Tuesday 7 May 2013

Explore Beyond for Spellbinders

Hello everyone and thank you so much for dropping by.

Today it is my turn to blog for Spellbinders. They have changed their system slightly, in that we now give the details of our projects on our own blogs and they promote our projects on their Facebook page and Explore Beyond section of their blog. So I am now a member of the so called Spellbinders Explore Beyond Team as an International Blog Ambassador and this project will appear there on the 9th of May.
I decided to make a set of four coasters and a box to hold them in, I used the beautiful Graphics 45 French Country papers (the 8 x 8 pack) and just two die sets: The Creative Bookpages Two set, by designer Donna Salazar and the Labels Seventeen Nestabilities set. I also used a bezel and die from the new Media Mixage line, the smallest of the Squares One and its matching Squares One die

For the box I used a tutorial and instruction video I found on Splitcoast Stampers. HERE  is a link to the tutorial in case you are interested, but I adapted it slightly to fit my purpose.
Here are a few instructions on how to make it:
1. Take a piece of strong A4 or 5" x 12" card stock (I used Kraft card)
2. If using A4, cut it to 5" along the long side and then score at 4 1/2, 6 1/2 and 11" You will create the front flap separately and glue it onto the thin strip, seen here on the left.

3. Cover the two biggest panels with your chosen papers cut to 4 3/4 by 4 1/4. I inked the edges first with Vintage Photo Distress ink for a more distressed look and decorated with a strip from one of the papers..
4. The next step is to create the decorative flap that will close your holder. For this I used these dies from the two sets mentioned above:

The two on the left are from the Book Plate set and the other is the largest of the labels Seventeen. First cut a square with the bookplate die, then put this through the labels die so that it will just cut the edge, (it just fits perfectly); this gives you the basic flap shape, then cut strips with the other die, both from craft card and your chosen papers and layer and decorate as you can see below, then glue it to the thin strip.
5. Now for the concertina bits: Cut two bits of 4 x 4 and score every 1/2", fold concertina style and put your little box together. (This is clearly shown in the video).
Front

Back
6. I decorated the front flap with an element from the papers matted onto a smaller die cut from the labels 17 set. I also added a bezel from the new Media Mixage line. As the bezel has a matching little die, I cut a little square of the papers. Because I don't have the recommended Ice Resin to fill the bezel I just used Glossy Accents, which for the small bezels works just fine. 
When adding the bezel, I had a little accident in that the hole I had punched for my jumpring tore. At first I thought I had to abandon the whole flap, but then I punched a little heart both from the papers and the Kraft card. I glued them together for strength, glued it to the flap and fastened by bezel to that and I quite like the look.

Alright, now for the coasters: For that I took 4 beer mats, coated them in black Gesso and when that was dry decorated them with elements from the papers, using Mod Podge to glue them down and seal them and matted on labels 17 dies again as you can see from the photos. The dies seem to match the paper elements just perfectly.

Before sealing I also edged everything with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and a bit of Treasure Gold gilding wax.

Here you can see how I decorated the inside of the flap and how the coasters fit inside it. The closure is a little velcro circle. Because of the weight of the bezel the flap almost closes by itself.

Hope you liked this little project and thank you so much for stopping by.


30 comments:

Paula Whittaker said...

A wonderful project which would make a super gift.

Words and Pictures said...

Congratulations on your Ambassador-ship! What a beautiful, elegant make. The little charm is a lovely touch!
Alison x

Unknown said...

What a lovely idea Astrid it would make such an unusual gift for someone.

Congratulations on your appointment I have to say well-deserved!

Happy Crafting
Heather Rogers xx

Netty said...

loving your fab concertina file, its wonderfully vintage and the lovely coasters. Congratulations on your appointment Astrid. Hugs Annette x

May said...

This is Fabulous Astrid, Love the colours & die-cuts... Wonderful gift idea! Thank you for the link...& Congratulations on your appointment so well deserved... Hugs May x x x

Maryanne said...

I love this little box and coasters set. I love how you solved your problem with the charm. It looks great.

Unknown said...

What a fantastic idea! Thanks for the tutorial. Yours came out great and I think I might give it a try :)
~Deb~
CDAC DT Member
A Look Through My Eyes

Marisa Job said...

This project is stunning!! Just beautiful!
Congratulations on your new position with Spellbinders!!
Check my Heartfelt Creations post in my blog tomorrow, I have great news!

Bridget Larsen said...

Aaahh stunning design as usual

Lori Aragon said...

Hi Astrid! Popping in to drool over your amazing creations :) Bravo!!!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Mojo is surely back Astrid! What an amazing design! Love the tutorial too! Oh so beautiful!

Unknown said...

just gorg......love it

Dorthe said...

OH Astrid,dear- what an amazing project, what a huge and beautiful work you did!
Such wonderful papers, and your flap is BEAUTIFUL -so love your bezel and the die cut piece- the little heart makes it just more lovely Astrid!
I so admire you create such big pieces with paper, -even I do the same with fabric- I have a "fear" for working with papers in this way!!
Hugs from Dorthe

Ros Crawford said...

I almost missed this post! what a terrific creation this is ... amazing! Your mojo is back!!

Cazann49 said...

Hi Astrid, this is a great project! I will have to save up for the dies, they look so useful! Great idea to use heart to avert a disaster, but it looks like it was meant to be there :) xxxx

Rita said...

What a beautiful gift Astrid. This I will need to try, its so stunning. Thank-you too for the great tutorial. Sorry I'm a bit late with this one. Hugs Rita xx

Baroque duJour said...

Gorgeous project, love all the elements of it and don't the G45 papers look great. You are an Ambassador now well congratulations hope lots more people get to appreciate your wonderful talents. hugs.

Debbie Brackett said...

Absolutely gorgeous! Great job!!!

Dianne said...

Oh My it looks like a real purse or wallet, I thought it was. It's an OUTSTANDING piece of artwork.You so deserve to be part of that team.
The layering on the front,love it,and those two square, on all radged the other in a frame with glass, hanig of the heart,fantastic, oh boy I'm not good at following instructions, and you adapted it slightly, brilliant you are. You know how I looove beer mats, well your are really beautiful, really amazing work Astrid, thanks so much for sharing how you made it, I like that you did:):)..

Elly said...

Somehow...i have a bag obsession and this one is stunning!!(:o)

Bärbel said...

Die Tasche und auch die Bierdeckel sind fantastisch gestaltet, das ist so ein wunderbares Geschenk, großartig!

PlumTuckered's Paper Plays said...

Oh my goodness, this is brilliant! I love everything about this project..sure would look pretty in my livingroom :-)

BLockHEad said...

Fabulous, Astrid x

Cathy A said...

What a super gift, great tutorial and attention to detail.

Zuzu's Blog said...

i love this. its gorgeous. :)

Bärbel Born said...

absolutely stunning! I love the look but even more I love the fact that this is not only decorative, its usefull! Big Hugs, Baerbel Born

Sylvia Blum said...

This is amazing and oh so gorgeous, Astrid!!!
Thank you so much for the fab step-by-step instructions, too!
And I soooooo loooooove your use of the bezel here!!!
{{{big hugs}}}
Sylvia

Ellen said...

Very,very beautiful Asdtrid, do you have the sizes also in cm for me? I have a Scor-Pal in cm. I have a conversion table, but that's not quite precisely.

Hugs,
Ellen

Sandie said...

My gosh, this is brilliant .... I spied this on pinterest and wow Astrid, what a gorgeous creation!!

Unknown said...

Wow...This is what i have been looking for and you have done a great job. Beautiful layout. I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.
Spellbinders

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