On Crafting And Insomnia...

Yeah.  In trying to come up with a title for this post, I started to ramble.*  I do that.  In real life, too.  I'll just talk and talk and talk.  My Mom says it's because I love the sound of my own voice.  And that's true.  I also love the sound of typing.  You do the math.

*I've edited the title of the post, as it was pointed out to me so pointedly that I forgot to talk about my new stamps.  So see the next post. :-)

Really, I do love the sound of typing.  When I was a beautiful child, I didn't play outdoors.  I stayed inside.  Playing office.  I had a manual typewriter.  Before I knew how to type, I just rhythmically banged on the keys.

About insomnia:  I work all the time.  It feels like all the time, anyways.  I'm also rarely alone.  The past few weekends, the quiet peaceful loneliness of the late late nights has proved too attractive.  Before I know it, it's 5:30am and I'm starting to panic because PEOPLE WILL START WAKING UP.

Last night, I started a crafting spree while enjoying a couple of vodkas- (with a splash of cranberry juice, for the color).  I'm taking a break from my craftomania to post a couple of the things which sprung from my tired hands and wired mind.

I got a wild hair to make an engagement gift for two friends.  They got their wedding rings yesterday.  I  decided they needed jewelry boxes.  As the boxes aren't lined with anything, they're really not 'right' for jewelry, so I am presenting them as 'nightstand boxes.'  You know, little boxes for their nightstands.  They can use them to store spare change...or a watch...or a key ring... or birth control devices... or their favorite pharmaceuticals.  You get the idea.

Probably one of (not THE, but one of) the cheapest gifts ever...

I got the wooden boxes at Dollar Tree.  You know, Da Dee Tee.  The happiest place on earth.  (Get lost, Disneyland.)

I used some 7gypsies papers from the 'Paddington' 6x6 pad.  I found the 6x6 pad at Tuesday Morning, for 1.99.  As much as I love black and white, I couldn't ever think of a way I wanted to use this paper.  Well, I finally did!  And I love how it looks on these boxes.

The sides of the boxes, I painted with glossy white paint.  Not a fancy kind- just some of the very inexpensive kind in the little bottles at all the stores.  After the white dried (not on its own, I got impatient and whipped out the heat gun) I used a scrap of cut up tshirt to rub/smear some camel colored paint over it- kinda like a glaze, I guess you'd call it...  It wasn't any plan, it just occurred to me and I loved the way it looked.  I ModPodged the paper to the top of the boxes, trimmed away the excess,  then sanded the edges just slightly.  I rubbed some Frayed Burlap Distress Ink around the edges and randomly around the top, then edged the boxes with Walnut Stain.  What would we do without Walnut Stain Distress Ink?  What would we do without Mr. Holtz?!  I raised my cocktail and toasted to Mr. Holtz.  Then, I got to work on the initials.  I dug out all my chipboard letters.  After trying out many, many different fonts, I settled on the one that I felt looked similar to the font on the papers.  I painted them white and rubbed Distress Inks on the edges and around randomly.  Lastly, I embossed the letters three times with clear embossing powder.  I Glossy Accented those offers on the top of the boxes and threw my hands into the air- DONE!

Here's a close up of the "R" box.  I love the look clear embossing powder gives- can you believe that's just a little cardboard letter?!  I can't!  You might, because you aren't as easily impressed/entertained as me.

The inside is just painted black.  I did think about lining the boxes with flannel, but I didn't have a black plaid flannel shirt to cut up...  I thought about using the rest of the flannel shirt I cut up to make the Goblin's shirt, and coloring the fabric with Black Soot Distress Stain, but ...  you know.  It was time to freshen my drink.

A parting shot.  It looks like I took the picture all tilt, doesn't it?  No, kids, that's the magic of the 'straighten' option in iPhoto.  I think they should rename it, and call it 'TILTY."  Cuz I've NEVER used it to straighten a photo, I just use it to make them tilty.  Why?  I don't know.  I guess a part of my brain thinks tilty=classy picture.

Alright, back to my worktable!  By way of the bed.  Kory need a nap.

-kory