Just after sharing my last blog post about my vintage key collection, I found a single key all forgotten and alone on my desk. It needed some extra attention after being left out of the group photo, so I decided to build my Mixed Media Monday collage around it.
Garden party - mixed media collage by Kaija Rantakari / paperiaarre.com
(vintage key, vintage photo, cut up vintage text, tea dyed paper, eco paper, vintage silk thread, board, glue)
5,9x14,2x0,9cm / 2.3"x5.6"x0.4"
Garden party - mixed media collage by Kaija Rantakari / paperiaarre.com
Garden party - mixed media collage by Kaija Rantakari / paperiaarre.com
Keys aren't really that great for anything but for opening locks and hanging on a keychain. Since the locks that go with my keys no longer excist, my best option for making the most of a lonely key was taking advantage of its hanging skills. So this key became a hanger! You may have noticed I have a thing for hiding pretty details into my creations. Once a piece is hung on the wall all that becomes invisible, but the owner still knows it's there. That detail becomes our shared secret.
Garden party - mixed media collage by Kaija Rantakari / paperiaarre.com
Garden party - mixed media collage by Kaija Rantakari / paperiaarre.com
The key also became the biggest factor in determining the colour scheme. The photo of these girls having their tea outdoors was just the perfect tone, and I've been itching to use it on a mixed media piece for quite a while. I also had a garden party text clip in the album where I store my text snippets, so this whole thing was basically just waiting to happen!
I've used this kind of silk thread wrapping before in one of my favourite pieces. Sorry, I know I say every piece is one of my favourites. I just can't help it. Each piece ends up having at least one element I really, really fancy, but more often I end up liking a lot more than just one part!