Christmas in April

Here is a little sample of one of the projects I made for the CHA Designer Crafts Studio recently using Viva Décor products. Check out the Viva Décor FB page for other ideas and product info.

Store you child’s precious letters to Santa in this exquisite box. The top begins as a 6" X 8" canvas and the box can be purchased or easily made from foam board. Decorate the inside as well (the well created by the wooden canvas stretchers make a perfect frame when covered with a paper-wrapped chipboard frame!) and add a photo of your child on Santa's lap.



Materials
6” x 8” gallery-wrapped canvas
6” x 8” x 3” wooden box
Hinges, handle and metal corner protectors (Stanislaus)
Paper Soft Color, Moss , Warm Sand (Viva Decor)
Precious Metal Color, Copper (Viva Decor)
Pearl Pens, copper and black (Viva Decor)
Dresden Trims, Copper Medieval and German Die Cut Santa (Paper Dreams Factory)
12 X 12 paper, two sheets, patterned, light neutral color
Mulberry paper, burgundy and medium brown
Rusty Paper, one sheet (directions below) 8 1/2” x 11”
Vellum Paper, Parchment Paper, Christmas paper scrap
Matboard scrap
Assorted Christmas or background stamps
Distress Ink, Vintage Photo, Black Soot (Ranger)
Distress Embossing Powders, Vintage Photo and Black Soot (Ranger)
Smooch Spritz, Wood Stain and Sun Kissed (Clearsnap)
Chipboard, 2 sheets
FabriTac, Zip Dry and Quick Grip Adhesives (Beacon)
Be Creative Double-sided tape
Large Glue Dots
Ribbon, green and red organdy
Sizzix Die, Movers and Shapers L Die-Tag and Bookplates, Big Shot
Round Sponge Brush
Krylon Fusion Spray Paint, Cocoa Brown
Gold metallic cord
Perfect Crafting Pouch (ScraPerfect)
Copper brads
Black Sharpie
Versamark Ink
Scissors, Utility Knife and Paper Trimmer (Westcott)

Tip:
Rusty Paper Made Easy
Using any chipboard, cardstock, matboard or just about any other surface, spray on two coats of Cocoa Brown Krylon Fusion Paint. It looks and feels like rusty metal. Apply Precious Metal Colors for a more realistic look.

Instructions
Note:
• Sponge all paper edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to give the piece an aged look.
• Before beginning project, apply Copper Pearl Pen to green ribbon in a polka-dot pattern. Allow at least 3 hours for drying.


Lid Frame Front
1. Measure a 1” border on all sides of canvas front. Draw lines from top of inner frame to bottom,dividing the opening into equal segments. Slit the canvas along the lines vertically inside the frame edges.

2. Paint entire canvas with Copper Precious Metal Color.

3. Color 6” x 8” patterned paper with Viva Paper Soft color, using circular sponge brush. Stamp randomly with Distress Inks. Cut into 6” x 1/2” strips, edge with Precious Metal Color and weave horizontally through canvas. Apply additional Moss Paper Soft Color to finished weaving to create a cohesive look.

4. Adhere rusty paper to chipboard. Trim out a frame with a 1” border to fit the box top. Attach metal corner protectors with Quick Grip adhesive. Sponge edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink covering chipboard edges. Attach frame to canvas front with FabriTac

5. Rub Perfect Crafting Pouch over vellum paper and print Christmas Wishes. Trim out to 1” smaller than inside canvas frame, and 1 1/2” larger at top and 1” larger at bottom.

6. Tear both top and bottom edges and fold top edge down to top of phrase, approximately 1/2”.Color back of vellum with Warm Sand Paper Soft color. Apply Moss Paper Soft Color to front side edges of vellum, being careful to not color over printed ink area. Add more Moss Paper Soft Color and Vintage Photo Distress ink to top and bottom of vellum. Adhere top fold down and title to box with Be Creative Double-sided adhesive.

7. Cut bookplate from mat board scrap. Apply Versamark ink, then sprinkle with Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder, leaving some areas bare. Add Black Soot embossing powder to bare areas. Heat to emboss, rub to remove excess embossing powder, then go over entire bookplate with Vintage Photo and Black Soot inks applied randomly. Edge bookplate with black Sharpie. Print Letters to Santa on parchment and trim to fit bookplate. Adhere with Zip Dry Adhesive.

8. Paint gold braid with copper paint and sponge black Pearl Pen over to distress. Adhere inside frame.

9. Distress Copper Medieval border with Black Pearl Pen. Miter corners and attach to frame front with Zip Dry Adhesive.

Lid Inside Frame
1. Line wooden edge inside frame with Christmas paper scrap. Trim away excess canvas if desired and paint any bare wood with Copper Precious Metal Color.

2. Cut chipboard frame to fit outer edge and cover with scrapbook paper. Ink edges. Attach to frame back with Quick Grip adhesive.

3. Cut an additional chipboard frame, 1/8” smaller on all sides and on inside and cover with a different paper. Ink edges. Attach to first frame with Quick Grip adhesive.

4. Print photo to fit inside canvas frame. Make photo frame by cutting chipboard with a 3/8” frame edge. Cover with burgundy mulberry paper, rub Copper Precious Metal Color lightly over frame to highlight and attach photo using Zip Dry adhesive. Adhere to inside of small frame.

5. Attach Santa to frame edge with glue dots.

6. Tie green ribbon around box lid with bow on top.

Box Bottom
1. Cover box with medium brown mulberry paper. Spritz on Wood Stain and Sun Kissed Smooch Spritz, then lightly rub on Copper Precious Metal Color.

2. Paint 1” wooden balls with Copper Precious Metal Color and attach to box bottom.

Finishing
Paint handle with Copper Precious Metal Color and attach brads. Adhere to box opening edge with Quick Grip Adhesive. Attach hinge to back of box and lid.