Obsession

You know when you can't get an idea out of your head?  And especially when it comes to crafting, its often awhile before we can find the time to do that thing that we've been thinking about.  Sometimes, a very LONG while.  This project was like that for me.

For some reason, while on vacation, I got this idea for a "DORM SURVIVAL KIT", made out of tiny boxes with tiny drawers.  Since I didn't have the supplies with me to make it, and I had a lot of down time (relaxing, swimming, hiking, etc.) my mind became fixated on this thing, and how I was going to make it when we got home.  My normally multi-tasking A.D.D. brain needed to fill the void and continuously ruminate - sound familiar?

The jumping off point was the theme of "back-to-school" for a SU demonstrator monthly contest.  Instead of elementary school age, I was thinking of my kids and niece who are in college, and what gift would a new freshman girl like to have to remind her of home and her mom.  So I came up with this idea of a wall-hanging with little drawers to hold little gifts (cash and coins, candy, chapstick, little lotions, etc.).  Sort of like a care package/wall art thing.  I know I would have loved to have received something like this!

It's made of 16 "matchboxes" that I made with my Big Shot.  I wanted to keep the colors sophisticated yet feminine.  First I collage-stamped tone-on-tone the crumb cake cs with images from "Grunge Rock", and cut out the covers.  Then I die-cut the "drawers" out of rose red cs., to give it some 2-tone interest.

Yes, it took a while to assemble all those puppies!  Once done, I adhered them all to a thick cardboard backing with lots of super strong sticky strip, after having attached the hanging ribbon.  Then the decorating fun began.  I clear-embossed the rose red letters on "First Edition" paper, then layered punched shapes of black cs and the letters.  I love the shine and texture the clear embossing gives to images.  I used 2 different fonts to differentiate the words and give it a bit of a funky vibe.

A button "handle" is sewn onto each "drawer".  Only the 8 boxes on the sides open.  My favorite seam binding ribbons were wrapped through and around the top and bottom rows of boxes, with bows and various matching buttons for embellishment.

Here's the back:

And for the one remaining box (since the title only has 15 letters), I made this butterfly out of scraps that I die-cut and embossed, wrapped with linen thread and gave a little bling...

And, no, I didn't win the contest.  But what makes me sad is that they don't return your project to you, no matter what!  So these images are all I have to remember it.  It was fun to come up with a "story" about who I was making this for, even if it was total fiction.  I guess I could replicate it, but once done, I'm on to the next obsession!!   Thanks for looking, and if this inspires an idea for you, please let me know!

Supplies (all by Stampin' Up):
Stamps:  Broadsheet Alphabet, Grunge Rock, Varsity Alphabet
Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Rose Red
First Edition Specialty designer series paper
Inks:  Rose Red craft, Crumb Cake
Punches:  Scallop Circle, Decorative Label
Dies:  Matchbox Bigz XL, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz, Beautiful Wings embosslit
Ribbons:  Rose Red and Crumb Cake seam binding, linen thread
Other:  Subtles and Neutrals designer buttons, Springtime Vintage big designer buttons, Circle Fire rhinestone brads, clear embossing powder, sticky strip, dimensionals, mini glue dots