Olde Curiosity Shoppe + Tutorial

I think it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Graphic45 papers, so when Leslie, of Alpha Stamps, asked if I would do a tutorial using their new "Olde Curiosity Shoppe" line, I was more than happy to comply. I had this rather shoddy little house with cubbies that I found at the thrift store for 79 cents (bargain!) and here's what I came up with:

Here's how it was done:

Find a good object to alter. I had a lucky day at the thrift store and found this little house with cubbies for only 79 cents. Gather your supplies. For this project, I used an 8" by 8" pad of Graphic 45 "Olde Curiosity Shoppe" paper, plus a few of their bigger sheets. Also, lots of fun little toys and trinkets, many available from Alpha Stamps.  

Paint the entire item black, and choose several coordinating papers for the background of each box. Cut to size, and ink around the edges.

Glue each background into place.

Using Tim Holtz paper tape, cover the edges of each partition. Trim the tape at each intersection, and fold the edges down to wrap the edges of the walls.

Choose a different paper for the floors of each box, and cut to fit. Ink around the edges, and glue into place.

Cut design elements from the papers and begin to arrange them in the boxes. When you are sure you know where you want each element to go, attach them to the back with foam tape to add dimension. I used some of the G45 stamps designed to go with these papers for extra elements. In this photo, the crow in the center and the Olde Curiosity Shoppe sign were stamped onto heavy cardstock and cut out for use. Now it’s time to start playing around with things you might want to include in each box: old wooden spools, doll arms, game pieces, etc.

If you’re going to add feet, paint them in colors to match your project. The feet used here are wooden candle cups. I striped them, and then painted the lip turquoise with black polka dots for a little whimsy. Attach to the bottom woth E6000 glue.

Keep working with your elements! If you’re like me, you’re going to want to move things around quite a bit before you’re happy with placement. Some things may not make the cut, no matter how much you love them. Add some Dresden trim and some metal embellishments. Cover the back, sides and roof with papers. Ink the edges before adhering.

Begin gluing down your 3D elements using E6000 glue. Cut out several butterflies. Fold each one in half, put a thin line of glue along the body of the butterfly, and adhere randomly, making sure the wings stay folded for a 3D effect.

And you’re done! I filled each box with things I already had. Chances are you’ve got a good stash like this in your craft room. 

Here's a close-up of all the cubbies. I love things like this because there's always so much to look at.