Autumn Blessings

It has been a very warm Autumn day here in the North Carolina mountains.  I've had the day off and spent some time crafting.  Here is one of my latest projects.  A very special family member has her birthday in October.  I created this charming acorn gift box to hold her present.

My gift box started off rather plain.  I found these adorable Martha Stewart boxes at my local Tuesday Morning store and knew it would be perfect for a fall birthday keepsake.

I began with the interior of the box.  I stamped this lovely leaf background with an Inkadinkadoo clear stamp on Tim Holtz plain tissue wrap with black archival ink.  I adhered it, in strips, to the interior of the box with Vintage Distress Collage Medium.  The outer band of the box interior was painted with Walnut Stain Distress Paint.

The exterior painting and images was all trial and error.  I painted the exterior shell part of the acorn with a variety of brown Distress and acrylic paints.   I stamped it with a variety of fall-themed Inkadinkadoo clear stamps and a rubber "blessed" stamp (that I cannot for the life of me remember  its manufacturer).  Stamping a rounded 3D object is not for the faint of heart!  I don't think I made too much of a mess of the stamping.  I must confess that I used an archival pen to clean up a leaf that smeared on the front of the box.  I gave the shell a light coat of Vintage Distress Collage Medium.  Then I decided to try to get a little more texture.  I used some Crazing Distress Collage Medium.  I put on a pretty thick coat.  I got a little impatient and dried it with a heat gun.  I know better, but did it anyway.  I did not get all the amazing crackles that I typically get with this product, but I did get the texture that I wanted for the shell.   I used a Ground Espresso Distress Crayon to fill in the nooks and crannies (wiping off the excess with a baby wipe).  I love the final effect.

I mixed Antique Linen Distress Paint with Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain to cover the acorn cap of my box.  Once that dried, I covered it with a layer of Vintage Distress Collage Medium.  Then I worked in some Walnut Stain Distress Crayon to detail texture on the cap (once again wiping off excess crayon with a baby wipe).

Finally, Tim Holtz's Autumn Gatherings die strip was used to die cut leaves from printed paper.  I colored them with Distress Ink in autumn colors.  Some chit chat stickers were adhered to the leaves and outlined with a marker.  The leaves were glued together with collage medium and embellished with some wire and a decorative brad. I put the whole fall medley on the acorn cap with Ranger Matte Multi Medium.

Well, that's it for my fall-themed gift box.  I think I will have to make one for myself!

In the mean time, I am submitting this gift box to the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge:  Not a Card (I thought this one was funny.  I tell my family that they either get a gift or a card from me, but not both.  So since this project was a gift, I definitely did not make a card for this challenge :) )

A Vintage Journey's: Crazy for Autumn Color

Country View Challenges: Mixed Media with Autumnal Hues

Craft Stamper's Take It Make It October Anything Goes Challenge

Hope you were able to get your hands inky this week.  Hugs -- Mary Elizabeth