French-African Themed Altered Tissue Box

Hi Everyone!

Feb 7th was my birthday and I had a fabulous day made even better coz I got to spend it stamping :0)
I also got to make something I've had on my list to do for ages too!  Every time I have a cold I always eye up the empty tissue box and say I can totally do something with this and then it gets thrown out.  So I finally did it and made a fancy tissue box to go in my French-African themed guest bathroom!

I designed and decorated my guest bathroom with the large French Black Cat poster as the basis of my inspiration.  Every room in my house also has an African theme going on too so of course I couldn't resist those cream/brown zebra towels and included the zebra ribbon border on the walls to continue the recurring theme.  I also painted the ceramic vase in the photo many moons ago which is a combination of fired glazes and metallic acrylics and I added the zebra ribbon to it and in the poster frame to make everything tie in together nicely.

I then incorporated all the elements of my guest bathroom into my altered Tissue Box!

Supplies used on this project:
 Blockheads Paper Arts exclusive stamp sets:
Feeling Regal
Backgrounds for all Occasions - French Script

Holiday Beverage Sleeve and matching Gift Card Holder for Feline Lovers - A Third Coast Creative Coterie Creation!

Howzit Stampers!

Winter definitely arrived over the weekend down here in San Diego with lots of rain...bbbrrr!

The inspiration for this Holiday Beverage Sleeve and matching Gift Card Holder came to me while savoring my first Eggnog latte of the season, oh yeah!

My kitty winter themed combo creation would be perfect as gifts for feline loving co-works, friends and family!  I used the quirky little cat image called Mini Me (ES-200-I) by Third Coast Rubber Stamps as the star of the show and a Snowflake Cuttlebug Embossing Folder for the rest.

Stamp the Mini Me kitty twice onto white cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Trim one by closely following the outline of the image and die cut out the second with a small Spellbinders Label 8 die.   Emboss both kitties with the Snowflake design and paint the debossed areas with Distress Stain Stormy Sky and the little kitty with Distress Stain Bundled Sage.  

Apply more Stormy Sky to the background of the 2nd image to make it darker.  Drybrush over the embossed snowflakes on both kitties with white acrylic paint to highlight them.  Draw over the stamped lines where needed with a black Sharpie to make the image stand out again.  Add a magical and wintery sparkle to both with a light misting of Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.  Edge the die cut one with a black Sharpie marker.

Adhere the cut out kitty to a blueish-sage piece of paper with a glue stick and trim.  For the second kitty die cut a slightly larger mat from the blue-sage paper and adhere it to the paper mat.  

Die cut two slightly larger Spellbinders Label 8 mats from metallic blue cardstock and distress the edges on both with white acrylic paint.  

To make the Belly Band for the Gift Card holder sandwich a length of "Let It Snow" silk ribbon (Michaels) between the kitty panel and the metallic mat as shown.  Adhere the mats together with the ribbon in place with Crafter's Pick The Ultimate glue.  Trim the ends of the ribbon into dove tail points.

Use a beverage sleeve as a template and cut a piece of white cardstock slightly larger.  Run the piece through a Xyron to add permanent adhesive and adhere it to a sheet of the same blue-sage paper.  Emboss the snowflake design into the panel.  Apply Stormy Sky Distress Stain directly to the cardstock in a random fashion so that some areas are more saturated than others.  Apply a small amount of Distress Stain Bundled Sage for a variegated effect and allow to dry.  Run the cardstock through a Xyron again and adhere it to the original cardboard beverage sleeve. Trim away the excess cardstock and drybrush over the embossed snowflakes and the edges of the sleeve with white acrylic paint.  Spritz the sleeve with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.  

Adhere another piece of the "Let It Snow" ribbon around the center of the sleeve with a glue stick.  Overlap the ends of the sleeve and adhere together with The Ultimate glue.  To complete the Beverage Sleeve adhere the kitty panel to the front with TU glue.

Now for the Gift Card Holder.

I made a template based on a standard gift card and traced the shape onto a piece of white cardstock. Run it through a Xyron to add permanent adhesive.  

Adhere the panel to the same blue-sage paper and and score and crease two folds to form the flaps.  Cut 4 notches into the center section with an Xacto knife - this is where the gift card will sit.  

Emboss the panel with the snowflake design and cut out the Gift Card Holder.  Apply the same colour treatment to the Holder as I described above for the Beverage Sleeve.  

Complete the Gift Card Holder by inserting the gift card inside and securing the holder closed with the Kitty Belly Band and finish with a bow tied at the back.

I really had lots of fun creating this little combo gift set and now I'm ready for another Eggnog 

latte...hhmmm yummy ;0)

I'm entering my creations in the following Challenges:
Fall/Winter Challenge over at Mark's Finest Papers
Wee Memories Challenge #75 WMC75

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * About Art Accents

My About Art Accents project - Pocket Fairy Field Journal - entered into the Grungy Monday 16 Challenge!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I've entered my Pocket Fairy Field Journal project I designed for About Art Accents in the Grungy Monday 16 Challenge over at Studio L3!  The Challenge this week is T!m's Grungeboard and I used the Label Frame from the Elements Grungeboard set in this project!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
About Art Accents Designer

Steampunk TagART featuring Blockheads new Victorian Invention stamps!

Howzit Stampers!

I'm back with another Blockheads Design Team creation for you to check out!  I had a lot of fun designing this Steampunk TagART which showcases Blockheads Paper Arts newest stamp release Victorian Invention!  This collection of 6 stamps is awesome and will appeal to all the Steampunk enthusiasts as well as stampers who enjoy the Victorian Vintage style too.  It's available unmounted or cut on cling cushion and you can also get the individual images too!

 I came up with this 3 piece TagART idea when I imagined the eccentric inventor carrying this tattered bundle of jotted notes and sketches around with him.  The pages are well worn and torn and falling apart and held together with fibers and metal clips.

So let's get our fingers inky!

MATERIALS

Blockheads Paper Arts Victorian Invention stamp set

 
Two standard manilla shipping tags and 1 smaller tag
Distress Inks - Tea Dye ink pad
Ancient Page dye ink pads - Lemon Peel and Sienna
Versafine Onxy Black ink pad
Memento Rich Cocoa ink pad
Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution Spritz
Page of foreign text
Paper Towel
Glue stick

Crafter's Pick The Ultimate glue
Craft iron
Small and Tiny hole punches
Silver square brad
Watch parts
Tiny gold round brad
Regular stapler and staples
1 Clipiola - Italian round paper clip
A selection of colour co-ordinating fibers

I used 3 tags for this piece, 1 small and 2 standard manilla shipping tags.  Start by distressing the small tag (Tag#1) and one of the standard tags (Tag#3) by scrunching them up and applying Distress Ink Tea Dye directly to and spritzing them with Walnut Ink in a random fashion.

To mute the colours and to flatten out the creases I like to wet the tags by holding them under running water briefly.  Pat dry on a couple of layers of paper towel.  I didn't want the second standard tag (Tag #2) to be as distressed so I just put it under the other tags while I was patting them dry and some of the inks got transfered to it.  Peel off the circle hole protectors on the tags if they didn't already fall off.  I then ironed the tags with a craft iron until they were flat and dry.  Glue the hole protectors back on now but if you don't want them stamped then glue them back on later, just a personal preference really.

Spritz Tag#2 gently with Walnut Stain.

Apply a bit of Tea Dye Distress ink to it with a piece of scrunched up paper towel.

Tear up a page of foreign text and adhere to all 3 tags with a glue stick.

Age the torn text areas first with Ancient Page Lemon Peel.

Then with Ancient Page Sienna.  I used Ancient Page coz it's the inks I have but any dye ink will do the trick!

Stamp the Steampunk flying machine onto Tag#2 with Versafine Onxy Black ink.

 

Stamp the Pen nib image in a row of 3 on all 3 tags with Memento Rich Cocoa.

Stamp the Ether Meter and Gears Diagram on all the tags with Memento Rich Cocoa.

Stamp the Penny Farthing (the vintage bicycle) onto the front and the back of all 3 tags with Memento Rich Cocoa.

Then stamp the Prof. Camus banner in Versafine Onxy Black ink onto Tag#1 and #3.

Then stamp the Steampunk Flying Machine onto Tag#3 in Onyx Black.

Tear tag#2.

This is what the front of the tags look like after all the stamping is done (left to right: Tag#1, #2 and #3).  Lay Tag#2 on top of Tag#3 and punch a small hole.

And a view of the backs.

Punch a tiny hole in the center of one of the clock images on Tag#1 and attach a watch gear with a tiny gold brad.

Embellish Tag#1 and #2 with more watch parts and I also added silver staples to the pen nib images and other areas on all 3 tags to give them an industrial feel.

Attach Tag#2 to Tag#3 with a square silver brad.

Put Tag#1 on top and secure all 3 tags together with a selection of colour co-ordinating fibers.  Finish off with an antique clipiola (Italian circle paper clip) to keep the tags stacked and when you want to view them just slide the tags out to the left.

Thanks for joining me on my Steampunk Creative Adventure today!  I really enjoy reading your comments and would love to hear what you think of my Steampunk TagART!

Here's a sneaky peek at my next Creative Adventure into Blockheads land.  I'll be giving you the 'skinny' on creating with images from the new Victorian Eccentricities Collection so stay tuned ;0)

For more Blockheads inspiration check out Karen's Victorian inspired card that's blooming with texture and romantic faded colours featuring the Victorian Eccentricities collection!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Blockheads Design Team

Enter the Magical World of Carnival Bizarre featuring Blockheads Stamps!

Roll Up!  Roll Up!  Get your Tickets Here!

Enter the magical yet strangely peculiar world of Carnival Bizarre...if you dare!

Hello Stampers!

I'm so excited to share my latest Blockheads Design Team project with you all!  I've had a fabulous time designing a dimensional carousel-like piece housing 3 booths and showcasing a variety of Blockheads Paper Arts rubber stamps!

 

So come with me and enter CARNIVAL BIZARRE!

CARNIVAL BIZARRE ENTRANCE

THE QUEEN FAIRY'S CARNIVAL BOOTH

THE JESTER'S CARNIVAL BOOTH

MATERIALS and SUPPLIES

 Rubber stamps by Blockheads Paper Arts

PrismaColor coloured pencils 
I used the following colours on the entire piece:

  Canary Yellow, Crimson Red, Peacock Blue, Blush Pink, Sienna Brown, Indigo Blue and Violet

PrismaColor Gold metallic paint pen - fine point

Gold metallic paint pen - broad point

Versafine Onyx Black ink pad

Black Sharpie - ultra fine point

Ancient Page Chocolate ink pad

Distress Inks:  Walnut Stain, Fired Brick and Weathered Wood

ColorBox Fluid Chalks ink pad - Prussian Blue

Dark Cream cardstock

Tim Holtz Core-dinations Cardstock - Terracotta (red) and Stream (teal)

Tim Holtz Alterations Poker Face Embossing Folders set - available at Blockheads and Sizzix

Sizzix Postage Stamp frame die cuts

Stipple brushes

Bone folder

Heat gun

Glue dots and Black Pop Dots

Double-sided sticky tape and Permanent Adhesive Tape runner 

Glue Stick

Post-it notes

Ruler, pencil, scissors

Assorted ephemera:  tickets, foil coins, tiny paper scrabble letter tiles

CARNIVAL BIZARRE

TUTORIAL

Draw the Carnival Booth panel 3 times in pencil on dark cream cardstock and randomly stipple Walnut Stain Distress Ink onto the lower sections just to grunge it up a bit.

Mask off the right hand side of the first stripe of the Booth Awning with post-it notes and apply Fired Red Distress Ink directly to the cardstock to add dark texturing.  Then colour the entire stripe by applying the same ink with a stipple brush.  Do the same to each alternate stripe.

Apply Weathered Wood Distress Ink to the remaining stripes in the same way but this time I also stippled Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink over the Distress Ink to achieve the colour I wanted.

Outline the Booth Awning with a black Sharpie and stamp a portion of the Flourish design onto each stripe with Versafine Onyx Black ink.  I used post-it notes to mask each stripe again.

Stamp the whole Flourish image at the top of the Booth Awning and the two large flower medallions in the remaining space.  Do all the above steps on all 3 Carnival Booths and then cut out just the awning portion including the ball shape at the top.  Leave a quarter or half inch border on the bottom sections just to help with the next stage of stamping.  You'll know what I mean when you see the other photos.

Stamp the Victorian Lamp Post 5 times onto the same dark cream cardstock.  I stamped the whole lamp once and then just the glass light part 4 times.  Colour them with Canary Yellow, Crimson Red, Sienna Brown and Indigo Blue.  Add a touch of metallic gold to the filaments with a fine point PrismaColor paint pen.

Score a fold line down the center of the 4 lights and the 3 carnival booths.

Cut out the lights and adhere to the circles at the top of each carnival booth with a glue stick.  You can see the border I left on the bottom section there too.

I embossed two Terracotta and two Stream pieces of Tim Holtz' Core-dinations cardstock with his Queen of Hearts and Joker of Diamonds Texture Fade embossing folders.  I sanded some areas to reveal the core of the cardstock and also distressed them up a bit with an old black cube ink pad and also a touch of an old gold cube ink pad for a bit of grungy glam.  I used old ones that are no longer juicy for a more dry-brushed effect.  For a bit of bling I highlighted the card suites in metallic gold.

Now for the Stars of the Show!

 Stamp the Queen Fairy and the Jester onto the same dark cream cardstock in black Versafine ink and cut out.

Colour the images and add gold detailing with a fine point PrismaColor metallic gold paint pen.

Stamp and colour 3 of the Carnival Bizarre tickets too and cut them out.

The first Carnival Booth is for the Queen Fairy so I decorated her space accordingly with a collage of various images.  First create a mask of the awning scallops from post-it notes and mask that area off.  Stamp the Daisy border in black Versafine and colour.

I then stamped the French Script, Diamond background, Butterfly and Flourishes and coloured them.  I pulled all the collaged images together with PrismaColor Sienna Brown.  I added dots of metallic gold to the diamond background with a broad point metallic gold pen and small dots to the butterfly and flourishes with a fine point.  For the right hand side of her booth I adhered the Queen of Hearts embossed playing card at an angle and trimmed away the excess.  I then cut out the bottom section, edged and outlined the entire booth in gold and folded the booth in half along the score line.

The second Carnival Booth is for the Jester and I decorated his space with the Diamond background, two large ornamental Flower Medallions and Flourishes - the dude does wear tights after all LOL!  I used the same range of PrismaColor pencils to colour and added gold dots to the diamonds and details to the flowers and flourishes too.  I Adhered the Joker card to the left hand side of the booth at an angle and trimmed away the excess.  I then cut out the bottom section, edged and outlined the booth in gold and folded the booth in half along the score line.

The last Carnival Booth I did is actually the 'Entrance' to Carnival Bizarre so I decorated that space with a collage of the stamp images I used from the two 'Star Attraction' booths and coloured them with the same PrismaColor pencils and paint pens.  I then repeated the same process of cutting out the bottom section, edging in gold and folding along the score line.  All the booths are now ready to be assembled together.  This part was a bit tricky but I used a glue stick which gave me enough time to match all the parts together by wiggling them in place before the glue set too much.  I trimmed away any bits that didn't line up or just camouflaged the areas with metallic gold paint pen. 

Now all the booths are ready for decorating!  For the Entrance Booth I created framed posters of the Stars of the Show with a Sizzix postage stamp die and two more coloured images of the Queen Fairy and Jester.  I coloured the frames in metallic gold and adhered the images to the backs of the frames with tiny bits of sticky tape and added the 'Q' and 'J' card suites from the two extra pieces I embossed earlier (which you can see in the photo below). 

From my stash of ephemera I pulled out two gold English coins made of metallic foil that I'd saved from chocolate money and dulled the shine a bit with Chocolate Ancient Page dye ink and heat set the ink with a heat gun.  I adhered all the pieces to the booth with a combination of dimensional glue dots and double-sided sticky tape.

I mounted the Queen Fairy inside her booth by attaching her to one side with a 'Z' shaped folded tab made from dark cream cardstock.  I attached the 'Z' tab to the back of her and then to the right hand side of the booth in such a way to ensure she folds outwards at an angle into the center of her booth.  I adhered the lamp post with mini black pop dots for extra dimension.  I finished off her booth with the word 'Queen' from my stash of tiny paper scrabble letters I made years ago for use in my DominoART.

I added the Jester to his booth in the same way and included the word 'Jester' in tiny scrabble letters and a Carnival Bizarre Ticket too.

The final touch for the Entrance to Carnival Bizarre is a banner I made from a roll of attached tickets.  Those tiny paper scrabble letters worked perfectly to spell out 'Traveling Circus' on my Entrance banner.  I tore the ends of the banner and adhered just those end bits to the Entrance awning.  The banner pops out with the join of the tickets facing outwards.  

Carnival Bizarre is meant to be displayed in the round but it can easily be flattened for mailing by folding just the Entrance booth in half with the ticket banner pushed inwards.  The Queen Fairy and Jester fold flat onto just one side of their booths too so they don't get bent.

I thoroughly enjoyed designing this piece and I hope you like it as much as I do!

Comments as always are very welcome ;0)

For more Blockheads inspiration check out Karen, my fellow Design Teamster's blog!  She has a gorgeous Faux Batik Technique to share with you and she also used the Painted Butterflies stamps!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Blockheads Design Team