A Feat of Engineering

That is how I describe the project we did with Kathy Files on our last full day in Key Largo.  Kathy has a very popular blog and website called Paper Phenomenon.  She creates all sorts of dimensional projects....albums, shadow boxes, suitcases, purses, etc.....all with an ulterior motive.  Inside might be drawers to hold treasures, pages for scrapbooking, files, envelopes.....you get the idea.   Elena has been a fan for the longest time, and asked Kathy to create something for us to use to hold all our Mail Love.  I mentioned Mail Love ages ago.  Another one of Elena's brainstorms.  In this age of texting, tweeting, emails, etc., how many of us actually get anything nice in our snail mail?  Elena proposed we send one another something at least once a month, and as there were 19 who signed up for this, we all have a pretty big stack of cards, tags, magazine articles, bookmarks, calendar pages, charms, etc.  So, here is the sample that Kathy presented:

It looks like an antique hutch that you might find atop a desk.  All paper and chipboard.  Amazing, huh? And those "drawers?"  Check them out:

They are actually stand alone albums, containing file folders, envelopes, pockets....all designed to hold our Mail Love treasures.

OK, now that you've seen Kathy's fab work, let me tell you my sad tale of woe.  I admire this sort of thing, but it honestly isn't MY thing.  So, all that assembling doesn't exactly come naturally to me.  Also, we started working at about 9AM and it was well into the night when most of us just had to stop and clean up and pack.  I did finish most of the work on my three albums, but still have to make the box they all go in, and do the finishing touches on the insides of the albums.   Here is what I have to show for myself:

The largest of the three albums, above, opens up to reveal files, perfect for holding cards and tags.   I still have to decorate the tops of the files.  Well, I guess I don't HAVE to, but looking at Kathy's finished piece, I kind of feel I should. 

One of the smaller albums, which opens up to reveal a smaller set of files:

The other small album has two inserts inside, one of envelopes, the other of pockets:

The rest of my unassembled pieces, as well as the rest of the scrapbook paper we used are in the box I left for Elena to ship to me, so it may be a while before I can even consider finishing this.  As neither Pat nor Teri finished theirs either, we plan to get together, and hopefully between the three of us we'll understand how to put the box together.

So, another fantastic Keys4Art comes to an end.  Here's the whole gang (well, minus Kathy, who was probably off somewhere cutting chipboard):

Front row:  Marita, Linda, Jen W-L, Patty, Karen, Gina

Back row:  Val,Teri, Me, Lillian, Sue, Lynne Perrella herself!, Jacquie, Jen R-D, Elena, Daisy, Pat

OK, one more picture.  One of Elena's pups, by the name of Lucky, was wildly attracted to Teri, and could often be found curled up on her air mattress.  Usually on top of her sweater.