Today I am sharing a home decor piece that I made using two GSL chipboards for a DT post. Here is an alternate version of that tutorial which also includes some naughty kitten shenanigans!
So you might remember a couple of weeks ago, I made this suncatcher (click to see the blog post):
Inspiration
Well, what I had actually started working on was this home decor piece that I am about to share now but I spotted the CD-ROMs on my table and that sent me off on an entirely different direction. I even wondered if perhaps I could use this chipboard girl ON the CD lol but no, that was not going to work, she was too big. So I had to put her aside and finish my idea with the CD Suncatcher.
So I started with these chipboards from GSL – Just Breathe girl and Ivy Corners.
I had already covered all the pieces with white gesso but then had put them aside because the CDs beckoned.
I am also using this shadow box frame from a large Swedish furniture store 🙂 This one is white but they also come in black and of course you can always paint them any colour you want.
And I am also using a piece of Harris Tweed from my extensive stash (LOL) which I have cut down into a square with the same dimensions as my frame and backed it with some interfacing for stability.
Overview of Process
This is a very simple and relatively quick project, requiring only a few materials, so it’s easy to make and can also be adapted by swapping out a few elements.
My idea for this project is to add the Just Breathe girl as the focal point with the Harris Tweed background, and then use the ivy corners on the outside of the frame, as shown below. I just needed to work out the best position for the ivy corners – on the outside edge, the inside edge or somewhere in between?
I used white embossing powder on all the chipboard pieces. Other options would be to paint them white or indeed, another colour of your choice, but I wanted the shiny white of the embossing powder.
Here’s how she will look against the Harris Tweed background, complete with the large label of authenticity! Fun fact: Harris Tweed labels can only be put on real Harris Tweed; it is not allowed to add them to other fabrics or indeed any other items, for example, I could not put this label on the frame. AMA about Harris Tweed, I’m a bit of an expert 🙂
I also have a small version of the authenticity label, so that’s another option. Or I could go for no label at all but like I said, people like to see the label to know that it’s real Harris Tweed! I tried the girl in the frame with the small label and I think I will go with that option.
I could also call it finished right now and omit the ivy corners to have a plainer frame and more focus on the girl in the middle, but let’s see how it looks first.
I have not glued the girl to the Harris Tweed background as that seemed sacrilegious to deface my lovely HT in that way, but the good news is that the glass holds her in place just fine.
Final step was to glue the ivy corners to the outside of the shadow box frame following the inside line of the frame which I think will give more protection to the delicate ivy leaves and allow more of the ivy to peek into the centre.
I added a very small Harris Tweed label at the bottom of the girl just to let everyone know it was the real deal, people seem to like that. 🙂
Options:
– try a different chipboard as your focal point
– try painting it in a colour instead of heat embossing, or emboss it in a different colour
– use a different background other than HT
– paint the frame
Thoughts
So while I was working on this, one of the kittens came to see what I was up to, or more accurately what she could get up to!
Mmmm, tasty paint water – yum yum!
Oh a pretty paintbrush to chew on…
Hey what happened to my paintbrush?
I was not eating it!
OK if I can’t have the paint brush then I’m having more of this tasty paint water…
Thanks for making it all the way to the end. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Challenges:
Project Recipe:
GSL products used: Ivy Corners – D50C, Just Breathe – coming soon
WOW embossing ink and embossing powder
Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
Harris Tweed, interfacing
IKEA frame
I started something new during lockdown and decided to continue:
Since we are all stuck inside and can’t leave the house, I thought I would try and do two things:
1. use this time to finish any unfinished projects
2. use as much recycled materials as possible (I do this a lot anyway) but also not to buy new stuff!
So, with that in mind, I will note the above on any posts, if applicable.
UNFINISHED PROJECT – NO
RECYCLED MATERIALS – YES – the frame and fabric from my stash, and nothing new was purchased
Thanks for visiting today. Your comment is really appreciated.