Altered Treasure Chest with Tips and a Picture Tutorial - PART 1

Hey Hey Hey Crafty Blends!

I am so happy to be back at doing what I love....CREATING!!!!

If you hopped in for my Guest Design post yesterday during the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop, then you already knew I would be posting all the FUN DETAILS about my project yesterday. ;)

If you are just arriving here.....I highly suggest you Hop for the 12 Days because there is OOBER talent on Display and TONS of wonderful PRIZES up for grabs, too.
Just start at Honeybearz Designs each day after 8 am Eastern Standard time and you will be directed down the right Hop Path!

Now, for all the fun details on my 
Altered Treasure Chest and Ball Ornaments!!!!

I am also including LOTS of . . . 
Awesome Product Tips
hopefully to introduce you to some amazing New Products
you haven't heard of yet
Crafty Coersion
to nudge you towards some FUN
Project Suggestions
Just to help you out along the way
& some Caution Tips
to help you steer away from making some of the mistakes
I made during my project if you decide 
you would like to try this out for yourself!!!

STAY TUNED 
for a Super Fun Announcement to learn
how  YOU COULD "WIN" this FINISHED PROJECT

:) :) :) :) :) :)

When Lisa asked me to join the fun, my crafty wheels of thought started turning.

I recently added these wonderful Paper Mache' Treasure Boxes and Ball Ornaments

to the Pinque Peacock Discount Hut and couldn't resist the opportunity to alter them for yesterday's hop.

 ***FUN Product ALERT***
Treasure Box Measures 7.75" x 5" x 4.825"

YOU CAN BUY ME HERE

***FUN Product ALERT***
Wrinkled Paper Mache Ball Ornament 

measures 80mm

YOU CAN BUY ME HERE

I gathered a bunch of other cool items and supplies (also available at the Discount Hut) to help get my Crafty Mojo in motion.

 I used Cloud 9 Design (Colorbok)'s Harvest Holiday Paper Pad and some Mod Podge to "dress up" my treasure chest.  

The strips were cut individually before applying them to the box with the Mod Podge.  I decided to cut my strips in duplicate sizes for the Front & Back as well as for the Left & Right Sides of the chest.  

PLEASE NOTE*--- If you don't want any of the actual paper mache' portion of the treasure chest to be visible, I would highly suggest measuring each "hill" and valley" precisely before cutting any of your paper strips since several of the sections on my project varied slightly once I started to apply them.  I happen to like the "kraft" edges, but to each, their own :)

After applying the patterned paper, I went ahead and used some Tim Holtz Distress Stain (in Evergreen Bough) and some Mister Huey's Color Mist (in Manila) to tint the wood-cut holly leaves to a matching green.  

Now, I wanted to start adorning it with more of the fun embellishments and goodies I gathered.  This is where I was stricken with a case of "the crafty hiccups".  I just wasn't liking the pair up a few of the goodies with the covered treasure chest.  The festive Pom Poms, despite their cuteness level, just weren't working and neither were a few of the Washi Tape designs.

Do you see what I see?  
It was a mixture I didn't want to make!  
LOL

So, back to the drawing board I went.
Don't be afraid to make changes to your original plans when something isn't working out for you creatively! ;)

I removed the products that just weren't "cutting it" and put them back in their rightful place within my craft supplies!
(Festive Pom Poms, Music Note Washi tape and the Green Stripe Washi Tape)

I added a couple new items to my "gathering of supplies":  
~~~ a faux pine garland (from my stash) 
and
***FUN Product ALERT***
~~~ some darling metal embellishments 
that I ordered from Miriam's Crafting Supplies.  

I had ordered some of the wonderful metal latches from Miriam in the Glimpz of Memories SALE group on Facebook a short while ago, EAGER to use them, just not knowing when or how.  
WHAT BETTER TIME THAN NOW?!?!?!?!  

The flat metal embellishments are so fun to play with, too.  You can glue them on "as is", mix them in with other mediums on your Mixed Media Projects, or even bend and wrap them for a super cool effect.  
These were going to make for EXCELLENT addition to my treasure chest that was steering in the style direction of "Vintage Christmas".

Okay, my confidence in my project is being restored now!  No more crafty hiccups....mmmm kay? LOL

I started fussy cutting some of the words that appeared on one of the Christmas themed papers in the stack I had used.  The words were arranged in a Subway Word Art style, so this took a little bit of time.  After seeing the treasure chest covered in paper, I opted NOT to use the words.  They also, weren't a "good fit" for the look I was going for.

UPSIDE: I now have TONS of Christmas Words & Phrases to use on other projects, too.  

I added the Felt Rick Rack to the front part of the box leaving the center open.....

...for the handmade rosette to be placed.  
I had also already gathered my entire "collection" of flat back pearls
from Miriam's Crafting Supplies 
(these are used in TONS of my Projects)

Project Suggestions
I knew the holly leaves would go on top, but to place them level, I wanted to use 3D foam squares.  I didn't want the white border to show, so I took a green watercolor marker around the edges....
(Sharpies or ordinary markers are a good substitute for this step)

...just getting it dark enough to match and hide well

The larger size pearls I have are all white, so I tried to see how they looked --- to me, not looking enough like Holly Berries.
We must fix this!!!!

Project Suggestions
I grabbed my red Adirondack Alcohol Ink...looking too red????

let's add some Raisin ink....

Yep, that's the color I was wanting...

I LIKE!!!

Now it was time to start altering the Ball Ornaments

I opted to use Tissue Paper in Coordinating colors

1.  Cut small squares from your selected tissue paper colors (I used approximately 15-20 for each color)
Project Suggestion:  Prop up the ball so you don't have to touch the ornament too much during this process.  I used a jar that holds odd and end items because it was close.
2. Start by applying a small amount of Mod Podge to the ball.  
3.  Layer a square onto that area
4. Using your fingertip, lightly press down the top of the square

5.  Add another layer of Mod Podge over the square
6. Repeat until entire area (above resting place) is finished
7.  Let it sit until it is almost completely dry before turning it over to do the underneath portion
8. Finished Green Ball Ornament
9.  Finished Maroon Ball Ornament

Next up---time to add the PRETTIES!!!!
***FUN Product ALERT***

THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO TAKE A BREAK (since it is
now Thursday, 1:30 am here in Ohio)
PART 2 of this Tutorial will be my next post.....
SO PLEASE, STAY TUNED!!!

Super Fun Announcement

The entire project will serve as a Gift for a fabulous event I am taking part in called The Mischievous Crafter hosted by the Admins from the group, Scrapbook Friends and More Crafts.

This event is going to be so fun!  

I am on the edge of my seat waiting to play!
PLEASE NOTE*--- You must be an active member of the SFMC Group and BE PRESENT on December 12th in order to Join The Fun!

The object of the Event goes a little like this.....

---You CREATE a project which will be gifted to another event participant.

---The project should have a value of at least $10 if you were to sell it at a craft fair.

---You must have your project finished by December 11th, as the Event takes place on December 12th.

---The Mischievous Crafter is the group's version of Dirty Santa or White Elephant (different people call it different things).  Each participant will have a chance to select the item they desire on their turn.  In turn each participant will have the options of selecting an item that has not been selected or taking an item that has been selected. (items can only be stolen 3 times. The third time it is stolen that person is the owner.)

Crafty Coersion
The SFMC Facebook Group is an amazing place to meet new friends, learn new craft techniques and styles, play games, and chit chat with crafters from all over the world.  I have had a wonderful experience since participating with the group
just recently and enjoy the fellowship and inspiration I have gained since doing so.

New members are joining SFMC each and every day!
PLUS:  There is a celebration in the midst---SFMC will be reaching 1,000 Members soon!  YOU SHOULD JOIN TODAY!

Remember

to

Keep Crafting,

Because

♫ CRAFTING ♫

♫ ROCKS ♫

\m/-_-\m/

:O) Jessica