Room In A Cupboard...: Caterpillar

I've been on a bit of a recycling/upcycling mission this past few weeks - reusing acetate and cardboard packaging on my last tag AND on today's craft project.

You see, crafting costs a small fortune. We all know it does. But then many hobbies do.

So if I can cut costs AND do something that's good for the environment, well then... I'm just going to go ahead and do it.

I encourage you to do the same. You've not got much to lose if it was heading for the recycling bin anyways!

(I'm just going to pretend you all recycle. It's none of my business whether you actually do or not).

Anyhow...

This month's Poppystamps challenge has been delightfully called 'Shake It Up'.

I wanted to play along, so I got out my Poppystamps dies, (well actually, I got out the 'cut outs' of my Poppystamps dies) and played around with a few ideas before settling on one design.

One design that morphed into something else en route! Heck, it morphed so much it's not even a card anymore!

You're no longer surprised by that, are you?

Let me show you what I've ended up with...

... and one close up shot...

I've taken a few photo's as it's really the only way to give you any idea of what it looks like underneath the Nail Glitter/Flower Soft 'snow'.

Have you noticed that those three pink Flower Gems don't seem to have moved at all? You would be spot on if you had. I glued them into place on the Brusho background as they were far too integral to the design to shake around wherever they please!

This is a very 'girly' design, isn't it? Would you give it to an adult, or only a child?

I have to be honest and say I've never spot coloured with Glossy Accents before.

I'll leave it to you to tell me whether this was inspired or insane. (My husband certainly doesn't like it one little bit. He likened it to something I shan't mention in case you are eating right now. Let's just say I have similar thoughts every time I look at my bottle of Stickles 'Sprinkled Sugar')!

Did any of you noticed that my branch isn't embossed and want to know how I managed that?

Sizzix have a range of Embossing Diffuser sets that have aperture's set into them. I used the Circle from Set #1 to effectively 'mask off' the branch from being embossed along with the rest of the card. Just something else to add to that busy/plain balance I was striving for.

I guess I should tell you which part of this box lid uses recycled cardboard as the acetate's pretty obvious, isn't it?!

See that spotty/snowy base that everything else is glued on to? It's been recycled from that super shiny cardboard you so often get with Embossing Folders.

After using Spray Mount to attach some White Card to the back of this pretty piece of shiny card, I cut it into shape (Tattered Lace Box Die) and then ran it through the machine with my 'Snow' Embossing Folder. And then I gently sanded it!

I just love this technique. It's super easy and very effective... and I'll be using it again closer to Christmas as I still have a little of this repurposed card left. Yay!

A tiny touch of Stickles underneath the two Silver Gems, Flowers, Leaves, Blue Gems and a touch of Distressing and Black Ink around the edges... and this was finished.
Except that I now had to make the box base!

Supplies Used:

Dies:

Poppystamps 'Cute Caterpillar'
Poppystamps 'Quiet Bird Sash'
Poppystamps 'Dogwood Blossoms'
Poppystamps 'Meadow Leaf'

Embossing Folders:
Sizzix/Texture Fades 'Woodgrain'
Crafter's Companion 'Snow'

Ink:
Holtz/Distress 'Black Soot'

Other:
Brusho 'Grey'
FlowerSoft 'Polar White'
Ranger/Stickles 'Sprinkled Sugar'
Ranger 'Glossy Accents'
Flower Gems
Gems
Nail Glitter

Challenges I'm Entering...

Poppystamps