Monday, October 18, 2010

Secret codes and altered matchboxes...

I signed up to play in Bad Penny's altered matchbox swap. The swap has a '12 days of Christmas Theme" and I got "5 Golden Rings."  I did a little research on the net about the origins of this song to see if  I could draw some inspiration from it. Interestingly enough I found out that the whole song is thought to have been a secret code which allowed Christians to talk about the Bible and Christianity in a time where they were persecuted for it. The 5 golden rings is apparently a reference to the first 5 books of the bible. I ended up avoiding any mention of secret codes and persecution and doing my own 'recycled' thing!


Would you believe it but I only found these golden rings at the second hand shop after I signed up? I think they are curtain rings. I've only got one golden ring on each box (as you can see) but each box has 5 elements plus the golden ring.The red mesh (onion bag netting), white beads (from an old necklace), coffee dyed fabric and white fabric scrap and the lace.The boxes are covered in white material which is soft and velvety (and someone's thermal curtain in another life!)


Including something inside the box was optional so I haven't decorated the inside of it. I did include 5 small things inside though...like 4 'eggs' in a nest of course!
Small confession: I only did them like this for the photo. The box wouldn't close with the lace standing up like that. It would been cool to have opened the box up and found my nest though!


And last but not least, some pretty beads and gold thread to help keep all the contents inside the boxes on their journey! This was different but fun. I havn't altered matchboxes in ages! Now I can look forward to my ones arriving in the post:)


Next posting: Blog Giveaway winner! There's still time to sign up if you'd like to own the fabric collage below.
Coming soon...PULPY LOVE! I've been busy working on my next part in Kim's book and there's been some other fantastic pulp posts going on lately too. Watch this space!

11 comments:

Flower said...

Hi Lisa, Yes I would love to do a swap with you! my e-mail is: mushroomlane@hotmail.com just send me a message and we'll sus out address's etc. I'm loving your matchbox goodies by the way, reminds me of a locket swap I did with debs....sigh...fun times xox

Lisa said...

Love your design Lisa! sweet composition and really lovely little details.

Irene said...

Lovely matchboxes, Lisa. Good idea with the rings. Too bad about the little nests inside. Is there no solution?

druga szesnaście said...

fantastic work!
and what an interesting story behind it.

I'll be mailing your Paper Swap envelope on Thursday.
keeping my fingers crossed you'll like what's inside. :)

BadPenny said...

I can't wait to see them for real !!! I'm not looking too closely to spoil the suprise but they look fab.

I looked up the origins of the song too !

ArtPropelled said...

So interesting about the origin of the song. Your matchboxes are looking good .... the first stirrings of christmas .... eek, it's just around the corner.

sharon said...

These are super sweet, and cool! I love them, and all their deatil!

Anonymous said...

these are so sweet, lisa!

Debrina said...

Tjis is brilliant, Lisa - so sorry )still) I won't have the time to do a xmas ornament swap...but my friend Flower, who IS swapping fabric etc with you is a big fan of teh ornament round robin too. :-)

layers said...

hello. I have been away teaching a workshop and am now home trying to catch up.. looks like you have put so much time and work into this piece- lovely.

Joanna said...

I loved your matchbox! It is so sweet - thanks for the history in this post, I didn't know any of that!

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