REGENCY CHRISTMAS THEMED ATC BOOKCASE AND BOOK BOXES – NEW COLLAGE SHEETS

Tis the season to be jolly, and I’m kicking things off with a versatile bookcase project.  I say versatile because this has so many possibilities.  Since we are in the height of the holiday season, I decided to go with a regency period Christmas theme because the Regency period is my favorite; it’s a Jane Austen thing.  

The generous side and back areas were perfect for creating scenes using my four new holiday collage sheets.  And speaking of new collage sheets, Alpha Stamps is giving one of them away free with purchase; you'll find the details below.

You can store all kinds of goodies in the spacious drawer at the bottom of the bookcase.

This bookcase just happens to be perfect for storing and displaying ATCs.  The books you see displayed in the cabinet are ATC sized, and I’ve used them in a variety of ways.  One book is an accordion folded book displaying ATCs, one contains a stack of ATCs, and one is a shadow box book. 

SHADOW BOX BOOK

ACCORDION FOLD ATC BOOK

ATC STORAGE BOOK

With all of the lovely new holiday vintage scrapbook papers that Alpha Stamps is carrying and my new collage sheet images, I couldn’t resist putting together a few ATCs.

If ATCs are not your thing, I’ve staged the bookcase as a mini secretary.  This bookcase would also work fabulously for storing and displaying this and future season's Christmas cards.

NEW COLLAGE SHEETS

WINTER IS HERE COLLAGE SHEET

This collage sheet contains 9 regency period (Jane Austen) images of women and men in winter fashions surrounded by various-sized and shaped snowflakes.  Click on the image below to purchase this sheet.

TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY COLLAGE SHEET

This sheet contains 6 regency period (Jane Austen) images of women, men, and children dressed for the holiday and various seasonal decorations.  Click on the image below to purchase this sheet.

BRING US SOME FIGGY PUDDING COLLAGE SHEET

This sheet contains 6 regency periods (Jane Austen), women, children, and men celebrating all the good things of the season, such as music and seasonal food.  Other complementary items include musical instruments, sheet music, a wreath of fruit, frames, banners, birds, and tasty treats.  Click on the image below to purchase this sheet.

 

HOLIDAY WREATHS COLLAGE SHEET

On this sheet, you’ll find 12 unique festive wreaths, with most in 3 different sizes that would work for smaller projects. Click on the image below to purchase this sheet.

THE DETAILS

Below you’ll find some details on how I made various components of this project.

THE BOOKCASE WITH A DRAWER

The bookcase is made from an easy-to-assemble kit.  The main structure consists of a base, two sides, a back piece, a top piece and a center shelf.

The spacious drawer consists of a base and four side pieces, with one piece pre-drilled to accommodate a knob.

I started by assembling the main structure and drawer.  I then painted any parts that were not going to be papered and added decorative paper.  The last step was adding images from the collage sheets to the bookcase's sides, back, and top.  I also added dimensional elements like greenery and birds.

ATC BOOKS

The ATC Books come in a simple to assemble kit.  There are pieces for the deep side of the book, a cover, and a spine.

I made three books for this project, each demonstrating a possible use.  In one book, I stored a stack of ATCs; in another, I inserted paper that was accordion folded for attaching ATCs, and in the last one is a shadow box book.

To bind together the accordion folded book example, I used bookbinding tape, also called paper tape.  The tape has sturdy fabric on one side and adhesive on the other.  You can purchase it online or at bookbinding stores; it comes in different colors.  I usually stick with white for more flexibility, as it can be colored with paint or stained, it can be stamped, or you can apply rub-on.

For two of the books, I used ribbon as closure by gluing it to the front and back of the book before adding paper and collage sheet images.  For all of the books, I glued the spine to the side of the back section of the book.

To attach the paper tape, I first cut a section based on the size of the book.  I removed the backing from the adhesive side of the tape and attached it to the front of the book. Next, I wrapped the tape around the spine and then around to the back of the book.

I inked the tape and added paper, collage sheet images, and other embellishments to the book's front, back, and spine.

SHADOWBOX BOOK WITH TABLE & CLOCK

To create the table for the shadowbox, I used a die-cut chipboard image of a table that comes as part of a set of furniture.  I cut off the bottom of the legs as the table would have been too high for the opening of the book.  Next, I cut a piece of heavy chipboard the width of the book opening and slightly shallower.  Then, I slightly bent the table and glued it to the chipboard.  For support, I attached square beads to the back of the table and to the tabletop.

The clock is also a die-cut image of a clock that comes as part of a different set of furniture.  To make the clock more realistic, I added brass embellishments and gold stickers which I also added to the table.

I dressed up the front of the table with greenery and the top with a cake plate stacked with polymer clay goodies, a candlestick, and glass.

Click here to jump to the supplies used for this project carried by AlphaStamps

DETAIL MASTER SUPPLY LIST

COLLAGE SHEETS

Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding Collage Sheet

Tis the Season to be Jolly Collage Sheet

Winter Is Here Collage Sheet

Holiday Wreaths Collage Sheet

Vintage Christmas Book Covers

4 Inch Shrine Facades Collage Sheet – Pediment on the bookcase

Old Books & Papers Digital Image Set – Sheet music

Large Vintage and Elegant Frames Digital Image Set

Winter Wonderland Collage Sheet or Digital Image Set – Snow-covered tree

Clock Faces Collage Sheet

Hardware Collage Sheet

Lanterns Half Sheet

Letters from the Past Digital Image Set – Table

PAPER

Tim Holtz Christmas Tidings 8x8 Paper Stash

Vintage Christmas Scrapbook Paper – Deck the Halls

Vintage Scrapbook Paper - Jolly

Vintage Scrapbook Paper - Holiday Treats

Vintage Scrapbook Paper - Noel

Vintage Scrapbook Paper - Let it, Snow

Vintage Christmas Scrapbook Paper - Twas the Night

Vintage Christmas Scrapbook Paper - Tree Trimmings

Vintage Christmas Scrapbook Paper – Holiday Cards

CHIPBOARD

ATC Bookcase

ATC Sized Faux Book Box

Victorian Furniture Chipboard Set 1 – Sofa

Victorian Furniture Chipboard Set 2 – Grandfather Clock

EMBELLISHMENTS

Curio Knobs

Mini Pine Fern

Brass Cherub Banner

Brass Cherub – 1 Set

½ Inch Mini Cardinals – Set of 3

Frozen Clear Icicle Borders & Snowflakes

1 ½ Inch Fancy Lace

Gold Candleholders

Kitchen Glassware Set – 16 Pieces

1 Inch Fancy Metal Box Hinge

Kezia Connector – Antique Gold

Raw Brass Flourish

Large Bronze Fancy Filigree Set

Dazzles Gold Thin Lines Stickers

Polymer Clay Orange Cane

Polymer Clay Line Cane

Polymer Clay Strawberry Cane

Polymer Clay Red Pink Swirl Cane

Twinklets Diamond Dust

Diamond Stickles

LOVER'S PROMENADE TRAVELING THEATER & NEW MINI REGENCY FASHION COLLAGE SHEET

I can't believe it is already February!  With February being the month of love, I have another romantic project to share; the traveling Theatre Francais presents "Lovers Promenade." It's the final scene in which, after many pitfalls, all the lovers are finally united (aka a happy ending).

MINI REGENCY FASHION COLLAGE SHEET

This collage sheet is filled with 26 miniature men and women wearing Regency period fashions (my favorite) and is approximately 2 ½" tall.  The images are sized to fit the theater shadowboxes carried by Alpha Stamps and are great for other small art projects.  Click on the image below to purchase the collage sheet.

I assembled this theatre using a chipboard kit, collage sheet images, and chipboard wheels.  

On either side of the stage are the doors (faux) so that the theater can be secured and moved to the next town for another performance.

TUTORIAL

I started with a chipboard shadowbox kit with 5 pieces that lock together with tabs and notches.

After gluing the pieces together, I used decorative paper to cover the outside of the shadow box.

Next, on the inside, I added the background scenery from the French Fairies Shadowbox Façade collage sheet.  You don't need to add anything else to cover the inside of the shadowbox, as you won't see it when the curtains are attached.

I backed the characters from the Mini Regency Fashion collage sheet with heavy cardstock.

I attached the characters to the back of the shadowbox using popup dots.  I used between 1 and 3 dots so that they would pop up at different distances from the background.

To create the theater façade, I started with a chipboard shadowbox facade.

I used decorative paper for the top of the curtain and part of the curtain image from the Square Shadowbox Curtains – Teal Collage Sheet for the lower sides.

I added more of the teal curtain image to the chipboard facade and attached the chipboard to the front of the shadow box.

Next, I used images from the Gatefold Shrine Curtains collage sheet to create a skirt for the stage.  I thought the skirt gave the piece more height and provided a place to attach the wheels.  I backed the stage pieces with chipboard to make them sturdy.

Next, I attached layers of teal curtains, popping up sections of the curtains to create dimension, and added the chipboard skirt.  I added a pediment backed with decorative paper to the top.

To dress up the theatre, I glued together 3 sets of white feathers colored with Inca Gold Gilders Paste.  I used my fingers to apply the paste to the feathers.

I attached one of the sets of feathers to the back of the pediment and used an image from the Gatefold Shrine Curtains collage sheet to cover the base of the feathers.  The "Lovers Promenade" sign is accented with cherub buttons.

Next, I made the doors for the theater.   The door frame is from the Antique Frames digital image set.  Notice how I used the same image in the background as I used as the background in the shadowbox.  The couples on the doors are from the Days Gone By collage sheet and/or the digital image set.

The door layers starting from the back to the front, are:

• Decorative Paper
• Thin Chipboard
• Collage Sheet Backdrop Image
• Digital Image Set Frame Image
• Collage Sheet Couples 

I also attached feathers to the doors and brass connectors to serve as a faux pull (to close the doors).

The picture below is a side view of the theater before the doors are attached.  You can see how the pop dots on the curtains are visible.  The doors serve as a structural and decorative element of the theater, but they also hide the pop dots.

Next, I glued the doors to the shadowbox at a slight angle (forward).

The last step was to add the chipboard wheels, which I painted, and then dressed up with a piece of filigree and an image (the same image that is in the skirt).  Lastly, I glued the wheels to the skirt.

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO SOME OF THE SUPPLIES USED FOR THIS PROJECT AT  ALPHA STAMPS

MY COLLAGE SHEETS USED FOR THIS PROJECT

Mini Regency Fashion Collage Sheet

Letters from the Past Collage Sheet #1 and  Letters from the Past Collage Sheet #2

or

Letters from the Past Digital Image Set

Days Gone By Collage Sheet

or

Days Gone By Digital Image Set

Large Vintage and Elegant Frames Digital Image Set