Shabby Chic Altered Cigar Box

Hello paper crafters!  Today I am sharing an altered cigar box.  I like this one much more than my last one because it's not so dark.  I guess you can tell I'm in love with the Shabby Chic style.  I have someone in my card swap group who is going to get me more of these to alter.

I did use some stamps that are REALLY old, but will list the supplies that are current below.  The base was covered with My Mind's Eye patterned paper.  The same paper pad I have mentioned before that I found at Hobby Lobby.  This paper was really thin, so I had to be careful with Modge Podge and make sure I didn't get it to wet. 

I got so excited when I found the feet and knob on top. Hobby Lobby has a section with drawer pulls and there were only a few of this style. They come with a really long metal "whatchma call it" come off the back. It's the part that you push through the hole on the drawer and then secure with a bolt. These were even way to long for a drawer though. So I had to get my sweetie to cut off a portion of that part. 

I wish I could tell you who made my postcard stamp.  I'm LOVIN' it.  I am usually great at documenting stamps in my catalog for future reference.  But ... you can find them in rubber or digital. 

River City Rubber Works  (This one comes as a digi or rubber)

Expressions In Ink  (rubber)

Penny Black at Hobby Lobby (rubber)

I love this one by Unity (rubber)

Impression Obssession

Stampfrancisco #1

I Brake for Stamps

Butterfly image - Layers of Color
Doily stamps - My Minds Eye Gertie Collection
Pearls - Prima
Paper Roses - Wild Orchids
White Resisn crowns and other decorative element - Melissa Frances
Hat Pin - Jenni Bowlin

You can view my other altered cigar boxes HERE

You can view all of my altered projects HERE

thanks for stopping by!
Melisa

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Challenges

Creative Inspiration Paint - Pink
Sisterhood Sundays - photo inspiration
Creative Belli - fancy frame - mine is the fancy scroll frame stamped image under all the embellishments
Truly Scrumptious - the postcard, scroll frame and corner images are all REALLY old stamps
Allsorts - stick pins
Craft Your Days Away - distressing

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Link Parties

Nifty Thrifty Sunday @ Nifty Thrifty Things

Sundae Scoop @ A Time To Create

Sister Sunday Link Party at Sister of the Wild West

The Sunday Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming

Marvelously Messy

Make Monday Marvelous @ C.R.A.F.T.

Made by You Mondays @ Skip to my Lou

Inspire Me Monday @ Singing Three Little Birds

It's Overflowing With Creativity

Uncommonly Yours @ Uncommon Designs Online

Whatever You Want Wednesday @ Free Pretty Things

WOW Me Wednesday @ Gingersnaps Crafts

A Crafty Soiree @ Katie's Nesting Spot

Watcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane Boutique

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sister' Stuff

Check Me Out Saturday @ A Vision to Remember

This project was featured at  Passionatelly Artistic

Altered Cigar Box

Last week I was searching for items I could use in my art, at a local antique store, and found this wonderful wooden cigar box for $2.50.  I also found some tiny bottle brush trees that I hope to use with a Christmas or winter scene in the future.  Pink Persimmon sells these adorable little chipboard houses, Vintage Colonial House by Melissa Frances and I have been wanting some.  Now I have to get them so I can use my little trees!!  Do you ever go to "antique stores" looking for great finds like these??  Not all of it is "antiques".  And you know what they say, "One man's junk is another man's treasure".  You have to be careful though.  Some of that stuff is priced crazy. 

I knew as soon as I seen the cigar box what I was going to do with it, because it has been one of those projects I've been planning on creating for a while.  I wanted to make a gift card set for my sweet mother-in-laws birthday in november and had been considering what I would store them in.

 I used "Butterfly Collector" and an art stencil - "Botanical Swirls",  by Layers of Color.

 If you have been following me for very long, then you know I LOVE butterflies.  And this set by Layers of Color is so gorgeous.  Especially that medallion.  Wanna see my butterfly shadow box I created earlier in the year??  Check it out HERE.  Sorry to get off subject, but it is one of my most favorite projects I have ever created and enjoyed seeing it as I walked through my diningroom this spring.  I even wrote a little poem to go with it with the intentions of creating a framed project using the poem, to set beside my butterfly box.  I'll have to add that next spring!

Tutorial

This project was a little messy to create, but worth it.  I could have just used patterned paper, but wanted more of a handmade, textured feel.  So, I created my own background. 

I honestly wasn't sure where I was going when I began the process and the end result was an accumulation of errors and layering color until I got the look I wanted.  So I will describe the process the best that I can, but know that what you should take from this is that sometimes you just have to sit down and play with color and mediums until you get the look you want.  My first panel turned out horrible.  But I learned from that and I'm very pleased with the results of my second panel. 

I started with a heavy cold pressed watercolor paper and trimmed to the size of the top of the box.  I watered down some acrylic paint, Making Memories Wisteria and brushed it over the paper.  I completely covered it with this wash and then let it dry.  Then I used my stencil to create some texture.  I used stencil adhesive, but the modeling paste is so thick, it might not be necessary.  Sorry, I haven't tested it.  With a palette knife (Just a plastic knife with a bent handle for easier handling.  Found in local craft store in the art section for about $1.  Well worth it, because that angled handled really helps) I spread light modeling paste (also found in the art section of local craft store) over the stencil.  Use the palette knife to level the paste and wipe off the excess.  Let this dry.  I really rushed mine and used a heat gun to help it along, because I had to move the stencil over to cover the entire panel.  You can see the raised area's created with the modeling paste a little better in this photo.

Next I realized I wanted two shades of purple.  So I used a stipple brush to pounce on another purple, Brilliance Pearlescent Purple.  These inks have just a little shimmer to them.  I inked up the Tim Holtz applicator tool with Pearlescent Chocolate and gently began adding it to the raised, modeling paste design.  Some of the ink got on the background, but that was ok.  I also distressed up the edges with it as well.  Then I decided I wanted to use gold as an accent, so I added a little gold pigment ink to the background.  It didn't really show up very well.  At this point I decided I had covered up too much of the lightest color purple I started with and began to pounce on some Brilliance Moonlight White to lighten some of the area's.  See how this process works, teehee.  And lastly I wanted the modeling paste swirls to stand out a little more. So I used a tiny paint brush and began adding Shimmerz Golden Wheat and Shimmerz Blingz Gold Glimmer here and there.  I didn't want to cover all of the swirls, because I wanted different shades.  By this time I had a mess and took a break to clean up the stencil / palette knife and my stipple brushes. 

I found a very old piece of DP in my stash by Colorbok that was a little lighter purple than the background.  I stamped my butterflies with Pearlescent Chocolate (This is my all time favorite brown ink.  I use it all the time, especially around the edge of images or projects to distress them).  Heat set.  Cut around edges with cuticle scissors (You have so much more control when cutting small images, or around curved lines, with cuticle scissors).  Add Shimmerz Golden Wheat and Lilac with a very small paint brush as shown.  If I got too much on a brown line, I used a tooth pick to scratch it off while it was still wet.  Add Stickles Glitz - Champayne to the little dots on the butterfly wings and on the body of the smaller butterflies.  Also add it to the outer border of the butterfly medallion.  Set this aside to dry.

Use Spellbinders Labels 1 and one of the Fancy Tags layered over one another to create a background for the butterfly pendant.

I realized that I needed  something in the corners so I found this really awesome Sizzlet set with decorative corners, Architectural Accents Set.  I think they turned out great!

After I finished the top panel, I painted the box brown.  I cut the side panels and ran them throught my Big Shot with a Cuttlebug embossing folder, then adhered them to the sides. I covered the top of the box with gold paper and then my butterfly panel.  I added these really awesome "feet".  They are by Tim Holtz.

There is nothing worse than having someone describe a process to you and not having an idea what they are talking about.  So, here are some photo's of some of the other tools I used to create this:

    

I like this stipple brush because the hairs are different lengths and soft.  Mine looks like this, but the handle is solid wood.  Unfortunately there is no manufacturer on the handle and I would love to find more of them.

I hope you were inspired to get really messy and try something new this week. If you find this tutorial inspiring and use it on a project of your own, I would love to see it!!

Thanks again for stopping by!

You can view all of my Altered Projects HERE
You can view all my Altered Cigar Boxes HERE.