Altered Cigar Box - Assorted Tea Bag Storage

HEY Y'ALL! I HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A WONDERFUL WEEK. I WANTED TO SHARE A QUICK LITTLE PROJECT THAT I CREATED LAST WEEK. SOME OF YOU MAY FIND IT USEFUL AND WANT TO CREATE ONE ALSO. 

WHEN MY FRIENDS DEANNA AND KRIS AND I GO TO THE TEA ROOM TOGETHER, I ALWAYS TRY TO PURCHASE SOME TEA BAGS OF WHATEVER TEA WE ENJOYED THE MOST THAT DAY. WELL, HAVING BEEN ABOUT 4 TIMES NOW, I WAS STARTING TO ACQUIRE A NICE LITTLE COLLECTION OF ASSORTED TEA BAGS.  INSTEAD OF KEEPING THEM ALL JUMBLED UP IN A ZIP LOCK BAG, I WANTED SOMETHING PRETTY AND REFLECTIVE OF THE "TEA ROOM"!  SO, I GOT BUSY ALTERING A SMALL CIGAR BOX THAT I PURCHASED FROM A LOCAL "SMOKE SHOP" FOR JUST A $1.

I PUT EACH DIFFERENT FLAVOR IN INDIVIDUAL SMALL BAGGIES TO PROTECT THE FLAVORS. THEY FIT WELL AT THE MOMENT, BUT I CAN SEE THAT I WILL HAVE TO UPGRADE TO A LARGER ONE SOON! 

I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE RED IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE LID, BUT... RIPPING IT OUT WOULD HAVE LEFT A BIG MESS AND THE INSIDE SHAPE WAS REALLY AWKWARD TO COVER. SO, I OPTED TO LEAVE IT IN AND JUST ADD TO IT. IN HIND SIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE PAINTED IT FIRST, THEN ADDED THE MATTING AND STAMPED IMAGE.

THE COVER OF THE BOX IS MY FAVORITE! I LOVE HOW IT TURNED OUT. I STARTED BY LIGHTLY SANDING THE TOP OF THE BOX SO THAT THE PAPER WOULD ADHERE NICELY. THEN I USED MOD-PODGE TO ADHERE A SOLID CARDSTOCK, THEN THE PATTERNED PAPER, THEN A WHITE PAPER DOILY. AFTER GETTING ALL OF THOSE PIECES INTO PLACE, I GAVE IT ANOTHER GENEROUS COAT OF MOD-PODGE FOR PROTECTION.

FOR THE FOCAL POINT, I USED THE FRONT OF A SMALL NOTE CARD THAT I GOT FROM "TUESDAY MORNING" RETAIL STORE. THE TEA POT AND CUP THAT YOU SEE IS THE FRONT OF ONE OF THOSE NOTE CARDS. 

I THEN EMBELLISHED WITH A METAL MEDALLION, A VINTAGE BROACH, SOME RHINESTONES, PAPER FLOWERS (SOME WERE ALREADY COLORED & SOME I COLORED WITH SHIMMER MIST), SOME PRETTY STICK PINS THAT I RECEIVED IN SWAPS, AND OF COURSE SOME STICKLES FOR MORE BLING! 

MY HUSBAND HELPED ME OUT BY DRILLING THE HOLE FOR THE PULL KNOB (BY TIM HOLTZ). THE ORIGINAL SCREW THAT CAME WITH THAT KNOB WAS A LITTLE TOO SHORT FOR THIS BOX LID, SO HE PURCHASED A LONGER ONE AT LOWE'S.

I MADE A TITLE BANNER AND COVERED IT WITH GLOSSY ACCENTS TO ADD DIMENSION. 

 NOW, I HAVE SOMETHING PRETTY AND USEFUL TO STORE ALL OF MY FAVORITE TEA FLAVORS IN! I'M LOOKING FORWARD UNTIL THE NEXT TIME MY FRIENDS AND I SHARE TEA TIME TOGETHER!! 

UNTIL THE NEXT PROJECT,

HAPPY SCRAPPIN'

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LWD Design Team Showcase: WENDY VECCHI - STUDIO 490 EMBOSSING PASTE AND TIM HOLTZ LAYERING STENCILS

"THE PERFECT BLEND"

HEY Y'ALL! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT HAS REALLY BEEN THIS LONG SINCE MY LAST BLOG POST. BUT, AFTER SOME HEALTH ISSUES AND SURGERY... I'M FEELING MUCH BETTER AND BACK AT IT. THIS WEEK I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A PROJECT THAT WAS INSPIRED BY A DAY OUT TO THE TEA ROOM AND VINTAGE MALL SHOPPING WITH 2 OF MY AWESOME FRIENDS! DURING OUR SHOPPING DEANNA SPOTTED A QUAINT LITTLE PAINTING THAT WE ALL THOUGHT WAS A PERFECT PROJECT FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE ON. KEEP IN MIND... I WAS INSPIRED BY THIS, I DID NOT COPY IT!!

(not sure who the artist is or whom to credit, it's in a vintage store in Ridgeway, SC)

I WAS SO EXCITED AND INSPIRED THAT I GOT TO WORK QUICKLY THE NEXT DAY WHILE THE CREATIVITY WAS FLOWING! Y'ALL, I WAS SLINGING PAINT AND STAIN AND INK AND GOT THIS PROJECT DONE IN NO TIME. NOT REALLY, BUT, YA KNOW... I WAS WORKING FAST FOR ME. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME WELL, KNOW THAT I AM A NEAT FREAK AND DON'T "SLING" ANYTHING...HA HA HA!

FIRST, I STARTED WITH A FLAT, PRIMED CANVAS THAT I PURCHASED IN A 3-PACK FROM WALMART. IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE THAT IS STRETCHED AND STAPLED TO A WOODEN FRAME. THIS ONE IS ADHERED TO SOME SORT OF CHIP-BOARD AND IS THIN AND STURDY. I LIKE THEM!

I USED VINTAGE PHOTO AND MUSTARD SEED DISTRESS PAINTS MIXED WITH A LITTLE WATER TO PAINT MY BACKGROUND. I DID NOT MIX THEM A WHOLE LOT, AS TO KEEP A STREAKED LOOK.

ONCE THE BACKGROUND WAS DRY, I CHOSE TO GO AHEAD AND ADD SOME TEXTURE WITH WENDY VECCHI - STUDIO 490 EMBOSSING PASTE.  I USED THE MATTE WHITE EMBOSSING PASTE SO THAT I COULD COLOR IT TO COORDINATE WITH THE PROJECT.

I JUST LAID SOME EMBOSSING PASTE AND DISTRESS PAINT DOWN ON MY CRAFT MAT TO MIX THEM TO THE DESIRED COLOR. NEXT, I USED TIM HOLTZ'S NEW LAYERING STENCILS - THE "RAYS" TO BE EXACT - TO ADD SUN RAYS TO THE TOP.

THIS EMBOSSING PASTE IS SO EASY TO USE AND DRIES RATHER QUICKLY. ALSO, I LOVE LOVE LOVE TIM HOLTZ'S NEW LAYERING STENCILS!! I ACTUALLY USE 3 OF THEM IN THIS PROJECT.

I DIDN'T LIKE THE HARSH LINES AT THE TOP WHERE THE STENCIL ENDS, SO BEFORE IT DRIED, I SMEARED OUT THE RAYS TO GIVE IT A MORE FADED LOOK. THE EMBOSSING PASTE ADDS SO MUCH MORE DEPTH AND TEXTURE TO A PROJECT... I LOVE WORKING WITH IT!

NEXT, I ADDED SOME MORE TEXTURE BY USING THE BURLAP LAYERING STENCIL WITH EMBOSSING PASTE ACROSS THE BOTTOM... USING THE SAME TECHNIQUES TO COLOR AND SPREAD. AND, I USED THE SPLATTERS LAYERING STENCIL WITH WALNUT STAIN DISTRESS INK TO CREATE "COFFEE STAINS".

WHILE LETTING THE PASTE AND INK DRY FOR A BIT; I WENT TO MY COMPUTER TO FIND A ROYALTY FREE CLIP ART OF A COFFEE MUG TO USE AS A GUIDELINE FOR HAND-PAINTING. AFTER PRINTING IT OUT, I SCRIBBLED ON THE BACK WITH A PENCIL SO THAT I COULD TRACE AN OUTLINE ON MY PROJECT.

I HAND PAINTED WITH ANTIQUE LINEN DISTRESS PAINT FIRST, TO CREATE A SHADOW EFFECT. I LATER GO OVER IT WITH A MORE STRIKING COLOR TO ADD CONTRAST. 

ONCE I FINISHED THE LINEN LAYER OF PAINT, I WENT ON TO ADD THE SENTIMENT. I CHOSE TO STAMP AND STENCIL THE LETTERS AND WORDS WITH ARCHIVAL BLACK PERMANENT INK.

THE "COFFEE AND FRIENDS ARE THE" IS STAMPED; AND THE "PERFECT BLEND" IS STENCILED. WITH A SMALL INK APPLICATOR, I CREATED A SHADOW EFFECT AROUND THE LETTERS AND INTENTIONALLY MADE THE "PERFECT BLEND" LOOK LIKE IT HAD STENCIL MARKS AROUND IT. THIS KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE MARKINGS ON A BURLAP SACK OF COFFEE BEANS!

THE STAMPING WAS VERY EASY AND TOOK NO TIME AT ALL...

I WANTED A LITTLE MORE COLOR ON THE PROJECT, SO I CHOSE TO GO WITH A STRIKING RED COLOR TO SPLATTER AND TO PAINT THE COFFEE CUP FINAL COAT. I THINK IT ADDS JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF... "BAM"!!

WHEN EVERYTHING WAS GOOD AND DRY... I INKED ALL OF THE EDGES WITH WALNUT STAIN DISTRESS INK TO GIVE IT THAT "VINTAGE FEEL". THEN I ADDED SOME METAL CORNER PROTECTORS AND A METAL BUTTERFLY FOR EVEN MORE TEXTURE.

I JUST LOVE THOSE COFFEE STAINS! I THINK THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE! WELL, AFTER EVERYTHING WAS DRIED AND SET.......

VOILA! THERE YOU HAVE IT....

OUR TRIP TO THE QUAINT LITTLE TOWN OF RIDGEWAY, SC PROVED TO BE NOT ONLY A RELAXING AND FUN DAY AMONG FRIENDS... BUT IT ALSO PROVED TO BE A VERY INSPIRATIONAL ONE AS WELL!! NOTHING LIKE SOME GIRL TIME AND SHOPPING TO GET THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING. I AM WELL PLEASED WITH HOW IT TURNED OUT. NOW, HOW TO KEEP MY FRIENDS FROM SNATCHING IT AWAY WHEN THEY COME OVER?? *WINK*

THANKS FOR VISITING WITH US TODAY! I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE FOUND SOME INSPIRATION IN MY LITTLE PROJECT. YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT MEAN A LOT TO US, SO DON'T HESITATE TO SHOW SOME LOVE ON THE BLOGS!

DON'T FORGET...

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