Happy Independence Day weekend! It's Lyla here, and I'm taking you with me on a treasure hunt! So many times, when I'm shopping for craft items, I get all the 'big stuff' and often forget to get the smaller items needed to go along with it. So on the most recent order from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, I took a stroll through all of Linda's line of embellishments: box hardware, latches, hinges, and charms. I found some really cool items that were perfect for what I had in mind. Arrrrr you ready, Matie? Then let's go!
I began with some small Christmas boxes (they're always too small for anything), some Tim Holtz Blackout Kraft Stock, and some linen-colored MatBoard. The Eileen Hull dies - 663633 and 663634 - are older and have now been discontinued.
I didn't need the entire box, so I took off the edges and between all three box lids/bottoms. I had more than enough to cut everything needed for the smaller "matchbox" set of three drawers that would go into the larger box.
I wanted the inside box set to have patterned paper and found Tim's new Backdrops Volume 1 that I had yet to open. I chose maps out of it.
My choice of Blackout Kraft Stock Paper for the larger box that would become the treasure chest gave me a lot of scraps left over for the bottoms of the matchboxes. I was using the older 8x8 Blackout, but Tim came out with a newer size as well.
I sanded the Blackout after scoring in half inches. There will be A LOT of sanding... and A LOT of scoring for this box. Let's just say that I am done with Blackout for a while, LOL! Cutting the larger box and putting it together was easy-peasy! The only difference was that I ditched the square top of this box and used the base to measure out a longer (but same width) lid that would round over the top. That meant cutting two sides that would also round. You can see here that I have made a mistake: The sides are too short and won't cover completely. So that's a do over.... shown down later.
Meanwhile, I've painted the INSIDE Matboard that is the main bottom box, as well as all the top edging and outside corners. You'll see why later. That's Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Walnut Stain.
I dug some larger sheets of plain stock out of my stash drawer. It just happened to be the same color as the Tim Holtz Blackout's Kraft Stock side. Since that was going to be a main color from sanding the black, I wanted to cover the Matboard with it. So another set of sides die cut as well as tracing the bottom and cutting the corners to go over the bottom and around the outside.
Measuring out the sides, fronts, bottom, and lid x2 for those first 3...
...and sanding all of it.
I also marked little "nails" by just scrubbing a bit with the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rub Tool.
By tracing around one of my circle thin dies, I was able to redo those sides for the lid.
Now it was coming together nicely! The flat top on the box made it look like a ship's crate, and exactly the look I was gunning for!
To get those sides in, I actually just eye-balled the measuring. For some reason, that's always been really easy for me - leveling things and spacing the middle.
Here, I show how I used those Matboard edges to help hold the sides in firm before folding over the Blackout edging to it, then covering those with a full Blackout side piece.
Getting out another long-retired Tim Holtz fave die: Hardware Findings 656632, and two sheets left of that hoarded and carefully-doled-out Tim Holtz GrungePaper! I'm getting desperate now: Tim, get that stuff manufactured again, PLEASE!
Cutting down the actual die cut so that the "leather" will go all the way around, top to bottom. Yikes; the scraps! I can't bear to watch as they go into the trash!
Getting some Distress Ink onto the pieces and two little side handles, with some regular Vintage Photo Distress Ink and edged with regular Black Soot Distress Ink.
We're coming on to the GOOD part now: those beautiful little packages tied with hand dyed Crinkle Ribbon (at the right) that Linda makes up when you order any of the little embellishments that are loose charms, latches, hinges, etc. Here they are in all their glory! The Seaside Charms are the bee's knees to me!
The hinges fit PERFECTLY with the die cut GrungePaper faux leather!!
I was able to choose to use the hinges inside or outside of the faux leather and I decided on putting them tucked inside. The look was so realistic!
I did use both Tim Holtz Idea-ology Long Fasteners to attach all the hardware, as well as using Glossy Accents, all hidden under the Blackout.
I guess I wasn't thinking when I put the outside of the matchbox drawers together: I ended up peeling the outsides apart to reverse the patterns to show INSIDE. That meant the plain white was up against the Blackout. Now, when I took out a drawer, I could see the map pattern. Otherwise, it would have just wasted the pattern.
No problem: with the use of the Tim Holtz Remnant Rub Tool, I was able to smooth down both layers (Christmas Box and the very GOOD paper of Tim's Backdrop paper) and simply just rescore the other way.
Making the coins was an idea in the works for some time. It began with a bag of flat quarter-sized metallic confetti in gold and silver. I went through all my embossing folders to find the best one that looked like a coin. One that was retired very long ago used the number 13... a great number for a pirate!
So I ran some through. And then ran more through. And then had to run MORE through... you get the idea.
It turned out that to make them feel like thick coins, I needed to have one embossed on each side, with two flats in the middle, making 24 coins. I went to get another new Glossy Accents bottle, and found this stuff I bought ... who knows when??... that contains acetone. My first thought was "EEK; my nails!"...
...my second thought was: "ALLLL RIIIGHT!!" See how that acetone bubbled up the plastic of the gold? Now THAT looks like a gold coin!
By using the acetone glue with flat confetti, I give it a background, without having to make so many thicker coins not showing all the way. Then pile up the thick coins on top.
The Seaside Charms had a plan, too. I wanted a bracelet to wear. I took out the palm tree since there were 10 charms and an uneven number looked better.
So this is what the finished project looks like:
Or can there be other treasure in that chest?
When the 2 older Grandbabies were with us in Florida, we filled bottles with sand and tiny seashells. I happened to take one more: of the water. Not so sure if I am going to keep the water - while it was crystal clear in May, sitting in the sunlight on my desk kinda did something to it...??
The bracelet with the Seaside Charms turned out VERY SWEET! I made both with the very same sailor knots I use on my sail boat. It's a must to know your knots!
We also picked up larger seashells, but I went alone before we left Florida to head back for the Indiana summer, and found tons of natural puka shells!
A simple printed out pirate's map completes the box.
This is the backside of the coins. The pallet does look real!
Thanks for joining us once again for our Saturday Showcase! We hope you'll join in on the fun of our latest challenge, too. Then come on over to The Funkie Junkie Boutique to find those supplies you want to round out the perfect entry for the challenge!
Have a wonderful - and Safe - Holiday!
Products Used:
Sizzix Bigz XL Dies - Stacking Drawer by Eileen Hull 663633 and 663634 (Discontinued)
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Backdrops Volume 1
Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents GAC17042
Ranger Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool + 2 Blending Foams IBT23616
Sizzix Bigz Die - Hardware Findings by Tim Holtz 656632 (Discontinued)
