I recently received a copy of Italy Out Of Hand By Barbara Hodgson and I’m totally in love with it! Italy Out Of Hand is the follow up book to the 1995 collaboration between Elizabeth Gordon, Nick Bantock, and Barbara Hodgson that created a magical, mystical Paris that exists only in the imagination of the authors and readers. Italy Out Of Hand takes a somewhat different route. While it is filled with the same lush images and photos and art as the original, “Italy Out Of Hand” operates on the truth that truth is actually stranger than fiction, so this capricious tour is a real one! Barbara Hodgson delves in the all of the fabulous quirks and idiosyncrasies that fill the history of Italy and historical Italian figures. This isn’t a typical guidebook…nowhere will you find information on where to buy the best pizza in Rome, but you will read many wonderful stories that never made it to your history book!
I adored the book so much, I was inspired to create my first piece of microscope slide jewelry as a homage to its wonderful stories! The paper ephemera bits I used under the slides include pages from an Italian novel, bits of a wine label, cut-out magazine words, and a wonderful stamp from the Magical Signs And Symbols stamp set (the same set I used for this project).
Supplies:
Collage ephemera, stamps, inks, etc.
Decoupage medium (I used Mod Podge Matte)
2 glass microscope slides (Mine are from Manto Fev
Alumminum tape (can be purchased at any home improvement store)
Scissors
Eye pin
Wire cutters
Paint brush for decoupage medium
E-6000
Directions:
Cut out your background image that will show through each slide. Use Mod-Podge to layer other images and ephemera on to the background sheet and let dry. Paint a thin coat of the Mod-Podge on the back of each microscope slide and press your collage image down against it. Let dry.
Cut off all bout about ½ inch of the eye pin. Glue the eyepin to the back of one of the microscope slides (it doesn’t matter which one) then glue the slides together back to back. Either way the necklace hangs, you will have a cool image showing this way!
Trim a piece of aluminum tape and wrap it around the edges of the glued together slides. You may want to use a little glue under the tape for a longer lasting seal. (You can also use copper tape or solder around the edges!)
Let the whole piece cure at least overnight, then you can add a jump ring and string from a nice weight bearing silk cord or leather lacing!
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