Gifts!

Ha, so much for me posting at least once a week, but am having real problems getting online at the moment.

Anyway, here are a couple of pics of some of the gifts I made for Christmas just gone.

 I made 4 of the jewellery boxes, in varying colours, and 2 of these frames - plus another type of frame too but as yet I can get no photo (can you believe I forgot to take photos before I wrapped them all and gifted them to family?! Luckily these were given to my mum so pics were easy to get)

 The jewellery boxes were little plain wooden ones with magnetic catches. First I gave them a white emulsion undercoat (have a big tin in the cupboard from repainting the ceiling lol) which gave a nice worn look with only one thin coat applied.

Then I added some subtle colour; for the box in the picture I used Dusty Concorde Distress Ink, but only to the flat areas, staying away from the edges to maintain the "shabby chic" effect. I then stamped onto it using Dusty Concorde, Forest Moss and Walnut Stain DIs, blotting the stamps for a paler, more distressed look.

The flowers were made by stamping out 6 petalled flowers - 3 large and 6 small - onto plain white cardstock. I overstamped them with a script stamp and cut them out. The flowers were inked alternately (on both sides) with Dusty Concorde and Milled Lavender DIs. There are lots of tutorials online on how to make the flowers, I simply used only 3 layers for mine, adding coordinating seedbeads into the centres, and inking a couple of the removed large petals for leaves coloured with Forest Moss DI.

Once everything was glued on I coated it all in watered down PVA glue, including all the petals.

This frame was again given a coat of white emulsion, then lightly coloured with Antique Linen and Tea Dye DIs. I stamped the script backround in black, the flowers in Forest Moss and Tea Dye, and the birds in Walnut Stain. Crowns were added in Tea Dye above the birds and at the top of the base. I made sure to stamp the birds' tails on the outer edges too.

For the 'roof' I inked a book page in Walnut Stain then tore it into strips and glued them down overlapping, with watered down PVA glue, which I then coated the whole thing with; adding the wooden bird embellisment to the bottom corner.


I have to admit, I really enjoyed making them and was very pleased with how they turned out. And most importantly they were very well received! I'm planning to make a stack of them to sell this year at a craft fair.

Will try to post again ASAP.
Take care and happy crafting,

Charli x