sweet repeat ~ a guest designer post for the funkie junkie boutique challenge

I am truly honored to have this second opportunity to be a guest designer for the Funkie Junkie Boutique challenge. Today I am sharing "sweet repeat" a collection of valentine treat boxes made with some favorite supplies as well as recycled materials.

I was so excited to learn the theme for the current challenge, hosted by Sara Emily. I often find myself holding onto items to give them a second life. There are so many things these days that go to waste, so I try to do my part to utilize scraps and packaging as often as possible. The Repeat Performance Challenge asks us to use at least one thing on our project that we would normally throw out. I had a number of shirt boxes that were ripped open during the holidays, rendering them unfit for future gift boxing. I thought the lightweight cardboard material would make the perfect base for valentine treat boxes. I also utilize recycled plastic packaging to complete the pieces.

Using the new sizzix curio box die, I die cut the box top and base from the shirt box material. I then select some papers from my Tim Holtz abandoned paper stash that I feel will be interesting for a valentine treat but not overly sweet. Each of the box tops have die cut openings at their centers. I die cut larger sizes of the opening shapes from the plastic die packaging to use as windows in the treat boxes. The clear plastic is attached between the box "base" material and the finished paper. Thus allowing the boxes to be filled with candy or any other valentine treat.

With the windows in place, I attach the finished papers to the box cover and while it dries, I attach the  papers to the bottom section of the treat boxes. Two of my boxes are finished in a simple manner with coordinating accent paper. On the third box, I cut a piece of metallic kraft stash to fit and then embossed it using a 3D roses embossing folder. Roses are such a traditional valentine gift, I thought this would be a perfect accent to view through the open window of the box top. When the bottoms are complete, it is time to add some finishing touches to the top portions of the treat boxes.

For the first treat box, I die cut an extended "crochet" piece from cotton rag paper and color it using pumice stone distress ink. I also die cut a few hearts and give them a rusty finish using Seth Apter's chunky rust baked texture embossing powder. The embellishments are added around the oval window with distress collage medium and allowed to dry completely. The chit chat word "adore" is edged in gold and attached at the top left.

The second treat box has a rectangular shape window. Around the bottom most edge of the box top sides, I have added a line of champagne metallic kraft die cut hearts from the falling hearts die. I loved the organic look of this for a bordered edge.On the top, a die cut cherub from coordinating paper holds a larger falling heart. The word "love" is cut from the tiny text die set out of the same metallic kraft. The banner die is included with the curio box die set, the banner piece is cut from the same paper used inside the box, then stamped with tiny peg dies to read "eternal."

The third treat box I created also utilizes paper from the abandoned collection. This box has an arched window, made using a movers and shapers die. The window opening is filled with the clear plastic packaging and around the finished edge, a piece of black Dresden is attached. The base/bottom of this box is covered with blackout kraft paper on the exterior and inside, the edges match the abandoned pattern, while the base that is seen through the window, showcases a 3D embossed design. Using a piece of red metallic kraft stash, I spritzed the piece with water and ran it through the big shot multiple times. With the embossed roses in place, I rub black soot archival ink over the raised portions to accentuate the design and allow for it to be more easily recognizable through the window.
Label letters are used to form the word "amore" and the "XO" on the box top.

These treat boxes are ready to be filled with sweets for very special valentines.
 Hopefully you are able to find time to make something special for your valentine. If you incorporate something that you may normally just toss away, we would love to see you join the Repeat Performance Challenge! You can link your project on the Funkie Junkie challenge blog post here.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog today,
I truly appreciate it.
~Ann
  xxx


supplies:
recycled materials:
shirt boxes, plastic packaging
Distress collage medium: matte
Distress ink:
aged mahogany, black soot, pumice stone
Dresden black trim
Seth Apter Baked Texture: chunky rust
Tim Holtz Ideaology:
abandoned paper stash, blackout kraft paper stash, , chit chat season, label letters, metallic jewels kraft stock paper stash, metallic 3 kraft stock paper stash
Tim Holtz Sizzix:
3D roses, alphanumeric tiny type lower, crochet 2, curio box, falling hearts,
mini love struck, sized arches
VersaMark embossing ink