2018 #8 Boxes: When is a box not a box? with ESN {by Helen Chilton}

2018 Topic 8: Boxes

We love how Helen flings colour about with gay abandon, and seems to come up with the totally unexpected! Here's another treat! Enjoy! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Helen with you today, and I'd like to share with you my project on Boxes.

I'll say right now that this didn't turn out at all as I expected! I was going to decorate a small box with pop ups inside but the stamps didn't work for that. Then I thought 'take the lid off and make it into a plant pot with heart flowers' but I didn't like the end result. So then, in desperation, I was looking round my very messy craft room and noticed this white box that something had come in and thought 'well, it's a box, but it doesn't have to stay as a box!' This box was easy to stamp on and it was easy to peel off the white layer to reveal some lovely corrugated card. I've only used card from the original box - for stamping, stencilling and cutting.

The stamps and stencil I'm using are all by Sara Naumann.

 ESN23

PS090

Here's the box, ready for cutting up.

I did gesso the card first (you'll see why later) and then sprinkled Infusions onto the Grunge Paste stencilling while still wet.

Being very impatient, I couldn't wait for it to dry before spritzing - just look at those colours - makes me want to sing!

You can see here how easily the top layer peels back. 

Then I cut it up to make a grid pattern. (Don't laugh - I had to make a diagram or else I'd forget where everything went !)

Here you can see what I was talking about before - I didn't gesso this cardboard before stamping on it and when I used the Infusions - on the right - the water soaked in and made it kind of murky. In the end I used Distress Oxides as on the left to get a brighter result.

For the hanging loop at the top I've used brown paper covered wire (from the florist's section) - this stuff is great as it bends, curls and holds its shape and, as here, you can also paint it with Frescos.

So there you have it, my box that's not a box. It did make me look around at all the packaging you get nowadays with a fresh eye: some of it's very decorative, some's textured, some are interesting shapes, others just prove interesting to work on. A lot of it also has text on in different fonts and colours just begging to be cut out and used. And of course, it's all free in that it's extra to what you've bought. So, see what you can find!

Helen

Blog: http://helenchilton.blogspot.co.uk/

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You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. Make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page.

The current topic link Topic 8: Boxes will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, May 13th 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.