Mixed Media Mystery Mission: Operation 33 (Cat Not Included)

Assignment Envelope

Box full of random embellishments

Cat sleeping with the box

The Mission:

Turn This...

And this...

and this, into a piece of altered art.

Eleven brave artists chose to accept the first ever In My Vintage Room Yahoo Group's Mixed Media Mystery Mission: Operation 33. Operation 33 for the 33 embellishments that will be incorporated into the cigar box to create the art, was inspired by the July/August issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors' article "33 Items & A Pizza Box."

Artists, dubbed Secret Agents, were provided with Top Secret Mission Envelopes which contained the number of their mystery bag that housed the cigar box and embellishments they will use to create their art. The Mystery Bag also contained the following letter:

Greetings In My Vintage Room Secret Agents,

Thanks for joining Mixed Media Mystery Mission: Operation 33!

As a participating artist, you now have in your hands the surprise object to alter including 33 treasures to use in the altering process!

Your Wooden Cigar Box contains:
Wright’s Lace Trim in “Spice”
Clear Glass Jewel from a Gloversville Antique store
Antique Domino*
Puzzle Pieces
Mini Playing Card
Prima Paper Flower
Antique Button Assortment
Metal Snap
Shaped Brad
Bottle Cap*
K & Co Mini-tag
Silver Spiral Clip*
Chipboard Stencil Letter
File Tag w/ paper insert
Mini Circle Mirror
Tim Holtz Game Spinner w/brad
Coin Envelope
Optometrist Lens
Laser-cut Wooden Skeleton key
Antique Pen Nib from a Gloversville Antique Store
French Book Paper Sheet*
Metal Rosette Bead*
Watch Part(s)
Cancelled Postage Stamps
Paint Swatch
Springs
K & Co Metal Frame
Language Quote Tag*
Blue Cameo
Crayon
4” piece of wooden ruler
Close To My Heart Fibers
Number Playing Piece*
*Items included courtesy of Lori Stachnik

You will be required to use these embellishments in the creation of your art piece, but you may drop 3 and add 3 new items instead. Note: Any item that came in multiples counts as one item i.e. button(s), puzzle piece(s), postage stamp(s).

Remember to alter the pieces to suit the theme and needs of your art piece. As it takes shape you may find yourself sanding, staining, painting, glazing, or using decoupage and crackling mediums, or any combination of techniques. You may use unlimited paint, gesso, gel mediums, glues, inks, stamps, papers and images of your choice.

Your finished cigar box may or may not still be a storage vessel when you are done; it could be a jewelry box, a purse, coffee table conversation piece, or may be dismantled to become a shadow box, art frame, or any number of creative possibilities. Please feel free to “think outside of the box” and pour your heart and soul into it.

The results of our Mixed Media Mystery Mission will be unveiled at our Exhibition & Exchange at our September gathering (Date/Time/Place TBA). Each completed Mission project will be on display at the gathering and numbered. Each participant will draw a number to determine the art piece they will “win” to take home with them and enjoy.

This is your Mission—should you choose to accept it. I look forward to the results of your work, Secret Agents.

Sincerely,
Tabitha Lewis
In My Vintage Room Moderator
a.k.a. M4:033 Agent Specialist

I can't wait to get going on mine, but it is a daunting task. What do springs, optometrist lenses, and bottle caps have in common? They are just a few of the items I have to get to "make sense" in a piece of art. The pressure is on...and the mission must soon be commenced because the due date is now set: Saturday, September 26th. I will update on my progress soon.