Think Outside The Box With French Country

Hello G45ers,

It's a brand new week of fabulous ideas and inspiration here at Graphic 45! We are so glad you're joining us! Get ready for an extra special treat! Today we're going to show you two unique and gorgeous ideas for French Country altered boxes! First up is a super fun altered cigar box by Kristin Wilson. Then we will share a fabulous tutorial by Gloria Stengel that shows you how to turn an 8x8 Matchbook Box into a beautiful French Country mini album! There are so many clever ideas on today's blog! It's the perfect way to start your week!

We also have a new blog contest this week! Hooray! Just leave us a blog or Facebook comment for your chance to win this fantastic Secret Garden and Place in Time prize pack! It includes 8x8 paper pads, chipboard die-cuts, and stickers from both Place in Time and Secret Garden. It also includes Secret Garden Flowers, Metal Tag Staples and Flower Staples! A $50 value! Be sure to leave your comment for a chance to win! A random winner will be announced on Friday's blog.

First up in today's French Country altered box celebration is this wonderful pencil box by Kristin. We love Kristin's amazing use of paper layering and pretty Graphic 45 Metal Staples! It's amazing what you can create when you let your imagination run wild! Here is what she had to say about this very special work of art.

"This box was altered using an old cigar box. Since I am in school full time I needed a place to keep all of my pens, pencils, and highlighters. This little box is perfect for just that, and what a perfect way to design it using Graphic 45's Staples and French Country Collection. With this being my very last project for Graphic 45, I wanted to make something that I will use for years to come. Every time I look at it I will be remembered of the awesome people I met and the fun I had on this Design Team." -Kristin

Supplies:

Graphic 45: French Country Collection Papers, French Country Chipboard 2, French Country Cardstock Stickers, French Country Tags & Pockets, French Country Banners, Kraft Reflections Collection Paper, Metal Brads, Metal Clothes Pin, Metal Door Pull
Stampin Up!: Twine, Buttons
Maya Road: Wood Buttons

Next up is this wonderful mini album tutorial by Gloria! She really thought "outside the box" with this little treasure! She converted a Graphic 45 8x8 Matchbook Box into a beautiful French Country mini album! Want to learn how it was made? Follow along with Gloria's fun tutorial to create one for yourself or someone you love! Take it away, Gloria!

Some of my all-time favorite things to make are mini albums. I especially like to make them from "junk." I had used the "drawer" of a Graphic 45 8x8 Altered Art Matchbook Box for something else, but I had kept the "box" portion. I did not want to toss it out. (Let's face it; I hoard!)

I am so happy I kept it. I turned the box portion into a mini album. I used 12x12 French Country papers and embellishments to make a cute 8x8 mini. (Please note that you may need 3-4 sheets of some of the prints to create this mini album. Feel free to substitute other papers.)

 

To create this album, follow the directions below.

Supplies:

Graphic 45 paper (12x12 and 8x8):

French Country: French Country, Sunflower, Promenade, Rendezvous, Bon Appetit, Bonjour, A La Carte, Montage

Graphic 45French Country Chipboard Tags, Stamps, Cardstock Stickers, Cardstock Banners, Cardstock Flowers, Cardstock Tags and Pockets

Graphic 45 A Ladies' Diary stamps

Graphic 45 Staples: Altered Art Matchbook Box Staples (8x8), Tag Album (Regular and Large)

 

1. Cut the box apart so that you have a front cover and a back cover, each measuring slightly larger than 8x8 inches.

2. Place strong adhesive on the two interior edges as shown.

3. Create a cardstock spine. Cut black cardstock to 8 1/4 x 12 inches. Score the long edge at: 1", 1 1/2" 2 1/4", 3", 3 1/2", 4 1/4", 5", 5 1/2", 6 1/4", 7", 7 1/2", 8 1/4", 9",9 1/2", 10 1/4", 11". Fold the cardstock in a fan-fold method. Glue the 3/4" sections together to form "tabs." Glue the spine to the covers as indicated.

 

4. Flip the book over and place strong adhesive on the spine.

 

5. Trim cardstock to 8 1/2 x 2 5/8 inches and attach to the cardstock spine. Make sure there is a gap between the covers and the spine to allow the album to close.

 

6. Trim Graphic 45 French Country Sunflower paper to 8 1/2 x 4 inches and cover the spine.

7. Cover the font of the album with Promenade paper, cut to 8 1/2 x 8 inches. Trim out the center. Decorate the cover as desired, using French Country Cardstock Banners, Chipboard Tags, Cardstock Flowers, and various image cut from the papers.

8. Cover the back with Promenade paper cut to 8 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches. Decorate the back and spine as desired.

9. To see a tutorial for creating the paper flower: http://www.g45papers.com/pdf/Graphic45CardstockFlowerTutorialApril11-3.pdf?utm_source=Graphic+45+Consumers&utm_campaign=9f6a8c25b9-Apr11ConsumerNewsletterFlowerTutorials4_9_2013&utm_medium=email  [this is a G45 project sheet)

 

10. Using the spine "tabs," you may attach up to 5 pages to your album (10 sides).

 

11. Decorate the inside front cover with Promenade paper. Cut out the center. Add a ticket sticker to the top center.

 

12. To make the pages studier, attach each right-hand page to a piece of kraft cardstock. For page one, cut Montage paper to 8x8 inches and attach to the spine tab. Add stamped images and other French Country embellishments. Place a black, 5x5 inch photo mat in the center of the page.

 

13. Attach 8x8 inch reverse Sunflower paper to the back of page one to form page two. Add a strip of Sunflower 8x1 inch Sunflower paper to the left edge. Glue the page to the spine tab. Attach the sunflower list image from the A La Carte paper and other embellishments to the page.

 

14. For pages 3 and 4 use one Regular and one Large Tag Album Staples. Spray both tags with a selection of glimmer mist. Used paper scraps to create a pocket on the large tag. Assembled one of the French Country Cardstock Tags and Pockets and attached it to the small tag. Tie ribbon through the holes in the tags. Adhere the tags to the spine tabs. Glue the large tag to the front of the tab and the smaller tag to the back, creating page 4.

 

15. Spray and decorated the back of the tags. Add a 3 1/2 x 5 inch photo mat to the larger tag.

 

16. Each tag has a place for journaling or a spot for a photograph.

 

17. For page 5, cut Sunflower paper to 8x8 inches and attach to the tab. Add a landscape 7 x 5 inch photo mat. To create dimension for the Cardstock Stickers, attach them to a scrap of chipboard, then glue them in place.

 

18. Use the reverse of the French Country paper, cut to 8x8 inches, for page 6. Add a 6x6 inch photo mat to the center. Decorate with chipboard elements.

 

19. Cut Bonjour paper to 8x8 inches and attach to the tab for page 7. Trim out the Good Luck image from A La Carte paper. Stamp images and add a ticket sticker to the center of the journaling block. (The rooster stamp is from My Favorite Things.)

 

20. Create a pocket for page 8. Attach Bon Appetit paper, cut to 8x8 inches to the back of page 7. Cut Sunflower paper (I used a sheet from an 8x8 pad as I ran out of the 12x12) to 3 x 8 inches. Attach on three edges to make a pocket.

 

21. Tuck images cut from the various papers into the pocket. You can also use tags from the Cardstock Tags and Pockets sheet. I also decorated another Regular Tag Album Staples tag.

22. For page 9, cut Rendezvous paper to 8x8 inches and attach to the spine tab. Add a 6 x 4 inch photo mat and decorate as desired.

23. To create page 10, trim the reverse of Sunflower paper to 4 x 8 and attach to the bottom of page 9. Trim Promenade paper to 3 x 8 inches and attach to the top of the page. Trim a strip of Sunflower paper 1 1/2 x 8 inches and attach to the center. Add a 7 x 5 inch photo mat. Decorate as desired.

24. Cut Sunflower paper to 8 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches and attach to the inside back cover. Add an image cut from A La Carte paper and attach to the center of the paper.

We want to thank you all for joining us on this fine Monday blog! We want to thank Kristin and Gloria for their amazing ideas today. Don't forget to leave us a blog or Facebook comment this week for your chance to win that wonderful Place in Time and Secret Garden prize pack! Our winner will be announced on Friday's blog. Join us tomorrow for more gorgeous craft inspiration that is sure to brighten your day! Have a wonderful day, G45ers!

Happy Papercrafting,

Your Friends at Graphic 45

 

Comments

[nitzan]

great projects! thank you for the tutorial!

[S Zacher]

I would love to win this prize! Both are wonderful collections of paper.

[MONICA EDWARDS]

Beautiful project and best wished Kristin to your next crafty venture!! You are awesome...

[Mary Jane W]

I'm never disappointed with the projects featured every day. Thanks so much for the great tutorial!

[Jenny Veale]

Absolutely gabulous projects! I love the inspired way you have used the materials. Thank you.

[Monette Runquist]

OMG - that is so beautiful! My mom would love that for her birthday - thanks for the great instructions!

[Alina Igna]

Wonderful projects! That box is wonderful! Love the embellishments!

[Amy Kluchesky]

I'm a hoarder too. lol In fact my problem is so bad that I buy things that people have discarded at the thrift store to alter and reuse. I think it is such a waste to throw out things that can be turned into something amazing. Great mini, and of course what hoarder wouldn't love to win more scrappy stuff. Thanks Graphic 45 for the prizes and for giving great ideas of what to DO with all this STUFF.

[Mjfischercla]

Remarkable job on the Mini Album! I love seeing things re-purposed or used a little differently than originally designed for.

[Diana Pyeatt]

Beautiful projects and inspiration. Thanks for the chance to win your wonderful G45 products!

[Mila]

Precioso proyecto en las diferentes versiones para usar la caja. es maravilloso. Me encantaria ganrlo.
Saludos

[Lindsay]

Wow! Stunning prize package and the projects you have showcased are amazing as always
Lindsay xx

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

So gorgeous! I love this collection!!

[Barb Wagar]

What a great couple of projects and nice tutorial on them. Thanks for sharing and a chance to win a prize!

[barbara f]

LOVE G45 and French Country...the projects are fantastic as usual!!

[Barbara Thompson]

What a great project!! Who knew. Box turned into an album!! Love it!

[Charlene Goodwin]

Beautiful! Would love to win so I can make one for myself

[Karen Buchanan]

Love these projects! Thank you for an opportunity to win some fab G45 goodies!

[Alison Portelli]

I absolutely LOVE both projects and would LOVE to win ANYTHING G45, so sign me up!!! Thanks for the chance to win yet another amazing prize package!

[Mary H]

More beautiful projects, so creative!

[AnnieS.]

Fab projects, as always. Such wonderful inspiration.

[donnetta firster]

I want to win

[Jo Anne Mason]

Beautiful projects! G45 papers just inspire! No matter my problems, no matter the weather, Graphic 45 makes my day light as a feather!!

[Dorothy]

Oh so pretty!!!

[RheaS]

Love both projects! How beautiful!

[{vicki}]

I'm always amazed me all the wonderful projects shared with us on the blog!

[dorothy]

Wonderful projects! I really love the mini album.

[Melissa]

Great projects today! Love both of them. And the prize package is awesome as usual!

[LindaB]

Wonderful projects, especially the mini album. Wonderful prizes too!

[Sharon Young]

Wonderful box Kristin. What a great keepsake. Love the use of the drawer pull for the handle. Gloria, the album is so fun. Great use of leftovers. It's so hard to just toss that stuff, lol. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Shanda Harrington]

I thought I had a great idea for a mini using my daughters' new photos. This box has completely changed my mind. :-)

[Regina M. Hamilton]

Wonderful projects. I like all the details that were added to them. I love that box.

[Kathleen Rimer]

Thanks for sharing such great projects... This is so pretty. I love the vibrant colors, depth and texture!

[Trudi Hutton]

Wow! love this box! Winning some of your products would be a dream come true!

[Donalda Martin]

Wow what talent and something I think I can do. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Dora]

As usuall, it's a lovely work of art! Now I'll try to make my own using yours as an inspiration! Thanks, and I would love to be the lucky winner... I would even pay for delivery expenses, as I live so far away...

[Maya Ariffin]

I just fell in love with G45 recently & just created a layout few days ago using Secret Garden :)

Oh, love the tutorials! I will try to make something like that when I have time...Btw, please let me be the winner? Lol!

Maya xx

[Christine Schärfer]

Thank you for great tutorials and I will love to try. Got my Secret Garden and French Country paper collections last week. Yeah!!! Just love!

[Debbie]

thanks for the tutorial for making the album, love it. Thanks G45 for all the wonderful chances to win some of your great products

[Patricia Huber]

Beautiful paper and wonderful projects. Who could ask for more on Monday morning? Thanks for the post.