2015 #5 De-constructed Configuration Box {by Lin Brown PA signature Designer}

2015 Theme 5: Deconstruction

Hi, Lin here this evening to share a project with my take on deconstruction. What a fabulous topic this is. There is nothing I like more that de-laminating corrugated card, ripping pages out of an old dictionary to use in my work or altering a book. These are things that I have done many times before so for this project, I decided to re-purpose a Configurations Box, designed by Tim Holtz. The project still remains a box, but now it has a hinged lid in stead of a lift off lid and will probably be used to store jewellery.

If you are not familiar with Configuration boxes, this is how a new one looks. It has a lift off lid and contains lots of small boxes which you can lift out and rearrange in different configurations if you so wish. For this project, I will not be using the small boxes but will keep them as I have been known to reassemble them in other ways for other projects.

Step one: I used a sharp craft knife to cut away the two shorter panels from the sides of the lid.

Step two: I covered both the lid and base of the box with a selection of washi tape. Washi tape is not the stickiest of tapes, so I used a layer of Matt Medium over the top of the tapes to prevent them lifting.

Step three: Using Snowflake Fresco Finish paint, I stencilled some images over the box. I used PS001, PS002 and PS014 

Step four: I watered down some Caribbean Sea to paint a watery wash of colour over the whole box and dry brushed some Bougainvillea around the edges. Both of these colours are from my latest set of Limited Edition Fresco Finish Paints.

Step five: The box comes with a sturdy sheet of acetate which creates a nice window in the box. I used it to create my colourful panel in the lid of the box. It is important to use the correct ink when stamping on acetate, I used StazOn which in my opinion, is the best ink for stamping on shiny surfaces. 

Step six: After stamping the first image from ELB16 on the acetate, I stamped a couple of these on paper and used them as masks until I had stamped a complete row of the large flower.

Step seven: I repeated this technique with the small flower from the same plate of stamps until I had completely filled the acetate with flowers.

Step eight: Working on the back of the acetate, I used a small detail paintbrush to add some highlights to the images. At this stage, it always looks really messy but you just have to bear in mind that this is the back and it will not be seen.

Step nine: Start filling in the flowers with colour. Hey Pesto is my "go to" green.

Step ten: Bougainvillea next. This colour is a semi-opaque paint and required two coats to achieve good solid coverage.

Step eleven: Banana and Tangerine Twist finished the rest of the flowers off beautifully. Both of these colours are translucent and needed more than one coat to achieve the solid colour that I wanted.

Step twelve: I filled in the gaps with Caribbean Sea which is an opaque paint so only one coat required.

Look how amazing it looks from the front. It's really tricky photographing acetate but I hope you can see how the gold highlights bring it to life.

Step thirteen: I used some red line double sided adhesive tape around the edge of the window and carefully lowered my acetate panel into place. This is the view from the back of the panel.

Step fourteen: I added a decorative knob to make it easy to open the box. This one needed a hole punched through the box and a screw inserted in the back to hold it in place. I prefer this type, it's much stronger that gluing a handle in place.

Step fifteen: I lined the box with black felt.

Step sixteen: The final step was to adhere the lid to the box. I thought long and hard about which type of adhesive to use for this. Should I use red line tape which is pretty strong or use a wet glue which allows some manoeuvrability? I decided on the wet glue option and used Pinflair's bookbinding glue.....this is pretty strong stuff and worked a dream.

So there we have it, a bright new storage box with a hinged lid. I hope it inspires you to join in with the de-constructed challenge. Looking forward to seeing your entries.

Lin. 

Blog - Yours Artfully

Thanks Lin, this is a fabulous repurposed box. The stamping on the acetate is just genius and oh wow how does it pop. 

We would love you to join in with challenge #5: Deconstruction If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Deconstruction link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 22nd, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.