Altered Box Using Tim Holtz's Rusted Enamel Technique

Over at the Artful Times Blog they are having an altered box challenge.  I have had this kraft paper box floating around for sometime.  It was from work and some tiny stuffed animals that we no longer carry came in it.

It's cute, but not my style.  Here is what I came up with...

I started to distress the box using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.  I smudged it on in small patches and then covered it with clear embossing powder.  When Tim does this with a tag he gives it a couple good flicks to knock off loose embossing powder.  I couldn't really flick the box so I used a paint brush and my finger to remove extra embossing powder.  Once I covered the whole box with the ink and embossed it I went back with my Vintage Photo Distress Ink and rubbed that over the entire surface of the box.  The brown ink sinks into the nooks and crannies making the surface look like old leather.  I didn't think the ink was dark enough so I ran my Vintage Photo Distress Stain all around to get a darker color.  

The top had a big label that I peeled off and there was a bunch of residue left behind.  I covered it with a piece of paper and spritzed it with Walnut Ink.  I had roughed up the edges of the paper, but it was lacking something.  I had some of this rusted metal ribbon in two different widths.  The smaller one worked perfectly. 

You can really see the texture in this photo.  

I was pretty happy with how the top was coming along and decided to start working on the inside. You can see from the first picture that the interior was cute flowers.  I would

have worked nicely for another project, but I really wasn't going for cute.  Several months ago I bought a card catalog and it is full of cards.  Full.  The sucker weighs about 100 pounds.  I knew I would use them for something.  They have been patiently waiting for me.

There they are tucked in the corner.

I lined the interior of the box with cards in various directions.  I used Mod Podge to stick them down.  Once they were in I spritzed with the Walnut Ink and Perfect Pearls.

I wanted the interior to reflect a little bit of what was on the outside.  I used a smaller piece of the paper that I used on the top.  I was a dope and closed the box while it was drying.  Since the paper is thinner than the cards it buckled a bit.  I didn't want to rip it out and after looking at it for a bit I decided I liked it.  It looks like it's an old label that is starting to lift after being in there for years.  

The flowers are from Jolee's Boutique and I believe the butterfly is from K & Company.  I colored the pearls using alcohol inks.  I changed out the ribbon from the bright orange to the muted blue seam binding.  

I added some Tim Holtz's Ideaology feet.   

Then a drawer pull that long ago lost it's pull.

The final piece was an award ribbon with a frozen Charlotte.  I love Charlottes.

She is tucked inside of a grunged up tart tin.  

My transformation is complete! 

What have you been crafting?

Jess