Saturday 23 November 2013

Christmas Surprise by Emma


Hi everyone...

Hope you've all had a great week and looking forward to the weekend. Well, if you're looking for inspiration for your Christmas cards or gifts, then I hope that I can inspire you with the piece I'm sharing today ~ my little altered matchbox, with a big surprise when you open it up! As always, I hope you love it...

To begin with I made my own matchbox from kraft card, measuring approx 7 x 11.5cm in size. I then cut pieces of cream card to fit the outside of the box, inked them with Old Paper DI and stamped each piece with the Music Background stamp. I distressed the edges of the paper with Walnut Stain DI before attaching them to the outside of my box. I then added a Idea-Ology Hitch Fastener on the front of the drawer, to enable you to pull the box out of the cover easily.
I then cut more cream card to fit the base and the sides of the box and again inked them with Old Paper DI before stamping the Santa image from the Mini Christmas 1 stamp set onto the base card. 
I coloured the image with Distress Marker Pens and then inked up the Snowflake stamp with Tumbled Glass DI and stamped the flakes onto all my pieces of card before attaching them to the inside.
I then raided my own stash of dies and used the Festive Greenery and the Tattered Pine Cone die from Tim Holtz for Sizzix to die cut card and coloured each individual die cut with Distress Inks, adding highlights of Rock Candy Distress Dry Glitter to each piece. I then added these to decorate the inside of my box, together with a small Bottle Brush tree and some fake snow before finishing the inside with a couple of Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers.



To decorate the outside of my matchbox, I used the Tattered Poinsettia die from Tim Holtz, again from my stash and made a large bloom from cream card, inked around the edges with Distress Ink and spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mists. 
I attached the flower to my box and added die cut holly leaves, inked with Iced Spruce Distress Ink and rusty wire coils, smeared some Rock Candy Distress Stickles over the top of the leaves and then die cut the number 25, painted it with PaperArtsy Snowflake Fresco Finish paint and covered the numerals with Rock Candy Distress Glitter.  

So, that's it from me for today...thank you so much for stopping by and I'll look forward to reading your comments! Don't forget we still have our Christmas challenge running until the end of the month, so if you would like to enter, with a chance to be the lucky winner, then just click HERE for all the details.

See you again soon...Emma x

23 comments:

massofhair said...

Oh my how beautiful & unique. Love your matchbox, thanks for the sizes & the colours you used.

Great share:-) xxx

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Beautiful Emma, love your matchbox. Lovemthensanta inside. Beautifully decorated and stamped. Tracy x

Lisapmac said...

This is so quaint, I love it xx

Laura said...

Oh how pretty...neat idea using a match box...er...making your own. Pretty colors!

Helen said...

Emma, that is fabulous, and making your own matchbox too!!

Paula Whittaker said...

wonderful project Emma

sally said...

Ooooh I'd love to get my hands on this for Christmas! I guess I'll just have to try to squeeze some extra hours into the day/week and have a go at coming up with my own version :-). Thanks for sharing this little beauty.

Sally

rachel said...

this is gorgeous - how pretty xx

Unknown said...

What do I say? .... you really have excelled yourself ...anyone receiving this would be over the moon. Think I might try to make a simpler version for my granddaughters, they would love it ...hope you don't mind xx Annie

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Gorgeous, love the poinsettia !

Jennie Atkinson said...

Love love love this! Fabulous Emma and that flower is just stunning!

Mary Elizabeth said...

As usual Emma, this is absolutely beautiful. I love the creamy white poinsettia and all the gorgeous glittered elements. And then the wonderful surprise of a Santa, a tiny tree and lovely Christmas roses. I really just love it!! -- Mary Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous project Emma ! Love the poinsettia and the inside is just fabulous ! Sue C x

Redanne said...

Stunning matchbox! Love the inside too.

Astrid Maclean said...

Great idea Emma, both the outside and the inside are just gorgeous!

Beate said...

Wow,this is stunning! The flower is just gorgeous!

Annie said...

This is a fabulous idea Emma and very inspiring

TFS and crafty hugs
Annie x

cards by Stevo said...

very inspirational <3 xx

Nicole Wright Designs said...

I love everything about this! Stunning!!!!!

Words and Pictures said...

Just beautiful, Emma - the colours, the music paper, the delicate inky distressing, the baby pinecones, the glorious flower - love, love, love!
Alison x

Titbelsoeur, mixed-media addict said...

sooo vintage ! your box is gorgeous !

Artyjen said...

ooh! Lurve it! ;) Tis a gorgeous addition for the Season ;)
xoxo Sioux

Hettie said...

Oh Emma! What a stunning box. I love it!
Hugs
xx