Project Finished: Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells Altered Art Box & "e" for My Handyman

Hello Spring! 
I'm so pleased it is finally here!  I'm also pleased to announce, at long last, the completion of a project commissioned by one of my handymen, Randy. Randy and Kent built my craft room which has yet to be showcased here (because there is never enough time to blog about it if you are busy doing it)! 

Randy requested a mixed media embellishment of a wooden letter "e" and a wooden box to give as a gift to his girlfriend.  In this long post are the details of how I transformed the two pieces.  I used Graphic 45's Steampunk Spells paper for the box.  Then, I did a collage using La Blanche stamps and assorted stencils, etc. for the wooden letter.

Randy supplied the lower case "e" because I could not find any lower case ones in the craft stores. He found a wooden one at Woodland Manufacturing online HERE. 

He then built a 12"x12" wooden box for it. Great news for all of us crafters--Randy is selling these boxes.  Ink, Paper, Rubber will have one on display in the near future.

I started by distressing all of the edges of the box with black.  I used a combination of Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Stain and Baroque Art's Guilders Paste, Black.

I used Guilders Paste, Orange on the inside of the box because I wanted a different contrast for the paper I planned to use on the inside.  Guilders Paste comes in 28 different colors and I order from HERE

Next, I used Golden's Matte Medium to adhere the paper to the box. I cut the paper for each surface to allow an eighth inch edge all around on the box surface.  As I worked on each surface, I first coated the surface with the Matte Medium, lightly sprayed the back of the paper with a mister, laid the paper down and used a brayer to smooth the surface.

After waiting 15 minutes, I applied a coat of Matte Medium on top of the surface.

 A second coat of Matte Medium was applied the next day.

To start the paper for the wood letter, I made a template by tracing the "e." 

Then, I cut out copies of the template on La Blanche speciality paper.  I then stamped, stenciled and used Tim Holtz Distress Inks to produce the designs I desired.  One caution: remember to work on the right side of the cut out or you will have a problem as I've shown below.  When I got ready to mount the finished image on the block letter, it would not work because I'd put the images on the wrong side and they were upside down!  I had to make another entire image sheet! Oh well, we learn by life's lessons.

I made quite a few of the embellishments on the front of the box out of 1 and a half sheets of 12x12 Steampunk Spells - Clockworks (gears side).  I rubbed the sheets with Viva Decor Inka-Gold - Orange.  Then, I cut out the following:

I used La La Land Balloon die cut.

 I used Tim Holtz Gagets & Gears die cut.

 I used Tim Holtz Layered Wings die cut.

 Side view to show layers. I used Helmar Scrap Dots between the layers.  I also used it to adhere most of the embellishments to the box.  I prefer this adhesive because it is easy to position items and dries rock solid clear in 24 hours!

I used Spellbinders Shapeabilities Basic Lattice

 Graphic 45 Staples Door Pulls were used for handles.  I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Industrial Chic Embossing Powder and Starburst Sprays to distress the handles.

It was definitely a challenging project and I learned a lot!  I got the nicest phone call from Randy's girlfriend, Eva.  She was delighted with the gifts and it was nice to know she was pleased.