Tag Archives: papier mache

Fill an Easter basket at Cottontail Cheri

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Papier mache robin's egg candy box with artisanal details Being German-American, I have a special affection for the holiday traditions from the homeland of my ancestors. Each year, I have a lot of fun applying my own creative touch to traditional German Easter treasures. This year, I have created Cottontail Cheri, an Easter market like those held in Germany. (Sadly, much of last year's collection was destroyed in the flood.) I particularly enjoy decorating papier mâché eggs my own way, like the one above. I started with a robin's egg treatment and added a curious medallion made of old German type and plaid paper rope (untwisted), centered by a tiny bunny. Martha Stewart's coffee bean-edged pink ribbon finishes it off. Papier mache Easter egg candy box covered with Florentine paper, blue metallic German Dresden trim. I really heart Florentine designer paper, and it looks just stunning on a papier mâché egg. Add Dresden foil trim, and you have a family heirloom. By the way, that fellow who's helping me show off my Easter eggs is a little replica of a longtime Reuther family heirloom, Bummy Rabbit, a wrought iron rabbit that my grandmother, Mammy, had in her yard when I was a little girl. The full-sized Bummy now sits in my patio garden, a proud survivor of last year's flood. Papier mache Easter egg candy box, bronze with paper medallion Here's the German script medallion again, this time with pleated Florentine paper, on a bronze painted papier mâché Easter egg. Scalloped green Dresden trim is the finishing touch. These eggs make the best candy boxes, to hold little treats and nestle in an Easter basket. Papier mache egg candy box with German diecut decoupage If you've followed this blog, you know what a fan I am of D. Blumchen & Co., where they specialize in imported German craft and holiday specialties. That's where I got my papier mâché eggs and German die-cut scrap, like the bunny on the egg above. I used a dimensional découpage technique to apply the little fellow to this robin's egg painted candy box, which is a little smaller than those above. The tall bunny showing off this egg is destined to become a family heirloom.   Papier mache Easter egg candy box with Florentine paper, small Again, beautiful Florentine designer paper, on a smaller papier mâché egg, finished with Dresden trim. Papier mache Easter egg candy box with elegant medallion, small The smaller bronze egg here has a German text medallion with pleated Florentine paper, this time centered by a prim little paper rose. I do hope you'll visit my Cottontail Chéri Easter market and make one of these creations an heirloom for your own family. Each item in the market includes a link to Etsy, where I am selling this collection. And stay tuned to Atelier Chéri, where I'll be telling you about some of the other Easter treasures at Cottontail Chéri. à bientôt...Tatie

La Poste: Treasure trove alert

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When my newsletter from D. Blumchën and Co. comes, I stop whatever I am doing, and take a peek. This wonderful old store imports all kinds of treasures, many of them from Germany. They are a craft artisan's candy store. And for holiday addicts like me, they are the best fix. Blumchën is currently featuring Easter goods -- from vintage decorations to papier mâché eggs to decorate to German paper scrap for collaging. And they do have those wonderful sugar panorama eggs (which I have made before and much prefer to buy). As you may or may not know, Germans own Christmas. So many of our holiday traditions come from Germany, and Christmas is a specialty at Blumchën. A lot of their stock (like the wonderful Santa garland below) sells out early, so don't miss out. While Christmas may be their specialty, if you are a fool for Halloween (like my sister Bendie), you will think Blumchën is simply spooktacular. Expect to fall in love with Blumchën's Valentine treasures. For craft artisans, you will find supplies at Blumchën that are difficult if not impossible to find elsewhere. I particularly like their papier mâché boxes, and I can't wait to find the time to dress up one of the little papier mâché walnuts and place one of my littlest dolls inside (see below, left). Blumchën is a great source for Dresden -- die-cut foiled paper that comes in many forms, from borders and edgings to bunnies and the elegant "bonbonnière" (candy container) that can be made from the Dresden pictured below, right. For the dolls' milliner (hat maker), Blumchën imports wonderful tiny flowers, like those pictured and lots more, for trimming dolly's bonnet. If you have enjoyed these adorable images, do yourself a favor, and sign up for Blumchën's e-mail newsletter. You'll rip it open the minute you see it in the inbox. à bientôt...Tatie

With Marie on my mind

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Trianon cheri

Trianon cheri

The story of Marie Antoinette – her world, her demise – fascinated me early on, as I studied French in high school. It was seminal in my lifelong affection for French culture and civilization. All things Marie Antoinette have captivated creative imaginations lately. Take a look at the recent Somerset/Stampington publication, Marie. I adore the way so many artisans have picked up on the robin’s egg and pale pink of the era.
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We French hand-sewing enthusiasts would call the warm pale blue and pink of the trianon "Giger" pink and blue, after goods made by an old manufacturer of Swiss batiste.

Anyway, looking through Marie, I was inspired to create my Trianon chéri. The original Petit Trianon on the grounds of Versailles is especially fetching.

I began with a papier mâché house box, which I painted with a simple robin’s egg acrylic color, then spattered with brown. For the roof, I started with a base of flat chocolate brown acrylic. Once dry, I applied Tim Holtz’s Crackle Paint in Tattered Rose, which makes me very happy. 
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Torn pieces of Martha Stewart's Flourish paper in palest pink, the edges aged with distressing ink, give a hint of exposed brick or stone.

As a reference to exposed brick or stone, I applied torn pieces of Martha Stewart’s Flourish paper in palest pink. Edges of the paper were aged with Tim Holtz’s Distress Inkpad in Tea Dye.

Next came stamped images in brown from various sources, including the popular Paris set from Cavallini. It’s a lot of fun using an unexpected image as an architectural element. Particularly whimsical is my treatment of the back of the trianon. I really enjoy working with these houses because the back gives you a full surface, a kind of stage if you have a narrative. The couture fashion show is my favorite narrative, and for this one, I used stamps, including one from the incomparable Sandra Evertson. Then, I took some old pink and cream plaid twisted paper rope (wish I still had a source for this stuff) and fashioned a skirt, edged with scalloping scissors, and gathered and wrapped with a piece of Martha Stewart’s wonderful coffee bean-edged pink ribbon.
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Wish I could find more of the old cream-and-pink plaid twisted paper rope I used for my mannequin's skirt.

Finishing touch was the tiny paper roses at the front windows. I applied a couple on the side of the house with their wire stems, which gave the look of wild roses climbing up the side of the house. The foliage is model train moss. (I’d like to hear other ideas for foliage – not thrilled with the moss.) It’s only natural that my first collage house would be a trianon and that it would carry so many Marie Antoinette nuances. I’m thinking my next inspiration will draw from Provence or the European garden folies – or maybe a little of both. À bientôt…Tatie