A Vintage Book Box

For my make this week I have chosen to work with the wide mdf book box and three different rice papers -simply beautiful 01 simply beautiful 02  and simply beautiful 03,

To start with I laid out the pieces of the mdf kit before gluing them inplace and then letting them dry completely before starting to decorate.

Once dried I painted the entire piece with a blue grey paint and left it to dry before rubbing over with a candle and overpainting with white paint leaving the inside of the box element the original colour. Once the second layer of paint had dried I then sanded back the box to give a distressed feel. There are lots of paints to choose from on the website but for this effect to work it is important that you choose contrasting colours. My preference is a dark underlayer and a paler top layer especially when adding rice papers as they blend into a pale top layer more easily with out the need for lots of paint blending to disquise the edges. The inside of the box was dry brushed with white to co-ordinate the whole look

Having finsihed the painting I tore elements from the rice papers before gluing them in place as shown in the images- my preference is to use a dedicated rice paper glue but watered down pva will work. This book box has a very large spine area which I felt looked bare and so I added several lengths of shabby ribbon from my stash wrapping the entire length twice round the spine and simply knotting them together. You could use the ones that come it the seastories kit with ribbon and add a brown tone from the selection in store. Finally I added three handmade foamiran flowers to the knot to complete the piece.

Christmas matchbox decor book

Today I am coming with my project for upcoming Christmas workshops with 14 raft Bar. I can't wait to show you it. 

Christmas matchbox decor book is a gift for ourself. For our creativity. For our me time. for our own pleasure. We will fill decor box with 10 matchboxes full of Christmas stuff. We will play with clay elements, we will do some fussy cutting, we will do a little bit of painting but most important I guarantee you will have a lot of fun playing with this little boxes of happiness.  

I hope you will like it as much as I.

Winter - a decorated box card

I do think that those of us with birthday's close to Christmas miss out - the shops put away all but the most basic selection of cards and so if you want something special making it is most definitely the way to go. I like to make these using chipboard decor boxes and for this make chose one that is approximately 15cm square.

 

I collected the elements I wanted to create my box and then constructed the base lining the pages with papers from Northern Lights papers which have been teamed together in a kit with co-ordinating shabby ribbons making the process of creating a cohesive project really easy. Before covering the front of the album I sandwiched in a piece of shabby ribbon to act as my closure.

 

When I create shadow boxes elements I like to work in layers and for the first layer of this box I chose Wild Meadow from the huge selection in the shop. I also added some small snowflakes.

I then layered cut paper elements ontop of the chipboard - yes I know that means that you cover lots of it but I really do feel its the layering that makes these projects so special. Ontop of the paper elements I added more snowflakes and then a piece of dark silver twig followed by some cheesecloth which has been pulled about to give it a more frayed appearance. I then tucked some mint gillyflowers.

Ontop of the cheesecloth I added  more paper elements from the paper collection and then snowberry clusters separating out the twigs in the pack into individual snowberry/ leaf clusters. Across the top of the box I added an intricate chipboard decorated with dimensional nuvo drops - this one is no longer available but I think  christmas ornament which is in stock would work well.

For the inside of my box I added a layer of paper then a smaller mat with distressed edges leaving an approximately 1cm border of the first paper showing. I then tore a piece of paper and adhered it on two sides to create a pocket. This way I was able to add in a 4" square piece of white card with a punched out circle and some thread tied to the top which means that there is a space to write a special message and of course the pocket itself can hold a gift card. On top of the cornere I added another snowflake, more of the silver twig and lots of paper elements.

Having covered the front of the box with a piece of paper from the collection I then added a large frame made with extra light clay and frame mould - the one I have linked is smaller than the one I actually used however if you cut the moulded piece into two and straighten the pieces slightly they will then give a very simillar effect as most of my large piece is in fact hidden by my embellishments. I highlighted the texture of the mould using a silver wax. On top of the frame I layered more paper elements, snowberry clusteres, dark silver twigs, mint and graphite gilly flowers. I added the word winter form a maxi chipboard set and added texture using silver nuvo drops. 

To finish my piece I wrapped ribbons around the spine of the book and gave everything a dusting with artic ice.

I do hope you like this winter themed decor box and I look forward to seeing your makes that are inspired by it.

First Communion - handmade gift ideas

This year, the communion season has been postponed several months. The time of the pandemic still surprises us and it is very difficult to plan anything. For many of you, crafters, who makes invitations and communion gifts for years, it is not a help, but let's look at it from the positive side! We will not be able to make the invitations, but we can be ready with specific gifts for our children.

Our girls from DT made few gift ideas to inspire you and help you to try something a little bit different then communion card.  

- FOAMIRAN FLOWERS -

Let's start with something simply but very versatile. Foamiran flowers. They are one of the most important element of communion card. They can be part of headband or hair clip.

- HANDMADE CARDS -

First Communion cards are very popular. You can make them in so many different shapes. They can be flat, simply but also very dimensional and full of flowers or chipboards. 

- BOX FOR CARD -

If you card is very dimensional it is worth taking care of it and trying to get a box which keeps your card safe.

In our shop you can find boxes for cards in deifferent shapes and different also colors.

- EXPLODING BOX -

Recently exploding box is also very popular communion gift. Exploding box is a box that, after opening, is divided into 4 walls. Every wall can be decorated, we can add the wishes, photos, pictures... whatever you want on the walls also a pocket for money as a gift.

You don't have to make them by yourself anymore. Exploding boxes are available in our shop, they are made out of 300gsm paper and they are in different colors.

- 3D CHIPBOARDS FOR EXPLODING BOX -

Very often you choose the 3d chipboards for the center of the box. 

- DECOR BOOK -

If you want to give something very special but as a typical First Communion keepsake, great idea is a decor book. It is box in the shape of book, you can open it and make very intresting and dimensional inside.

- ALBUM -

And finally a gift that requires a lot of work but is a souvenir that will stay forever and after many years is an invaluable memory of these beautiful moment. First Communion photo album. I always try to leave as much as possible place for photos but I must admit that with the slection of chipboards, dies, die cutts, elements to cut and other various embellishments it is very hard to keep balance.

- THANK YOU GIFTS -

If you want to say thank you to your guests for coming with some sweets or the angel made out of air dry clay, the best choice will be mini box, which makes guests happy and will be great decorations of the table.

I wish you happy crafting and I hope whatever you make it will put the smile on the face of the recipients. I believe in your extraordinary creativity and if you want to share your projects with us, please do it on our Facebook group I like 14 Craft Bar.