how Cheryl used the sheet she cut the leaves from as a stencil and sponged some leaves onto the paper covered CD. She added circular motifs punched from the Wonderland paper.
Die-cut wings extend from either side of the top of this flight of fancy!  A touch of steampunk is added with all the different kinds of chains dangling from the edge, secured to the top CD in all differnt ways including string and jump rings. At the ends of the chains we see another teabag flower and a charm that might be made from an Idea-ology fragment charm; I love this softly colored vintage Alice image! We see the Mad Hatter proclaiming from the top of the pole and the Cheshire Cat is curled up at the bottom.

The Mad Hatter is swinging on his chain. Love the way the petals of the teabag flower echo the hours on the clock face.

The White Rabbit is represented by the "You're LATE!" sentiment tied to a steampunk gear.

I find the fall colors of this piece so warm and appealing. I love the mix of different types and scale of patterns. But the thing that appeals to me most is how the mixture of all these wildly different elements work together to make such an interesting whole. We have lovely teabag folded flowers with softly scalloped edges centered by pretty buttons, then we have steampunk chain and gears. We have a lovely vintage Alice charm and a piece of angular hardware labeled FOOD in a very bold, industrial font. Some things are connected by smooth polished jump rings and others are tied on with string.  It is this pull of opposites that balances this altered spool into a fabulous whole! WONDERful WONDERland creation, Cheryl!

I hope you have enjoyed Cheryl's altered spool as much as I have! Please visit Cheryl's blog and leave her a comment and see some of her other creations, many of which feature Alice in Wonderland! Cheryl always leaves me wonderful comments and calls me Hun, so it will be fun to send some love her way. And please leave a comment here for me before you go!

12 comments:

  1. oh my dear,lynne what a fantastic write up oh I feel,like a star he he you are so kind hun to feature me on,your blog which you know I just adore not only to see other peoples,work,but the way you always write such a beautiful post.
    Bless your heart hun I am really honoured to be part of your blog
    All my love and,big hugs cheryl xxxxxxxx

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  2. Oh indeed, Cheryl is a master artist whose talent, ingenuity, and heart amaze me every time I see her work...It is so wonderful to see her spool featured here as it is a piece that is absolutely enchanting.
    XO

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  3. YEhh!! Well done Cheryl for being featured on Altered Alice with such a fun piece!!

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  4. Its really wonderful to see the lovely Cheryls work here. I adore this spool. So much thought has gone into it and there is so much to look at! A wonderful write up too for such wonderful work! Well done! x

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  5. this is a great collage, the details are just wonderful. Sandi

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  6. WOW! Lynne, Cheryl's work is just beautiful! Thank you so much for bringing it to our attention. I love it, so much to look at.

    Elaine Allen

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  7. Wow, Cheryl's work is amazing - so unique and imaginative! What a truly talented lady.

    Mel X

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  8. Oh I just LOVE the spool idea! This is totally AMAziNG! xxD

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  9. What a great job Chez has made of this spool I really like this work so much

    Love Dawn xx

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  10. I can't wait to try something like this for my friend Cookie, who just adores Alice. Since she buys nearly everything made, it will be fun to make for her.

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  11. GO ASK THE SPINNING ALICE.... OMG, I just love this.....FAB!

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  12. what a fantastic work!! I discover your blog and your "univers", I love your work and everything I see. sorry for my "poor" english language, i cannot say everything I want!! But Can I put a link of your blog on mine own blog?
    encore bravo!!!
    Pat

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THANKS so much for participating in the experience that is THE ALTERED ALICE!!! Your comments mean the world to me, so thanks in advance for taking the time!