Remember the now...birthday wishes!

Hello crafters..

A big warm welcome to all my new followers and to those who are already with me!

I have a “special” project to share with you today, a box that I altered as a keep sake box for my husband! His birthday is in a few weeks and I thought I will give him something that he uses everyday.

I wanted a place where my husband could keep this daily stuff like the wallet, id, cards, pen, specs and all those little things that he gets back from the office every day and so I made this box. This will be a one stop place for his daily treasure, hopefully!

 

As I told you before, I am “doing up” the interiors of my house and so I made a box that will sit on his dresser. I wanted to subtly to remind my husband to keep things in their place. In these 20yrs I have failed miserably in this part but I always keep trying, lol!

I hope this box will make him want to keep his daily treasures here!

I have up cycled a card board box by altering its opening and the closure flap to fit my needs. I wanted it to withstand the daily wear and tear and so decided to make it look like a combination of wood and leather…both macho elements!

I knew that I could do it with all the Tim Holtz products and the techniques that I have learnt in my 2 years of crafting! Why fear when the master is here, lol!

For the lid, I gave a few layers of gesso and then colored with layers of distress stains (my new buy) Picket fence and broken china. I sanded in some areas and also dry brushed gesso in places for a white washed old look.

Then came some layered stenciling and stamps using TH cargo stencil and gothic. I  used the numbers from the stencil and his stamps to jumble up my husbands date of birth on the box! I also did some random script stamping.

For the outer sides, I adhered pages from an old atlas which just complimented the blue of the lid. I then swished out some homemade texture paste, added  some fine grain sand and some brown acrylic colors and went around all the sides of the box to create  random texture with a spatula.

As it dried I rubbed some perfect pearls in copper to get that slight metallic look. I inked the edges of the box with archival black and at this point I sealed the entire box with 2 coats of gloss medium. Now it is a solid box, unshakable!

Embellishments  for men is easy, NO FLOWERS! I hand wrote the famous quote from Tim and inserted it behind a chip board film strip. It was as if the focal quote was made with my husband in mind who is so absent minded! Just the one for him…thanks Tim.

The hinges from TH hardware findings were cut from grey board and gave a coat of picket fence distress crackle paint and rubbed in vintage photo stain in the cracks. The same for the film strip too.

From the film strip there is an interesting interactive feature dangling…a vintage clock charm, an altered resin key and lovely “timely thoughts” mini tags all held together in a metal chain and Ideology trinket pin.

The box has magnetic closures and for the flap, I made vintage white printed button using a die and dipped in UTEE and then strung a jute twine to make a bow. This conceals the magnet.

The keyhole is a TH die too and has the same yummy texture with the worn out metal look.

The box when opened has some interesting things too…

The open lid has an acetate pocket where he can keep the visiting cards. The TH vintage car stands proudly there and some tickets to make the man happy on his journey, lol! The masculine embellishments, you see! I love those little tickets clipped on the pocket!

The box in itself has plenty of room to keep a wallet, a spectacle case, pen and some papers too. I made a mini book using note book stamp from Whimsy…this is just so vintage and romantic! Some quick notes, hopefully he will “remember” to use it, lol!

The inside of the box is lined with atlas pages and faux leather paper using basket weave embossing folder and have rubbed in perfect pearls on this too to get the copper look! Some lovely vintage white glass baubles help the box to stand up on its feet!

That’s it, my birthday gift for my man, Tim style! I really hope this will make him keep his things in place …even if he keeps all of it inside THIS box, it’s mission accomplished. What I have failed to do in 20 years hope the master will succeed!

 I am eagerly waiting to hear your comments on this box with a “hidden purpose”.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges…

Red Rubber Inspirational- for the boys

Stamping Sensation- one for the guys

A Vintage Journey- anything Tim

Shopping Our Stash- counting on you

City Crafter Challenge -The key to the time

Art with heart Challenge- Go Green ( have up cycled a card board box, pages from an old atlas)
Simon Monday Challenge- B is for( box,blue, baubles, brad, button,bow and the Big boy!)

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and re cycling.

Big hugs.