I wanted to create something for Finnabair’s Art Daily Cafe Mood Board for July which you can see below.
The Inspiration
Anyone who knows me will know just how much I am into this theme this month! I instantly had an idea for my first project – yes I said first, because I can see myself making several “Mail Art” inspired projects this month!
Project Sneak Peek
Here is a sneak peak of what I started working on last night.
Honestly I love it already and I’ve barely started!
Even Gansey wants to check it out
Substrate – Upcycled Box File
And this is the item that deserves to be rehabilitated. Yes this old green – pretty dilapidated – box file was heading for the bin but I felt bad about throwing it out as it had got crushed in the shed and was a bit damp and smelly, but it really wasn’t its fault. so I thought I would try and stick it back together and use it to store “something”, and really wasn’t thinking any more than that, until I saw the Mail Art mood board and I suddenly thought – Writing Box or écritoire if you prefer.
The Finished Écritoire (Writing Box)
I finally finished it! It took a little longer than expected but I did manage to finish it in time to enter the challenge. After the initial work, I set it aside to decide how to proceed and then I got caught up in other projects and a DT Call for Prima which took all my attention, and also this was not just a project for a challenge, it was something that I actually wanted to make for myself and therefore it also had to be useful, so it needed some thought and planning for the inside and to decide what I wanted it to look like.
The Inside
The inside is covered with Prima Salvage District paper (my precious). I was a little reluctant to use it as I have been hoarding what I have left of it, but if not for this project which is for myself, then what? I then diecut some of these slotted cards for either side, and then made a little see-through pocket for the middle, then added some diecut flourishes and random stamping using Finnabair stamps.
I gave everything a vintage distressed look using Vintage Photo distress ink on the edges.
The inside was painted with Linen Impasto paint and stamped again with Finnabair stamps, these are from the Art Daily range.
The Outside Finishing Touches
I made a key and a keyhole from Prima moulds and hot glue and painted them with metallique paints and glued them in place. I made some braid out of some string twisted together and glued – if you have actual braid you can use that. I DO have actual braid but I couldn’t find it so I made some from string instead. I found this beading in my stash so I glued that around the inside of the braid on the lid.
Mini Envelopes
Oh and I made these sweet little envelopes to keep all my bits and pieces like stamps and labels in.
PROJECT RECIPE:
Old Box File
Finnabair black gesso
Carte Postale tissue paper
Air Mail decoupage paper
Prima Salvage District Scrapbook Paper
Archivist journal cards and tags
Finnabair stamps
Distress Archival Ink – Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, Black Soot
Prima Moulds – key and keyhole
String (made into braid)
String pearl beading
Impasto Paint – Linen
3D Matte Gel
Distress Collage Medium
Decoart Matte Medium
Sizzix Slatted slots die, Stacked Postage die, Flourishes die
Acetate (recycled packaging)
Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
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