Next Level Style With Couture Tutorials

Hello G45ers,

It's always a good time to be fashionable! Our new Couture collection is a celebration of beautiful style and elegance! Today we're going to share some stunning crafts that take beauty to a whole new level! You'll see a dazzling Couture altered frame by Clare Charvill. Then Annette Green will take you on a fun step-by-step tutorial through the creation of a gorgeous altered 8x8 Matchbook Box! Both of today's crafts would be perfect for pretty home decor or beautiful handmade gifts! With our Couture collection, it's easy to find your signature style! Let the creative journey begin!

It's Monday and you know what that means! It's time for a new blog contest! This week we're giving away this beautiful Couture and Sweet Sentiments prize pack! You could win a Couture 8x8 Paper Pad, Sweet Sentiments 8x8 Paper Pad, Couture Stickers, Couture Banners, Sweet Sentiments Tags & Pockets, Sweet Sentiments Chipboard Die-Cut, Ornate Metal Keys and Metal Butterflies! That's a $51 value! Just leave us a blog or Facebook comment this week for your chance to win. A random winner will be selected from this week's comments and announced on our blog this Friday! Stay tuned to see if you've won!

And now it's time to get fashionable with pretty Couture crafts! Here we have a perfectly vintage-inspired art deco altered frame by Clare! This is such a fun and beautiful idea! You can find inexpensive frames at thrift stores and other bargain retail establishments. It is such a joy to turn an old frame into a breathtaking work of art with Graphic 45! The elegant patterns and bold colors of Couture make it perfect for creating unique home decor like this! The art deco style of Clare's lovely frame matches perfectly with the theme of this amazing collection. We also love Clare's use of the Couture Cling Stamp 3 for the central image inside the frame. This creation definitely takes style to a whole new level! Here is what Clare had to say about it!

"I used papers and stamps from the fabulous Couture collection to make this art deco style picture frame.  It’s not an expensive project to make, but would make a lovely gift.  I love the oranges and blues in the collection and used tiny off cuts I had left over from earlier projects for the inlay in the frame. There’s a tutorial on how to make it if you’d like to have a go yourself." -Clare

Video Tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBMWtTNnkmA

 

Supplies:

12 x 12 Fashion

8 x 8 Fashion

off cuts of 12 x 12 Couture & Classy for inlay decoration

Couture Cling Stamp set 3

Other Supplies Used

Foam Tape

Art Glitter – various colurs

Black & Cream Card

Black Acrylic Paint

Glossy Accents

1 sheet 2mm A4 chipboard

White Smooth White card for stamping

Memento Ink

Copic Ciao Markers E41, E000, E18, B00 B010 BG000

Sizzix Frame, Ironworks 657556

Next we have a fabulous tutorial by Annette to share with you. She created this remarkable Couture altered 8x8 Matchbook Box and filled it with lots of beautiful ornate objects. Let the lovely vintage style of this fabulous box inspire you to create one of your very own! It's so much fun to customize your altered Matchbox Box and fill it with little treasures. This darling creation also makes a gorgeous gift idea for friends and family! Have fun creating your own exquisite altered box by following Annette's marvelous tutorial! Take it away, Annette!

"Living in a small house, I find I don't have much tabletop space for displaying art pieces so I like to create projects which can be hung on the wall on propped on a shelf. Graphic 45's matchbook boxes are so versatile, they can be so much more than just a box with a sliding drawer. With the lovely Couture paper, an 8 x 8 matchbox slid open halfway, and two added panels of chipboard I created a display piece for my office wall. I love Couture because of the warm tones and the highlight of blue. Deep and rich while feminine too. It was great fun to hunt for small bottles, an antique hand mirror, and other treasures to fill it. Everything is securely glued so nothing shifts about." -Annette

Supplies:

Graphic 45  8 x 8 Matchbook Box

Couture Collection Double-Sided Cardstock Flowers

Couture Collection 12 x 12 Papers, one of each:

    Couture   #4500813

    Fashion (back side)  #4500814

    Beautiful  #4500816

Chic   #4500818

Fabulous (back side)   #4500821

Graphic 45 Ornate Metal Label Holder

Core-dinations Signature Series cardstock for Graphic 45, Kraft

Other:

Chipboard

Ink and dauber to distress edges, if desired

Adhesives: Glue stick, hot glue, Scor-Tape and tacky glue

 

 Tutorial:

 

1.  From “Couture” paper, cut apart the lace border.

Cut an 8 ¼ x 8 ¼  inch square from the lower center of the paper.

Cut apart the flowers and leaves in the upper left corner.

Cut the word “Couture” from the upper right corner (This cut is not shown in photo. This will

be used behind the metal label holder.)

 

 

2. From “Chic” paper, cut an 8 x 8 inch square from the lower right.

    Cut a 4 x 8 inch piece just above it.

    Cut apart the flowers and postage from the upper left.

3. From “Beautiful” paper, cut away the three tickets and an 8-inch strip from the lace on the

   lower right corner.

4. Adhere the 8 x 8 piece of Chic into the base of the matchbook box and adhere the 4 x 8 inch
   piece to the box frame’s inside top.

5. Cut four strips from “Fabulous,” using the back side of the paper, 1 ⅝ x 8 each. Adhere to

   inner walls of the base of the matchbook box.

6. Cut strips from “Fashion” using the back side of the paper:

    Two at 1 ¾ x 8 inches; adhere one to top and one to bottom of the outside of the matchbook

       box base.

    Two at 1 ¾ x 4 inches; adhere to lower portion of the left and right of the outside of the

      matchbook box base.

 

   

7. To create a shelf and topper for the boxes cut two pieces of chipboard:

Chipboard Topper: 2 x 8 ½ inches

Chipboard Shelf: 1 ¾ x 8 inches

 

Cut Kraft cardstock 2 x 9 ½ inches and adhere (centered) to the Chipboard Topper. (It will be longer than the chipboard so it can fold over and adhere to box sides later.) Cut another piece of “Fashion” (using back side) 1 ¾ x 8 ⅜ inches and adhere to Kraft side of Chipboard Topper, centered.

 

Cut Kraft cardstock 1 ¾ x 10 inches and adhere (centered) to Chipboard Shelf (it will extend past chipboard). Cut another piece of “Fabulous” (back side) 1 ¾ x 8 inches and two small pieces 1 ¾ x 1 inches. Adhere to Kraft side of Chipboard Shelf as shown.

 

8. Flip over the Chipboard Topper and Shelf and then cut two more pieces of “Fabulous”:

   For Chipboard Topper, cut one piece 2 x 8 ½ inches and adhere, centered.

   For Chipboard Shelf, cut one piece 1 ¾ x 8 inches and adhere, centered.

   Add Scor-Tape to side flaps as shown. Set aside.

 

9. For the frame portion of the matchbook box, cut two pieces of “Fashion” back side 1 ¾ x 4

   inches each and adhere to upper inside walls.

 

   From the 8 x 8 piece of “Couture” that you already cut, using the back side, cut out a square

   from the center of the paper measuring 5 ¾ x 5 ¾ inches. Adhere to front of matchbook box

   frame.

 

10. Adhere Chipboard Topper to box frame’s top and sides using tacky glue to secure the top

     edges and the ScorTape flaps folded over the sides.

 

     Cut two more pieces of “Fashion” (back side) 1 ¾ x 8 ⅜ inches each and adhere to sides of

     box frame. In this step, you will cover up the kraft flaps from the Chipboard Topper.

 

11. In the base of the matchbook box, create your shelf by adhering the Chipboard Shelf piece

     across the center, securing the Scor-tape flaps to the inner walls of the box as shown.

 

12. Apply tacky glue to the upper half of the box base’s edges, including the front of the

     Chipboard Shelf. Quickly slide the box frame onto the box base, lining up the bottom of the

     frame with the Chipboard Shelf. Press to adhere and let dry competely.

 

     Cut four thin strips of “Fashion” (back side) at ¼ x 5 ⅞ inches each. Adhere to box frame

     opening.

 

     Fussy cut flower and leaves; flowers and postage pieces and adhere to corners.

 

13. Layer double-sided cardstock flowers as desired and adhere to box with hot glue.

     (Note: “leaves” are cut from the peacock side of the largest flower shapes)

 

13b. Adhere the word “Couture” to the box frame and affix the metal label holder over it using

       brads.

 

14. Layer more flowers as desired; cut apart three tickets and fan out. Adhere this unit to inside

     of box base in lower left corner.

 

15. Create another flower cluster as desired. Adhere this unit to frame as shown using hot glue.

 

16. Add small items to your display piece like picture frames, knick-knacks or memorabilia.

 

We hope today's blog helped add some pizazz to your Monday! Don't forget to leave us a blog or Facebook comment this week for your chance to win that amazing Couture and Sweet Sentiments prize pack! Big thanks to Clare and Annette for their stunning work today! We had a lot of fun sharing their gorgeous creations with all of you, G45ers! Thank you so much for stopping by our blog today! There's more inspiration in store for you on tomorrow's blog. We hope you'll stop by and see us again. Enjoy your day, G45ers!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Comments

[Sarah Clarke]

I am in love with Graphic 45! It would make my WEEK/MONTH to win this!!

[Pat Peele]

Lovely projects with couture!

[Paper Profusion]

Stunning projects - you can never go wrong with G45 collections really! Thank-you so much for chance to win. Nicola x

[sara mcdowall]

Wow what amazing collections and breathtaking work... Always get so excited and inspired when I see the work the team creates they just blow my mind.. Thanks so much for sharing and keep it up.. I adore graphic 45.. Sara

[Nuria]

Unas explicaciones fantásticas para realizar un proyecto con unos papeles maravillosos.

[HawaiianLibrarian]

Just can't get enough Graphic45! Love the projects, tutorials, and inspiration! Mahalo for sharing, and the op to win.

[Charlene M.]

Beautiful projects and a chance to win 2 wonderful Graphics 45 collections! Thanks so much!

[Becky Redfern]

Just beautiful!

[Danielle Copley]

Always love to see what Claire comes up with! Love the Couture collection right after Botanical Tea! Hurry up February so I can buy you both!