A Vintage Journey - November Challenge - Mini Marvels!

Well - it's the first Friday of November (in Great Britain!) and so it's time for the A Vintage Journey November Challenge to be announced!

 Anne is our hostess this month - and her challenge is:  Mini Marvels and this is her description of the challenge:

"This month's challenge is to create something in miniature - it could be a little book, a tiny scene, a small canvas, a wall hanging or even a box. It MUST be 4" or less in size and be created in your vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn or steampunk style."

I wanted to use a fun new die I recently purchased for my project.  It's called Heart Shrine from Sizzix.  It's just over 4" with the decorative piece on top but the box itself is just 2" x 3 1/2"  which you'll see in a photo below.  

I made a little reindeer stall for one of Santa's reindeer who is getting all decked out for Christmas with a green wreath around his neck - 

Yes, he is a real reindeer (not a trophy on the wall) even though you can't see into the stall to see the rest of his body!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Here are a few photos of how I put this together.  I cut the shrine out of cream matboard and cut some papers to cover the various pieces.  I also got out the reindeer and a couple of wreaths I might use.

Sorry for the lines across some of my photos - I think my camera is ready for retirement!?!

I glued the papers to the matboard pieces and colored the white reindeer with an Antiqued Bronze Distress Crayon.  I used woodgrain and plaid papers from PaperStash Tidings from Idea-ology.  I had this already-decorated green wreath in my stash and it fit perfectly around the reindeer's neck.  I think the snow was Gesso and there's a red rhinestone there too.

To age the stall, I brushed some Rust Effect Paste from Prima over the fronts and backs of the pieces.  When that dried I painted Gel Matte Medium over everthing to seal it.

I added a little LED battery button light to the inside bottom of the stall - you just press on the left side and it either blinks, blinks fast, or stays lit depending on how many times you press it. 

(I got them at Papertrey Ink a year ago - but they don't have any in stock right now)

back of battery lifght

I couldn't get a great photo of it lit - so here's a not so great photo just to show you how it looks lit up!

 From the side

From the back

from the other side!

So please join us this month and show us your MINI MARVELS! 

Our generous sponsor this month is Southern Ridge and their prize for a randomly chosen entry is $50.00 which can be used for a varied selection of chipboard & wood veneer laser cuts!

You can find them here

 You'll find lots of creative inspiration from the Creative Guides over at A Vintage Journey and the link up for your project!

I'm also linking my project to:
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge
Anything Goes + Christmas

Paper:  Little Sizzles Cream Mat Board  - Sizzix, DP - Paper Stash/Tidings - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology.
Accessories:  Heart Shrine Die - Sizzix, Idea-ology Clippings Stickers/Christmas, Trophy Antlers,  Rusted Stars from antique/craft store, thick foam dots, Gel Matte Medium - Dina Wakley, red rhinestones, LED light strip, Tacky Glue, green wreath, Gesso.