Julie: Mini stage-set complete with actors!

Hi there.

Today's project was a way for me to add a little bit of drama into a birthday gift:

Like me, the birthday-girl in question loves Shakespeare so hopefully she's enjoying this little scene [It's her birthday today and she should already have opened it - so this shouldn't be spoiling the surprise!]

If you managed to grab one of the recycled chipboard Artchix Scalloped Stand Up Stages then here's how you can create a stage set with it. [They're out of stock at the moment but you could make something very similar from one of the shrines which are still available].

• Cut two narrow slots near the bottom of the stage then cover the front with decorative paper.

NOTE: If you want your stage to be able to fold flat at some point [for posting or storage] DO NOT paper-over both the front of the stage AND the tabs. Cover the tabs separately so you can still bend them flat.

 
• Add a length of German Scrap copper Renaissance border beneath the slots.

• Trim-off the excess with sharp scissors / craft knife and cut away the paper which will now be covering the two slots.
• Create stage-curtains from old book pages - mine were from a book about Shakespeare.
• Embellish with Dewdrops then decorate and define edges with black and white poster paint pens. 
• Assemble an Artchix paper doll [I used the Garden Fairy set] and fix her arms to the body using brads so she can move. And, as she's mingling with the stars I gave her a German Scrap copper Renaissance border as a belt.

 You could create both your characters from the Artchix doll sets or you could print out a special guest star like I did!

• Fix your 'actress' to a lolly-stick using a strip of card, bent at a right angle, slide the lolly stick into the slot in the stage:

  ... and hey presto! You're now the proprietor of your very own theatre and cast!

 Now, what you choose to act out with them is entirely up to you!

See you next time.

Julie