Magpie Treasure

Hello there, Followers, Google+ friends and anyone else dropping by Magpieheaven. Anyone who dropped by last Wednesday will know, things are a tad crowded and busy in Magpieheaven! I didn't think I'd have time for crafting today; but dear Mr Magpie has been brilliant helping to sort out the kitchen as far as is possible atm. Right now he's in the garden listening to my mum take a trip down Memory Lane so I can write this! Kevin who is fitting the kitchen now has to make the cupboard doors - something tells me this is going to be quite a lengthy process! After two flat viewings for my mum this morning - I took time out to alter a little box, inspired by Sue's beautiful work on the Paper Artsy blog. Please click HERE to find out all the exciting things going on at Paper Artsy over the Month and then see Sue's stunning work with a gorgeous new stamp based on one of her photos of France! I am still playing with my Lynne Perrella stamps that I won in the PA draw a little while back and there was an image I particularly wanted to use.

I had a little box, just strong cardboard, that I've been keeping my vintage brooch collection in. I can't resist costume jewellery and buy it whenever I can! I painted the box with Concrete Fresco paint and then with Little Black Dress. I made a flower from the Tim Holtz Tattered Floral die, painted with a blend of Elephant, Egg Plant, London Night and just a touch of Butternut, edging with a little Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and finished off with some seam binding coloured with distress inks in Peacock Feathers and Broken China. I used the same colour combo on the card, which I die cut with a Tim Holtz Pocket Watch die and then stamped with the Lynne Perrella image in  Coffee Archival, Please just click on the images, if you would like to see in more detail.

I accented the image with tiny green pearls, a butterfly cut from Graphic 45 paper and edged with Green Amber Treasure Gold. I also tied around a narrow, ivory coloured ribbon. I used my new Posca pen I bought in a little craft shop I discovered on a walk to highlight the eyes.

Here is the lid Crackle-glazed and painted with Concrete and then dry brushed with Inky Pool and Baltic Blue. The second pocket watch is die cut in Shrink Plastic, coloured with Treasure Gold and decorated with a pearl and a larger Graphic 45 butterfly.

Here are the sides, decorated with some script from a Hot Picks plate and some flourishes from the same set, stamped without a block to give an aged, irregular look.

I lined the box with some distressed Bo Bunny paper stamped with a sentiment from an Ink and the Dog plate and some narrow ribbon. Some of the brooches have already found a home inside!

And they look much better than they did on the plain cardboard! Thanks to Paper Artsy and Sue Carrington for a really inspiring collection of projects for the Paper Artsy birthday month! If you would like to see some really fabulous projects take a look at what Sue has been doing and the great works she's inspired plus lots and lots more, including projects by Gillian pop over to the Paper Artsy blog.