Cream Quakers!

Quack quack quack!
I never seen these paper tole/3D decoupage things before until i saw them at a stall at the Sydney Stitches & Craft 2013 show.
The demo paper toles at the stall used mutli-purpose silicone sealant (the hardware kind!)between the layers o_O; that was very odd and messy to me, not to mention very uneven layers.

Anyhow, the paper toles are pre-printed sheets and pre-cut. Just pop them out of the sheet and start layering them. I used sticky foam dots in between.
This Cream Quakers set came with cards/envelopes to stick them on - this would fit in well with scrapbooking and more elaborate decorative displays.

Quick and easy craft. Little effort, quite enjoyable.

Crazy Cartonnage #2

I enjoyed making the first cartonnage box muchly.. although my hand needed a good rest from all the thick card cutting o_O;
I jumped right back in with a second project.

This time i wanted to make a flower pot bag.

I didnt have anything to follow off so i made up my own pattern. totally crazy!
I didnt have a giant compass either so my round bits were sorta free handed. even more crazy!
...lol yes, thats how confident i was >.<;

without further ado, presenting project #2

(excuse the background, just boxes of my other ♥ - designer shoes!)

I used the left over 'retro umbrella girls' fabric to line the interior. They are so cute!

Group shot!

Trying my hand at Cartonnage

im a very crafty soul and i am always trying out new handicrafts. The problem i have is that i enjoy making things, however, i dont enjoy keeping things. Like plushies... what to do with them after that are complete? im not big on buying soft toys as i find them kinda useless, as cute as they are.

I stumbled across cartonnage: the age old french art of box making. Awesome. Something i could make and could be kinda useful at least :)

i was keen on looking up some cartonnage or fabric covered box information before trying my hand at it, however, sad to say, there was much on the net... other than recycling existing "packaging" or "postage" boxes and hastily covering it a giant sheet of fabric for "pretty" storage solutions; or the small handful of site/bogs found were in french or the boxes were very .... matronly and outdated.

So without further ado, my very first cartonnage box!
It is a 'business card' box in the style of an envelope.

i referenced the japanese craft book that the box is sitting on... even though i can barely read japanese. You know what they say - a picture is worth a thousand words :)

I have always loved the Yve Saint Laurent "Y-mail" collection, so i borrowed that for front envelope design.
Call me crazy but i hand embroidered the design on... even though this was my first attempt at cartonnage, and the box could have turned out badly and with all that extra effort in hand stitching it, would have ended in tears o_O;

lift the lid and love the retro umbrella girls print! adorable!