Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all! Everyone should get a present on this day. So here is my Christmas gift to you...

 

 

This digital paper is 3600 x 3600 pixels, in jpg format and published at 300 dpi. Credits include: Pixaroma (Deal Jumbo) and Heather Green of HG Designs. To grab it, click the download button to be taken to a download location. In the zip folder you will find a copy of the paper, its preview sheet, the credit information and my terms of use which are standard to all my folders.

Edit: Oopsies. I just realized that I put the wrong cover page information on the preview. I have since fixed it. I apparently had The 12 Days of Christmas on my brain but this paper belongs in the A Holly Jolly Christmas Kit. I'll add post to let anyone who has already downloaded it know.

Stay tuned as later this evening I have something special planned for all of you who enjoy treasure hunts. The third annual edition of The 12 Days of Christmas starts--Each day for 12 days, you can earn a free holiday themed digi paper by doing a simple task. So, I'll see you all again soon!

Happy holidays all!

Gift Box Design: Ike's World Challenge #17...Picture / Colour Inspiration

Good morning to you all.  It is still very early here this Tuesday morning in Ontario, Canada but in Greece where Ike's World Challenge originates, the day is probably well under way for many.  So while I'm tucked away in my bed, probably reading and trying to wind down, some of you may be out looking for a new challenge to participate in.  Well look no further because it is time to share the latest Ike's World Challenge with the world.  This fortnight the theme is Photo/Colour Inspiration. Ike has a really great picture up on the challenge blog with rich, deep and vibrant colours to inspire you all so make sure you go have a peek.

 
Remember, you can join in Ike's challenge with a creation using any kind of medium or style but in order to qualify to win the prize you MUST use an Ike's Art image. You can find some fab ones in the store HERE.  There is also a freebie available over on the challenge blog that you can use to enter the challenge but please be respectful of the artist's rights and do not post, pin or share the image with anyone else. Instead, if you know some people who might like it, send them over to the challenge blog so they can pick it up for themselves.

Now this time around I am doing something totally outside the box...well, actually that is not true since it is actually a box, but given that it is out of the ordinary for me, I can still call it outside the box. 

When I started my project I was thinking that maybe I'd keep it and tuck away some notes filled with my own personal dreams and inspirations in it but the more I think about it, it may actually make a great gift box to give to someone (with a present in it of course) to help someone start thinking about their own dreams and inspirations.  Maybe I could make up some little journal books and tuck them within.  So, as you can see, I still have some decisions yet to make as to where it will end up. 

Why the idea of dreams and inspirations?  Well, it may be difficult to read but the phrase, "of dreams and inspirations" is actually written on both sides in both French and English.  Thus, it translated to the idea of a dream and inspiration box.

Now believe it or not, this is a tissue box.  I have a couple exactly like this one--one in this colour and one in some blues and greens.  Normally, I break down the boxes and cut them up into pieces to save for future use.  The boxes are just so pretty, they'd be a shame to waste.  Well, it just so happened that just as I was about to create something for this challenge, the last tissue was used and the hubs had put this one aside for me to break down.  I had actually started to break it down to use on my project because the colours were perfect, when I got the idea to make it a decorative box.  Thankfully, I had only broken down one of the ends so it was easy enough to fix.

And there you have it!  How's that for up-cycling!

Check it out...

Digital Image Details: 

• Ivy Corner: You can find it in the 'Flowers' section of the Ike's Art store or by clicking on the name or watermark below. I brought the image into my program, duplicated it and then flipped it so that the two ends would mirror each other.  I also changed the colour so that all the vines and swirls would be printed out in ivy green.  I also added the text to the centre in purple to match the colours of both the box and the challenge.
• The image was then coloured in with Copic markers, YG61 and YG63.

Embellishments: 

• The flowers on both ends of the box are Crafts brand and were purchased at Dollarama.
• The pink lace that was used to edge the top piece is Recollection's brand purchased at Michael's.

Paper Products: 

• Sentiment and image base: Michael's Recollection's cardstock,white.
• Deep purple used for matting--Michael's open stock scrapbook paper. 

Other Notes: 

• The inside of the box was lined with tissue paper.
• In hindsight I should have taken an additional picture so that you could see how the top sits when it is pulled back.  Basically I just left about 3/4 of an inch extra on the end to tape to the top of the box and scored it for easy opening and closing.  
• I actually had to remove one of the flowers in order to take a good picture of the top of the box.  I tried first to take a shot by shooting over the top of the box but the lighting just didn't work so I had to remove the flower to get a good shot.  Thankfully, the glue hadn't dried yet so it was easy enough to remove and then replace.

Challenges I am hoping to enter... 

• http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes
• http://www.sparklingblackrose-craftmylife.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/all-crafts-challenge-aprilmay.html -- Anything BUT a Card

What will you create using one of Ike's wonderful images? You have two weeks to pop over to Ike's World Challenges and play along with us in our Photo/Colour Inspiration challenge. You can find out everything you need to know in order to play, by heading to the challenge blog. I've linked the logo at the top of the page to take you there. While you are over there, please be sure to check out the incredible creations offered up by some of my fellow DT members and don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog next Tuesday when team B's creations will be showcased.Also be sure to have a peek and check out all the amazing images in the store as well. The logo below is linked to take you there.

Until next time,