How to make a Belle and Boo box frame

I've used the cute Belle and Boo papercraft range from Trimcraft in lots of different ways to make cards, tags etc but I thought the papers and decoupage would look great layered up together in this frame. I've shown all the stages in making it and included the measurements etc so you can try it for yourself.  

You will need;

Create Craft 3D frame 23cm x 23 cm

Trimcraft Belle and Boo Christmas 8x8 paper pack

                                      Trimcraft Belle and Boo Christmas 8x8 Decoupage pad
                                        Dovecraft Christmas Basics Wooden Christmas Trees
                                                    Dovecraft Christmas Basics Twine
                                                       Dovecraft Glitter Glue - Crystal
                                                             Dovecraft Crafters Glue

                                                                        white card
                                                                   3D foam squares
                                                                   double sided tape
                           Plaid Home Decor Chalk Paint - White Adirondack and Spanish Moss


                                                                    How to make it:

1. Remove the back, inner frame and acrylic from the front of the frame before painting the whole outer and inner frames with white chalk paint.

2. These are the two sheets you will need from the decoupage pad - you can save some pieces from the sheet on the left to use on another project.

3. Use 3D foam squares between the decoupage layers to make up the image. Make sure you cut off the little "pips" around the images after you pop them out of the page for a better finish.

4. Take two pieces of white card measuring 8cm x 5cm and score along the 8cm side at every 1cm.

Fold these as shown and glue one edge together. These pieces are used behind the main image to hold it up from the back of the frame, giving a little more dimension.

5. Pop out the bunting from one of the decoupage sheets and attach it to the little pegs on the top of the frame to show where the image should be placed.

6. Once you have marked where the main image should go, attach the card "square tubes" to the back of it with double sided tape making sure there is a space for the bottom line and pegs as shown.

Do not attach the line to the image at this stage - you are only marking where it should go.

7. To make the "Roman Blind"....Take a piece of striped paper and cut it to 11cm lengthwise by the full width of the sheet.

Score at 3cm, 4cm, 6cm and 7cm on the 11cm side and fold as shown. Take two pieces of paper from the same sheet (but with the stripes going the opposite direction) measuring the 20cm x 2cm. Score and fold these at 1cm (down the centre) and attach to the top and bottom of the blind with double sided tape.

8. Add double sided tape as shown and stick down.

9. Add a little tape on the back to hold it in place. Do not remove the backing strip.

10. To make the "curtains".. Take two pieces of green paper measuring 20cm x 5.5cm. Score diagonally from the top corners (on opposite sides for each curtain) down to 1.5cm at the bottom. Fold back and trim the bottom as shown.

11. Make a little tassel with twine and attach to the centre of the blind from behind.

Attach the curtains to the blind with double sided tape leaving them at least 0.5cm over the edge of the blind so that they will fir the frame. Add the "Merry Christmas" greeting from the decoupage sheet to the top centre of the blind.

12. This is what it should look like from the back.

13. Put the acrylic front back into the frame. Place the blind and curtains on top and replace the inner frame to hold these firmly in situ.

14. Cut two little cameo images from the 8x8 paper pack and attach one to each of the pegs on the bottom line.

15. Add a little Crafters Glue to the edges of the bunting and the little images from the 8x8 paper and glue in place to the main decoupage image. Add glue to the sides of the pegs and along the area where the bottom line of pegs meets the top of the square cylinder on the image.

16. This is what it should look like from the front. 

17. You'll notice that the paper curtains are just a little bit short for the frame - we're about to remedy that!

18. Cover the inside back of the frame with a piece of checked patterned paper and add Crafters glue to the back of the main image before closing the back of the frame. The Crafters glue will hold the image to the patterned paper once the back is in place.

Paint two little wooden Christmas trees with the chalk paint and add a little glitter glue. Glue these to the bottom right of the frame as shown. Pop out the little squirrels from the decoupage sheet and glue to the frame as I've shown in the photo above.

I hope you enjoy making this as much as I did!!

Demo at Art and Hobby last weekend - thanks for coming

That's another demo ticked off the list! I really enjoyed Saturday in The Art & Hobby Shop - Navan. It was lovely to make lots of new friends and to catch up with Ann in the morning and Geraldine in the afternoon too. I'm very happy to be demoing such beautiful Trimcraft products which are a great hit with customers. Thanks a million to Paula and Danielle for the warm welcome and the obvious enthusiasm:)

We're fed and watered now and well "up the road home". Thanks so much to everyone who came along and made it such an enjoyable day

Packing up for tomorrow's demo

Just packing up now for my demo tomorrow at the Art and Hobby Shop in Navan and thought I'd post a pic of a couple more of my samples. Hope to see some of you there :)

11.00am - 1.00pm and 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Demo at Art and Hobby, Navan - Sat 29th August

Hi again - I'll be demoing the gorgeous new Christmas ranges by Trimcraft on Saturday from 11.00am - 1.00pm and 2.00pm - 4.00pm in Art and Hobby, Navan.

I'll be using the Christmas Wishes papers which I've shown on this card and box along with lots of others eg Belle and Boo, North Pole, Glad Tidings, Jingle all the Way etc.

If you're in the area and are free, do drop in and join us :)

Thanks - Art and Hobby,Jervis St. Dublin last Saturday

 These photos were taken at the end of a very busy day at Art and Hobby, Jervis Street, Dublin on Saturday. I was really happy to see everyone who came along - lots who are not in these photos, as I never even remembered about my camera until someone reminded me! Thanks to Jennifer from the shop for looking after me and to everyone who came along.

Thanks too for the lovely cards etc - you're all too kind :)

 Arlynn, Catherine, Carla, Romana, Mai, Mags, Joan Milly, Marie and Lu and others..

 Carla, Catherine, Marie and Milly

 Oops! I'm in trouble ! There's David back and he's checking his watch. It's after 4.00pm and no sign of packing up! My taxi's going to have to wait ..

I demoed some decoupage, chalk paint and cardmaking - here's a couple of the cards..

 Belle and Boo stamp, wooden button and papers with Trimcraft Snowflake dies and Dovecraft Polka Dot Embossed card

North Pole papers, Dovecraft 5x7 Square aperture card, Christmas Basics bells and Trimcraft Poinsettia dies.

Belle and Boo mini box card - Trimcraft sample for Art and Hobby, Jervis Street, Dublin demo

 This is one of the cards I'll be making at my demo in Art and Hobby, Jervis Street, Dublin on Saturday. The Belle and Boo range from Trimcraft is really popular and I'll be making a few cards with it on the day. 

On this card I've used the 8x8 papers and the  8x8 glitter decoupage sheets.

 Card front

Decoupage

 Side view

Back

Demo at Art and Hobby, Jervis Street, Dublin - August 22nd

UPDATE - I'll be demoing at The Art & Hobby Shop - Jervis next Saturday 22nd August. 

I've just had a phone call from the lovely Steph and we have decided that I will be changing the arranged venue from The Art & Hobby Shop - Dundrum to Jervis Street instead:)

I'll be demoing the lovely new Christmas ranges from Trimcraft along with some Santoro and Willow products. I'll also be using some Promarkers and Plaid Crafts Chalk Paint.

I have to say a big thanks to those who look after me in Trimcraft and not least, Enda, my "minder" in Dublin for making sure that I got all the products well ahead of schedule so that I could get all my prep done before going into hospital.

It will be my first demo for 2 months (yes, it's been that long!) and I hope some of you can come along during the day. I'd love to see some familiar faces

Mini card/tag holder

 This is a mini note/tag/ card holder which I made by joining 4 Dovecraft A7 white envelopes.

I decorated them with 6x6 papers from the Trimcraft Willow collection.

 This is the front and I made a little band to go around the envelopes and added a Willow sticker, ribbon and button to the top.

 It's pretty simple but I liked that idea today - I'm still not using my die cutting machine or punches so it's lovely to be able to use papers etc like this :)

How to make an Easel card using the Dovecraft "Glad Tidings" collection and Mod Melts

The Dovecraft "Glad Tidings" range from Trimcraft has all the beautiful traditional colours associated with Christmas and I've used some of it here to make an easel card with little painted Mod Melt "presents" as the "stopper" for the easel.

You will need:

Dovecraft 5x7 scallop edged card

Dovecraft Glad Tidings 8x8 paper pad

Dovecraft Glad Tidings Wooden Frame

Dovecraft Glad Tidings Plastic Buttons

Dovecraft Glad Tidings A5 Glitter Stickers

Dovecraft Glad Tidings Sequin

Trimcraft Christmas Basics Poinsettia die set

Trimcraft First Edition Nesting Stamp dies

Plaid Craft Mod Melt Mold - Celebration

Plaid Crafts Mod Melts - Milk Glass White

Plaid Home Decor Chalk Paint - Tuscan Red and Spanish Moss

die cutting machine

double sided tape

Dovecraft Crafters Glue

How to make the card

1. Score and fold the front of the card in half.

2. Matt a piece of diagonal striped paper measuring 16 cm x 5 cm onto a piece of green patterned paper measuring 16.5 cm x 5.5 cm with double sided tape and attach to the folded part of the card as shown.

3. Matt a piece of diagonal striped paper measuring 16 cm x 4 cm onto a piece of green patterned paper measuring 16.5 cm x 4.5 cm with double sided tape and attach to the bottom of the card as shown.

4. Use the 2nd largest nesting stamp die to cut a piece of white card and the next smallest die to cut out a piece of stag patterned paper - keeping one of the stags in the centre.

5. Attach these together using double sided tape. Then glue a wooden frame on top.

 6. Add adhesive to the bottom half of the frame panel and attach to the folded part of the card as shown. 

7. Die cut the two holly leaves from patterned paper and glue to the top left of the panel adding two red buttons.

 8. Melt a Mod Melt in the glue gun and fill a "present" mould. Leave to harden for 5-7 mins then remove. Make two of these.

9. Paint the little presents with Tuscan Red and Spanish Moss chalk paint and glue to the card to act as stoppers for the easel part.

10. Add a snowflake from the A5 Glitter stickers, with a sequin in the centre, to the bottom right of the stag panel.