Craft Adventures & Prizes With Tropical Travelogue!

Hello G45ers,

Welcome to this glorious day of fun and inspiration here at Graphic 45! We are so happy that you are joining us today! We've got a whole new week of wonderful craft inspiration to share with you. Plus we have a great new blog contest! Today we're celebrating the grand splendor of our Tropical Travelogue collection. You'll see some awe-inspiring crafts from Jim, The Gentleman Crafter as well as Denise Hahn! Both of today's projects are absolutely amazing and guaranteed to get you in the crafting spirit! There's even a fantastic tutorial by The Gentleman Crafter that you're sure to love! Today is going to be so much fun! In celebration of today's Tropical Travelogue theme, we're giving away this marvelous prize pack for this week's blog prize! All you need to do is leave us a blog or Facebook comment any time this week. We will be choosing one random winner from this week's comments and announcing them on our blog this Friday! So be sure to leave your comments for your chance to win! This week's prize includes a Tropical Travelogue 12x12 paper pad, both Tropical Travelogue sticker sets, Graphic 45 Ornate Metal Door Plate and Knob Staples, Imaginarium Designs chipboards and a pack of Petaloo flowers! Wow! What a prize! We can't wait to read your comments this week!

This first amazing creation was made by Jim, The Gentleman Crafter. It's a gorgeous Tag Armoire that is all decked out in lovely Tropical Travelogue. Jim's crafts are always ultra-inspiring and filled with clever ideas. This vibrant armoire is simply incredible! Want to know how it was made? Jim has created a fun tutorial that takes you step by step through the creative process! Get ready to be wowed, G45ers! We proudly present Jim, The Gentleman Crafter, and his magnificent Tropical Travelogue tag armoire and tutorial! Take it away, Jim!

Tag Armoire

This cool armoire will store all your tags. It has two storage drawers, and a secret place to
stash more tags. This is a chipboard heavy project as each piece listed below is doubled. This
means, for every piece I cut a sister piece that I bonded together with adhesive to give the
armoire a bit more structural integrity. Ok, Let’s get started…. As always, please read through
the entire pattern before you start.

Materials:
Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue Paper Collection
Graphic 45 Metal Tags
Graphic 45 Metal Button Brads
Graphic 45 Hinges (larger)
Idea‐o‐logy Metal Foundation Legs
2 3 x3 Idea‐ology Configuration Boxes
2 1‐1/2 x 3 Idea‐ology Configuration Boxes
Medium Weight Chipboard
Kraft Cardstock
Adhesive of choice
Scor‐Tape
Black acrylic paint
1/8‐inch wooden dowel
4 1 Inch wooden Balls
Mini wooden clothes pins
Idea‐ology hangers

Preparation:

Step 1:

Cut two each of the chipboard to the dimensions below:
All chipboard pieces will be doubled meaning, double the thickness by cutting two of
everything and gluing them together.

Base Box
Top and Bottom‐ 4 ‐3/4 x 9
Sides –2 ‐1/4 x 4‐3/4
Back‐ 2‐1/4 x 9
Front Piece‐ 1‐3/8 x 2 ¼
Interior left and right Pieces – 2 x 4‐1/2
Middle Piece‐ 4‐ 5/8
Drawers
Base Piece‐ 3 x 4‐1/2
Back Piece‐ 3 x 1‐3/4

Front Piece‐ 3 x 1 7/8
Armoire Body
Back Piece‐ 9 x 10‐1/4
Side Pieces‐ 4‐3/4 x 10‐1/4
Top and Bottom Piece‐ 4‐7/8 x 9
Doors‐ 4‐1/2 x 10‐1/8
Decorative Door Pieces‐ 3‐1/2 x 9
Interior Door Jam Piece‐ 1 x 8‐3/4
Base Piece for bottom of Armoire Body‐ 5‐1/4 x 9‐1/4
Top Crown
Base Piece‐ 5‐1/4 x 9‐1/4
Top Pieces (2) 5 x 5‐1/4
Angled Pieces‐ 2 x 9

Step 2:
Pair up your chip pieces and apply your favorite adhesive to the face of one side of each of the
sets. Adhere the sets together.
Box Base

Step 1:
With the sidepiece, apply wet glue to the long side. Line this up with the bottom piece and
hold it in place until the glue sets. Repeat with other side as well as the back piece.

Step 2:

Making structure strips. With a 12 x 12 piece of Kraft or cardstock, cut 1‐inch strips from the
sheet. Next, score the strip in half and apply Scor‐Tape to the left and right side of the score line, making sure not to cover the score. Make several of these in advance so they will be at
hand when needed.

Step 3:

Cut your structure strip down to the size of the left and right side and one for the back.
Prefold the structure strip forming a 90‐degree angle. Pull the tape backing and apply to the
outside edges where the pieces were joined together. This again with add integrity to the box
and hold it together.

Step 4:

Apply wet glue to the two small front pieces; align with edge and adhere. There are three
interior pieces. Two that are exactly the same size and one that is a 1/8 longer. The longer
piece will go in the middle and the two interior sidepieces are glued to the edge of the small 1‐
3/8 x 2‐1/4 piece. Starting with the sidepieces glue the length of the bottom and the two
short sides. Adhere these two pieces in between the front piece and back piece as well as the
bottom. Next, with a ruler find the center between these two interior sidepieces. With a
pencil mark the mid point on the front edge and the back. Apply glue to the bottom and back
of the middle piece and glue into place. Once glue sets, Go back with the structure strips a
support the glued interior pieces.

Step 5:

Have the box top ready; apply the wet glue to the top of all upright edges and interior pieces.
Line up top piece and adhere to base pieces.

The Drawers

Step 1:

Using the bottom drawer piece, glue one of the small and large configuration boxes to it the
chipboard base piece, making sure they aligned. Once the glue has set, apply the front and
back drawer pieces to the boxes.

Step 2:

Paint all edges of the base and drawers with black paint. Once paint has dried mat the
front, bottom, back and sides with cardstock.

Step 3:

Repeat the step above matting all flat surfaces with cardstock. Once done, find the center of
the drawer front and mark. Now, mark 1/16 on each side of the center mark. Use a craftpiercing
tool and pierce through all layers of chipboard and cardstock in the two holes each
side of the center mark. Insert a Graphic 45 Button Brad. Repeat for other drawer.

Armoire Body

Step 1:

Pull the back and sidepieces from your Chipboard pile. Next, lay the back down on a flat
surface; using wet glue again, glue sidepieces to back. Let the glue set. Apply structure strips
to all right angles.

Step 2:

Once the body of the armoire is dry, measure down 2 inches from the top and find the center.
Mark. Next, using a piercing tool or a Crop‐O‐Dile punch a 1/8‐inch hole on the mark. Do this
on each of the topsides. This is for the tag rod.

Step 3:

Cut a length of dowel to 9”. Paint black. Once dry apply wet glue to the end and insert the
dowel from the interior into each of the pre‐punched holes.

Step 4:

Stand the body piece on end and apply wet glue to the edges. Set bottom piece on top of the
glued edges and align. Apply structure stip to edge to support.

Step 5:

Repeat step above for the top piece.

Door Jam

Step 1:

Apply glue to the top, left and right of the door jam piece. Set into place in between the top
left and right side pieces, just below the top edge.

The Doors

Step 1:

Paint all door pieces with black paint and allow to dry.

Step 2:

Prepare the doors for the hinges by temporarily installing the doors onto the armoire body.
Mark 1 inch down from the top and one inch up from the bottom on each of the door fronts
and body piece. This will allow for easy placement later. Once marked, using a craft knife cut
a 1/8‐inch x 1‐inch long slot for the Graphic 45 hinge to fit flush against the armoire. Install
the hinge with long brads.

Step 3:

Take the front decorative door pieces and cover the front with patterned paper. Turn over
and apply score tape to the backside. Pull tape backing and adhere to front door piece,
centering piece on door panel.

Step 4:

Insert a Graphic 45 button brad into the keyhole of a small Graphic 45 Metal tag. Fold arms of
brad back against the tag. Glue tag assembly to the door front at 4” down from the top
decorative door piece edge and over 1/8 from the right side of the decorative door piece.
Repeat all steps for other door.

Step 5:

Apply Scor‐Tape to the bottom of the armoire and adhere bottom base piece to bottom of
armoire. Once done again apply Scor‐tape to the Bottom base piece. Pull tape and adhere to
the preassembled Base.

Step 6:

Mat all sides of the armoire body with patterned paper.

Step 7:

Paint the 4 wooden 1” balls with gold or copper paint. Once dry, dab Espresso alcohol ink
onto the balls. Glue the balls to the top of the four‐armoire body corners.

Crown Top Piece

Step 1:

Paint all edges of Crown with black paint.

Step 2:

Starting with the base piece, mark a line on the top ½ in from each of the longer sides. Next,
cut two pieces of 6 x 1 strips of chipboard and glue them down aligned them with the marks
on the base piece.

Step 3:

Apply wet glue to the long edge of the angled piece and adhere to the outside (front) edge of
the chipboard strip. Allow to dry.

Step 4:

Apply wet glue to the left side of the angled top piece. Starting with the left side top piece,
adhere to angled piece.

Step 5:

Cut a structure strip the same length of the top piece, and pull the tape backing from one side.
Apply the strip to the glued top piece at the right topside.

Step 6:

Pull the tape backing from the remainder of the structure strip. Align the second top piece
with the other top piece. Once aligned, secure structure strip to right side top piece. This is
the secret storage compartment for the armoire. By lifting the “roof lid” you can store extra
tags.

Step 7:

Paint interior of the storage space with black paint.

Step 8:

Apply Scor‐Tape to the bottom of the top piece and pull the tape backing. Align with armoire
body and adhere.

Step 9:

Mat all sides of the top piece.

Embellishing the Armoire

I like clean lines so I never embellish as much as others. I decided to use the metal tags to
accent the armoire. I measured and cut small pieces of paper to place just inside the tags
decorative ridges. Once this was done I adhered these four pieces to the doors of the armoire.
To hang the tags onto the rod, I used Tim Holtz idea‐ology hanger and wooden mini
clothespins. It’s a wonderful way to store these tags or display them by leaving the doors
open. Voila! Your Tag Armoire is Done!

Wow, wasn't that great!? This next amazing Tropical Travelogue creation was made by Denise Hahn. It's an altered ukulele! This wonderful piece is so inspiring! What a clever way to cherish your precious photos! Denise used fun photos of an island adventure as well as lots of beautiful embellishments with the fabulous Tropical Travelogue papers! This piece is so inspiring! It really gets the creative gears turning! Take a look at these wonderful photos and imagine creating a piece like this of your very own! Altered art also makes a wonderful personalized gift. There are so many possibilities!

Supplies:

Tropical Travelogue Paper
Old Curiosity Shoppe (cardstock butterfly)
Tropical Travelogue  Chipboard Tags #1
Graphic 45 Staples Butterfly
Graphic 45 Staples Metal Brads
Want 2 scrap Nestabling Butterfly
Colorbox Pigment ink pad black
Colorbox fluid chalk pad Blue Lagoon
Clearsnap emboss gloss and clear embossing powder
Seam binding- United Ribbons
Glitter Branch- Plus 1 imports
Prismacolor premiere marker- dark brown
silk flower-vintage
metal chain

We hope you all had a marvelous time today! Huge thanks to Jim, The Gentleman Crafter and Denise Hahn for their stunning projects today. We also want to thank you all for joining us for today's craft inspiration. We are so excited to read your blog and Facebook comments this week! Please come back and see us tomorrow for more wonderful works of craft art from our design team! Have a fabulous day!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Comments

[Melissa*H]

WoW!! What amazing creativity!! I love everything, so unique and inspiring!!

[Barbie]

wow how clever! You made it look so easy with your step by step pictures.

[Janet Cobb]

Beautiful! Makes me want to pack up and head somewhere even more tropical than eastern NC in the summertime!

[Kathleen Grover]

What incredible artistry. I feel like I should be bowing to my computer while chanting "I'm not worthy..."

[Solveig]

Beautiful projects! Great tutorial and I love the altered ukulele. So cool! :)

[Lillian Child]

I am going to incorporate my husband and give Jim's project a try. And I do so appreciate the great tutorials as I am a visual type crafter and seeing is so much easier than reading instructions. Thanks to both artists for two AMAZING projects. So very inspiring!!

[Tammy Whitley]

Amazing!

[Marilyn B. Hughes]

Love the Tag Armoire! So ingenious & I now want to make one badly. The altered ukulele is definitely different. Love the papers she used!

Smiles!
Marilyn

[Anne McIntosh]

Whoa! What great projects today. Once again, I'm astounded by the talent on the Design Team! Thanks for sharing these today. I'll be looking for a used ukelele to alter for my friend who is a jazz guitarist now.

[Sharon Y (sharona62)]

I am in awe of the creativity of Jim and Denise! Both pieces show off the versatility of the paper. Thanks Jim for the tutorial-so generous with your time.

[Sally]

Wow! Love all the projects, always so fun to see how it's made. Thanks for sharing!

[karine]

Coucou, waouh c'est super joli, bises

[Kathy Cora]

As usual, Jim really went above and beyond! And the Uke is phenominal. The papers are used beautifully. Thanks DT for sharing your inspiration.

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

Wow wow wow!!! Both of these are AMAZING!!!! Thanks Jim for the step by step and how clever is that guitar?!?!?! LOVE IT!

[Gerrie Johnnic]

If I could only be a fly on the wall of GJim's studio...to watch and learn all he has to offer when he creates....beautiful projects today, as always.

[mary puskar]

I've been an admirer of Jim's work for a long time and this is just a super example of his genius! Love the idea and the paper is just gorgeous! Count me in on that lovely give away.

Mary

[kay]

what fun projects...the uke is amazing, but I'm in love with the Armoire, just shows the papers so well....very inspiring projects!!!

[CatMyers]

What a couple of neat pieces. Love the ukelele idea for vacation pics from Hawaii, and that wardrobe is way cool. I think it'd make a fun doll clothes closet.

[Lori Williams]

WOW! Two awesome projects! And Jim makes his look so easy!! Love both of these projects!

[Orlie]

I can't get over the Design team this time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be making Jim's project. Love the Travel log paper so much. And I love what they did with the ukelele. i just love coming here for fresh new Ideas!!!!!!!!!!

[Beth Arp]

WOW-what wonderful projects, I absolutely love that Armoire! May have to get hubby building for me! So much talent on this page today!

[Nan G]

Holy Smoke! These are so incredible! Love the tutorial, Jim. And the Uke is gorgeous.

[Brenda B]

Yippee! My favorite Graphic 45 paper....Tropical Travelogue is in the spotlight! And the tag armoire would be the perfect craft to create for my scrapbooking room! The question is, do I have the courage to actually use the Tropical Travelogue paper? It is so hard to let go of such gorgeous papers!

[Sue B.]

What detail! Beautiful work thank for sharing.

[Pamela Bennett]

These are two awesome projects! Love them!

[Antoinette]

Wowie..what amazing pieces of art..the papers are beautiful. I am so inspired.

[Susan Loferski]

Oh my god, amazing-I love anything graphic 45!

[JOYCE]

Great projects and the papers make them even better.

[diana giambrone]

Such great CREATIVITY!! It really is what the world needs more of!! Lowers your blood pressure and makes your face break out in an amazing smile!!!
Thank you for sharing!
Inspired now ..gotta run to the art room!
Xox, diana

[Sara Nell Langland]

Really, really great projects today. Love the Gentleman Crafter's tutorials--I always learn a lot from them. And the altered ukelele--what an inspired idea! Thanks!

[Joe Morgan]

Wow, I just love both projects! They are very inspiring and make me want to make my own!

[Mim H.]

Amazing projects! So fun to see how projects are made! Wonderful!

[Natalie Guzman]

OMG!!! I really love both of these projects created with the Tropical Traveloge papers! Such talent in your design team ~ very inspiring!

[linda williamson]

wow! Very impressive.These designers are so creative,I think they could alter the kitchen sink with Graffic45 papers lol.

[Elizabeth Parham]

I am completely stunned ! And thrilled at those step by step directions ! Goosebumps !

[Judy Cartwright]

LOVE this line of paper.............I've made an album with it. I want to get the fabric that matches it too. Great job!!

[charlie LaBonte]

Ok, I have to find my socks, they got knocked off with these projects...

[Sara Russell-Clark]

Whenever I think of an armoire I think of clothes, so its great to a. take my mind off clothes(!) and b. to see it utilised in such a great way - now I know where to keep all my tags!
I cannot wait to get started using Tropical Travelogue papers and dream of holidays to come, also LOVE the ukulele!!!

[Becky D]

Wow! I am totally stunned by today's projects! Thanks so much for the tutorial Jim :)

[Rebecca Harvey]

What a tutorial!