Friday 31 October 2014

A Bountiful Harvest

Hello everyone and happy Halloween to you all.
Today is the start of a new challenge over at A Vintage Journey. The lovely Sandy is our host and this is what she had to say about the theme:
With Halloween's passing we step into fall. For this challenge let's think about the harvest. It seems that pumpkins, wheat, corn and even the Harvest Moon could be in order. For us in the US - a Thanksgiving theme could work but not necessary.

I decided to alter a book box, I want to use it for all the lovely crafty gifts I have received from blog friends and using the harvest theme for all these gifts of kindness, a different kind of thanks giving....
I had great fun altering it and adding lots of lovely autumnal embellishments. Unfortunately I got so caught up in the process, that I forgot to take a lot of step by step photos, but I'll try and talk you though at least some of it.
This project started as a large paper mache box. I first added lots of wrinkled bits of tissue paper to the box with matte medium. After it had dried, I covered it all over with gesso to seal, scraping it on with an old credit card for even more texture and then played around with various colours of Decoart Media acrylic paint until I was happy with the result.

I then added some verdigris embossing powder in places, added two little metal corners and highlighted the raised bits with Treasure Gold. The metal corners were treated with both Distress Paint in Peacock Feathers and Treasure Gold before before adhering them.
Of course it is important to treat the sides and back of the box too. In the photo above you can see how adding the strips of tissue almost gives a leather like appearance to the box after you have coloured them with the paints. My box had the raised bits on the side already, but if you like this "old book" feel, you can easily create that by adding some strips of card to the spine, before covering with tissue.
Next I took a piece of Core'dinations card stock in a sort of cinnamon colour and gave it a few spritzes with Walnut Stain Distress Spray. Loved the effect, but I wanted to add some "harvest" feel to it, so rant it through the Tim Holtz Thankful embossing folder.
I sanded it lightly to bring out the words. (Please note it is a good idea to emboss after you have used the sprays and not before as you will lose some of the depth of embossing by adding the wet medium).
I tore around the edges and embossed them with the same verdigris embossing powder, being careful to keep the words Thankful and Harvest.
I added an ornate plate, again altered with paints, glued a bit of book text behind the opening and then added the little dragonfly, just because I felt it needed something else. As you can see I continued the book text theme further down with a rusted up pen nib, all of course to add to the vintage feel of it all.

Finally I had great fun in adding some harvest themed embellishments in one corner, - a mix of die cuts, berries and some beech nuts, and that was it for the outside of the box.
The inside of the box was covered first with Brown chalk paint, then Decoart Weathered Wood Crackle medium and then when it was touch dry with another colour of chalk paint. In the lid I stamped a sentiment from the Way with Words set on a piece of Scrapbook paper and that was it.
I loved doing a harvest themed project, make sure you check out what my wonderful teamies have made, like usual, they have out done themselves, you don't want to miss it. Just click HERE.  And of course we all hope you will play along in the challenge, and you could even win a generous voucher from our wonderful sponsor Countryview Crafts

Thanks for dropping by and happy weekend!

42 comments:

Julia Aston said...

A lovely box to keep your crafty treasures in Astrid! What wonderful texture you achieved on your cover with all that paint and gesso. Great colors and decorations on this!

Anonymous said...

Beautifully done Astrid. Love the name plate with text behind. As always AMAZING texture too. FABULOUS! Karen.x

Scrapintheattic.com said...

Wow your box really has the leather look. The embellishments look great, I especially like the book plate with text too.x

Valerie-Jael said...

Beautiful work Astrid! Valerie

Anneke said...

Astrid this looks gorgeous , great structure. It looks very old. Thanks for showing how you made this master piece. Great inspiration. I would love to start making it now. Love Anneke.

froebelsternchen said...

AMAZING textures Astrid.. a fabulous project!

Debi said...

beautifully rich in colour and texture- just a wow! Debi xxx

chrissie said...

Such a rich creation and a wonderful idea to use it for a book to save 'bounty' from fellow crafters.

Love Chrissie x

Maryann Laursen said...

It is absolutely amazing Astrid. I so love, how it ended up , it looks truly fabulous and will be a real beauty in your craftroom to hold all these small gifts. You couldn´t keep them any nicer I´m sure. Wonderful work as always hun. Have a wonderful week-end now.

Ruth said...

I genuinely thought you'd altered an old book when I first looked. Of course I LOVE the texture and as others have said those rich autumnal colours. Awesome! Ruth x

Brenda Brown said...

Beautiful Astrid, love the design, the embellishments, the techniques and the colours. A gorgeous creation which I have bookmarked to come back to.
hugs Brenda xxx

Pamellia said...

Another amazing creation Astrid! So many wonderful textures and colours! Love the crackle paint on the inside too! hugs :)

Šolanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Gorgeous! Such wonderful textures! :)

Kerstin F. said...

Fabulous, wunderschöne Texturen kombiniert mit besonderen Akzenten und tollen 3D Herbstelementen. 'Thankful' ist das richtige Stichwort, Zeit, um auch mal ein großes Dankeschön für all die großartigen Kreationen und Inspirationen zu sagen, die hier so fleißig präsentiert werden!! Hugs, Kerstin

Rosie said...

Oooh, Astrid, this is a amazing creation, I love every detail.

Happy Halloween and have a great weekend

Elizabeth Johnson said...

Its lovely. I like the oval window that makes you feel like you are peeking into the book. Thank you for sharing.

Deborah Wainwright said...

The depth of colour you have achieved is amazing and the texture looks awesome. I love this xx

Nicole Wright Designs said...

AWESOME box! I love all the grungy Autumn bits. I do the same, get caught up and forget to take photo's. Usually when all the embellishments come out. But there's still lots to see.

Dianne said...

Hello Miss Astrid, this is STUNNING love it ALLLLLL, It's embellished beautifully, perfect box for your gifts, thanks for sharing HAPPY HALLOWEEN, ((( BIG HUGS )))..

Holly M said...

Goodness, I do love your style. That box is worthy of treasures.

S@ndy Diller said...

What a great idea to use a book box, your work always inspires me.
I love your idea of saving gifts here.

Anonymous said...

Astrid, I'm in awe of your beautiful mind and artistic talent. I think you must be a magician, because you make magic happen before our very eyes! Do you have a wand? :o)

This is such an incredible result from a regular Papier Mâché craft item. You've turned it into a family treasure which can be handed down the years, along with stories about it's maker and all the previous owners.

It's fabulous Astrid. I love it.
Sending love, <3 as always ~ Cobs. x

Dorthe said...

Stunning,stunning,stunning , dear Astrid!!
The embossed cardstock is amazing in both colours and it`s distressed torn look, love the pen nip and your dragonfly, flower and ,well, love it all!!
Hugs,Dorthe

Barbara Rankin said...

Astrid, this is totally awesome, as always. You never cease to amaze me with your talents and creativity!!!

Redanne said...

I could just sit and look at all the texture you created on the cover Astrid, it looks fabulous and your embellishments are wonderful too! Beautiful work. Anne xx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

What glorious texture! LOVE all the Fall foliage too! Just stunning!

massofhair said...

Every time i visit Astrid i wish i had more words to describe how wonderful and inspirational each and every post of yours is.

Stunning and spectacular project :-) xxx

Jennie Atkinson said...

Such a fabulous box Astrid - it looks as though it is a big one too! The textures you have created as a base are amazing and then all those wonderful embellishments and colours. Just stunning!

Have a lovely weekend Jennie x

Jenny Marples said...

Such a stunning transformation Astrid. I love how you've layered over the embossed panel and those autumnal fruits to finish this book box perfectly. Jenny x

Anonymous said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!! xxx

Meggymay said...

An awesome transformation, a stunning box to store your special gifts in.
Yvonne x

Anonymous said...

A beautiful idea when gifts from blog friends mean so much to all of us, to then house them in a safe and meaningful place, that is very special.
Brilliant treatment of the book box and so beautifully adorned.
Happy Halloween Wishes
Lynne

Unknown said...

Astrid, I LOVE it. It does indeed look very old and weathered - but don't put it on a shelf - make sure you keep it out to be admired, it would be a shame to hide it away... you've really done a splendid job on it. I only wish I had a fraction of the products you have!!!

Paula x x x

Heather Jacob said...

swoon swoon and sigh .... the texture here is magnificent , oh how I would love to run my fingers over it ... beautiful work x

Nikki Acton said...

I have a half started paper mache book on my desk - will be very happy if I can make it anywhere near as good as yours! Love what you have done here - fabulous. Nikki xx

Jools Robertson said...

Beautiful book box

Love all the fabulous textures and colours and harvest fruits
The embossed harvest script looks so aged and such a beautiful embellishment with the dragonfly

Jools x

Ros Crawford said...

This is unbelievable!! What a terrific project!

Juliz Design Post said...

Hi Astrid, what a stunning keepsake book box. Love all your textures and vintage shades of colour, finished all with a beautiful Autumnal arrangement.
Enjoy your weekend,
Julie x

sarascloset said...

What a wonderful idea to make a treasure box for all those gifted treasures! I hope you won't mind if I borrow that idea, as my sister has been saying she has nowhere to keep all the cards I send her. I love what you have done to it, with all the texture, and the embossed sentiment is perfect for the theme. What a work of art!

Jackie PN said...

I looove the depth of your textures Astrid! Would love to feel this-looks like it has been around for centuries!")

Terry said...

Astrid, your altered book box is spectacular! The colors and texture are so rich autumnal embellishments in the corner are wonderful. Love it!

Mona Pendleton said...

Wow! What a fabulous project! Love the worn look and all the texture! Thanks for the inspiration Astrid!

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