Gallery
Featured Artist: Maija Lepore
 

About Maija
	Introduction My name is Maija (pronounced my-ah, like Maya the Bee) Lepore. I live in Phoenix, Arizona with my darling husband of 17 years and our 2 boys (10 & 14), 2 dogs, 2 cats and some fish. I became a stay at home mom when we moved here from the East Coast about 7 years ago. Prior to moving here, I was a mortgage banker with a BS in Economics/Finance. Now I volunteer at the kid's schools and play with my art supplies. I've always loved playing with crayons and paint and I have always had an affection for art. All my life, every city I've traveled to always includes trips to local art museums. My favorite museum to date is the Somerset House in London. Oh, and there was the Viviane Westwood exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum. I also like that cool museum in Palm Springs. And the list goes on. I like to refer to what I do as artistic crafting. I started artistic scrapbooking about 2 years ago but quickly moved on when I discovered how delicious mixed media altering is. My real awakening came when I found www.artchixstudio.com. Everything I do is for fun, family and friends. It's cheaper than therapy! My "stuff" has been published in Collage Cat Zine and the fall issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors.		Maija's Top 5 ARTchix Products 1. Red Heart Mini Brads no longer available 2. Red Metal Roses 3. Paper Snippets transparency sheet 4. Party Hats collage sheet 5. Black Baroque Borders
			Maija's Website www.picturetrail.com/maigirlz

Click images to enlarge

Artwork #1: Art Doll
	Title Chocolate Fairy ARTchix Products The Eyes Have It collage sheet Gold Small Flower Borders
	Instructions Using a hammer, flatten a bottle cap. Using a 1” circle punch, punch out a face from The Eyes Have It collage sheet. Using Diamond Glaze, attach face in bottle cap and set to dry. Swipe Adirondack butterscotch ink pad on to Paper Dress Form. Using a stipple brush, stipple with Adirondack Caramel. Using a sponge, dab on Ranger Distress Ink in Red Brick. Use your choice of stamp on bodice to add texture. Using the dress form as a template, cut out a skirt. Make legs and attach boot charms with jump rings. Make arms in 2 pieces, upper and lower. Attach arm parts at elbow with gold brads. Cut butterfly wings from vintage text. Using glue stick, glue wings to back of body and then to a piece of cardstock. Glue down arms and legs. For skirt, glue onto body, and trim with Gold Small Flower Borders. Add black heshi as buttons. For face, make a crown with paper or, drill holes in the bottle cap and trim with twisted wire for hair. Glue face to cardstock with Diamond Glaze.
Artwork #2: Altered Tin
	Title Gypsy ARTchix Products Brass Gears Mini Chix collage sheet Paper Snippets transparency sheet
	Instructions Cut out 2 pieces of vintage text, using the small lip balm tin as a template. Trim and glue one piece inside the tin and the other on the top of the tin using a thin coat of Diamond Glaze (or Xyron or whatever you like). Cut out woman from Mini Chix collage sheet and glue on to text paper. Trim number text from Paper Snippets transparency sheet to fit the top of the tin. Attach. Using Diamond Glaze, attach the Brass Gears and a strip of ribbon to the tin. To attach the Saucy Gold Bustier, drill a small hole in the inside bottom of the tin and with a head pin and jump ring, attach the bustier charm.
Artwork #3: Pin
	Title Untitled ARTchix Products Mini Chix collage sheet Red Metal Roses Black Lace Borders
	Instructions Trim vintage text using a glass square as a template. Run Through Xyron machine (or glue) and adhere to glass...you will be building the collage up. "Age" the edges of the paper with Ranger Distress Ink. Using a glue stick, attach woman from Mini Chix collage sheet and Black Lace Border. Place a second square of glass on top. To faux solder the edges of the pin, hold the glass with a thick towel or pinchers, rub a little clear Versamark ink on one side. Then gently dip into gold UTEE. Melt the UTEE with a heat gun. Repeat with each side being VERY CAREFUL since the glass will get VERY HOT. You can make it look really smooth or uneven texture like mine. Or, use foil tape. Attach Red Metal Rose to the front of glass with Diamond Glaze. When dry, attach pin back to the backside.
Artwork #4: Artist Trading Card
	Title Come Party with Me ARTchix Products Party Hats collage sheet Red Heart Mini Brads no longer available
	Instructions Cut vintage text slightly smaller than 2 1/2" x 3 1/2". Age corners of vintage text with Ranger Distress Ink in Soot. Glue on black mesh ribbon. Attach child image from your favorite collage sheet. Glue on a Party Hat. Outline child's body with red pencil. Attach black ribbon. Secure at bottom with a nail head. Attach black flower using a brad and print words using a Brother P-Touch or your home computer. Run collage through Xyron machine (or glue) and adhere to red cardstock that is cut to 2 1/2 " x 3 1/2".