Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop Week 4: Milagro Frame

   My project for Week 4 gave me another opportunity to work with Eileen Hull's Scoreboard Dies.  Eileen's Scoreboard Dies hold up to just about everything you can throw at them: gesso, paint, brass leaf, varnish and sandpaper.

   My milagro frame seemed a perfect project for a week devoted to thanks. Milagros are small amulets which are used as offerings in Latin America, Spain, the Southwestern United States, and parts of Europe.  In Spanish, milagro literally means 'miracle'. The idea behind a milagro is that it is a physical representation of a prayer. For example, if someone broke a bone, a milagro in the shape of a bone would be attached to the alter of a saint to remind the saint of the content of the prayer.  Conversly, milagros can also be utilized, in the same fashion, as a prayer of thanks.

   The problem with milagros in our modern world is that they don't happen on a large enough scale with a camera crew standing by.  But that shouldn't stop us from recognizing that miracles are all around us. Whether you regard God as an all-being, Karma, or a Messiah, we should all take the time to be grateful for the 'little miracles' in our lives.

 

Supplies:   Sizzix Frame and Frameback, 3D Pro Scoreboard Die by Eileen Hull #656835, Heidi Swapp acrylic paint-bark, Making Memories scrapbook colors-espresso, Plaid liquid leak-brass, Liquitex Acrylic Gesso, Plaid glaze-bark brown and instant age varnish, kraft paper or thin cardboard, Sizzix images, Sizzlets, punches or assorted dies.

Instructions: Gesso scoreboard frame and frame-back, Sizzix or Sizzlet die images. (Unfortunately, Sizzix does not have a die for specific body parts). When dry, paint frame back and frame. Paint 'milagros' with liquid leaf (shake well). When frame and frame-back are completely dry you can distress and apply varnish; a coat of bark brown and a coat of instant age.When the liquid leaf has dried completely apply a coat of instant age varnish.  Attach frame to frame back. Arrange milagros and glue down. Attach frame stand to the back of the frame.

 

Note: the drawing is by my 4 year old niece, Kiera Seibel. She was fascinated by the project I was making and wanted to participate.  The saint is St. Christopher, Patron Saint of Travelers. The photo are my girlfriends drinking Amaretto Sours at Bonnie Bruns house, May 21, 2010.

 

 

Comments

[Karen B.]

This is seriously cool, T! I'm going to come back later and properly drink in all the shapes you've added. Happy Thanksgiving, T-bird! (See what I did there?)

[eileen hull]

Tara, I love your project and whole milagros concept. Thanks for explaining it. I can see that each item on your frame is special and goes so nicely with the photo. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Thanks for working with my die!

[Einat Kessler]

Your frame is beautiful! I love the meaning behind it and thanks for teaching us what Milagros are. There are miracles around us. I love how it turned out! Happy Thanksgiving.

[Brenda Pinnick]

I love inspiration from other cultures! This is fabulous! I love how the two toned approach creates such a wonderful texture.

[Brenda Pinnick]

I love inspiration from other cultures! This is fabulous! I love how the two toned approach creates such a wonderful texture.

[Melony Bradley]

This is seriously Amazing! I love the concept of this and it is quite educational as well as inspiration- the frame is beautiful

[Cheryl]

Fabulous frame! I never heard of Milagros but thanks for sharing that.

[HawaiianLibrarian]

Your milagros frame is wonderful - the textures, the colors,... Mahalo for an idea I could emulate.

[Vicki O'Dell]

I LOVE this! I love the cultural lesson, the spiritual insight and the finished project. This is a project that truly spoke to me. Thank you!

[Lynda]

Love your idea to use milagros to add interest and texture to the frame. Really beautiful.

[B-Schmoops]

I don't get it...where's the guns and beans??