It's all in the details...

Details added to the side of the collage.
You can see the "before" in this post.

I guess you could say I am a detail oriented person.  At least, I like to think I am.  I make an effort to be attend to the details when I am throwing a party, wrapping a gift, or planning an event.  Even the little things pop into my mind, like menu cards, coordinating colors, or finding the right cocktail napkins.  It may not matter to everyone, but it matters to me - and I know that I will appreciate my details, even if no one else notices.
When I started taking my collages to The Purple Poppy, I decided I needed to step up my collages a little bit.  The collages needed hangers on the back, no problem.  But as I flipped each one over to attach the saw-tooth hanger, I discovered that the backs were ugly.  Now, I know you're thinking, who cares? It is the back after all.  But, it bothered me. 

The back of a collage,
with paper, vintage stamp and sticker.

First, each flat, hard canvas board received a wooden box, rather than a frame, to elevate it.  I built these boxes using scrap wood, and attached them with wood glue.  Then I was able to add a saw-tooth hanger to the back.  The boxes also allow the collage to sit, perhaps on a book shelf or end table.

I also decided to add some details. I felt that each collage (on hard canvas) needed to be backed in some kind of patterned paper. Then I also added one or two tiny details, a vintage button, an old postage stamp or a little word.

With this collage, I added coordinating paper as well as wrapping
collage elements around the edges.

Adding the box behind the canvas also meant that I had to continue the collage around the edges.  For some, this meant continuing the painting, for other it meant adding a complementary paper to the sides.  With others, I continued the elements of the collage around the edges.  This wrap-around collaging has allowed more space to add details. 




The end result is that each collage is now a complete piece. I am so pleased with the results.  Now, each of my collages is created with all the details in mind.

Once a flat canvas collage, this now has depth and dimension. 
It feels and looks so much more complete.