Origami Gift Boxes by Martice Smith II

Hi! Martice here, reminding you: it's about that time, friends! The holidays are right around the corner and people are getting ready for gift-giving.

I've always loved a beautifully hand-made gift...who doesn't?! Especially when the gift comes from someone who cherishes YOU just as much as the gift they are giving.

Today, I'm sharing what's on my desk: Origami Gift Boxes!! These are super easy ("last-minute-gifts") to make and I love making them because each part is hand-crafted + I can embellish them however I want.



No two will ever be the same and as a bonus to me, folding paper can be a great stress reliever...especially around this time of year!



I folded several sheets of 12x12 inch scrapbook paper to create these one-of-a-kind origami gift boxes. Some are commercially printed sheets but I adore the gelli printed ones I created myself, so of course I had to use them too.

For the happy snowman box, I applied a string of silver Craft Twinkles Glitter Paint (DecoArt) along all four edges of the lid, after I did all the folding.



Black gesso, is now, one of my 'go-to' mediums when I'm working with anything that has glitter on it. The black gesso (DecoArt) dries to an opaque, matte finish and I love the smooth consistency. It's a perfect contrasting element to use with any glitter or sparkly sprays because it allows the glitter to take center stage and shine, shine, shine!

I sprayed White irRESISTible Colored Texture Spray and Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Sparkle (both from Imagine Crafts) on a piece of lightweight paper that I had dry brushed with black gesso. I was excited to learn that the irRESISTible Colored Texture Spray dries very quick AND has incredible texture!



This paper was used to line the insides of the origami gift boxes. How extravagant!

The box's base was made from collaged magazine pages and covered with tracing paper I painted Lipstick red. I like how the layering of these two papers interact with each other: the text gives a contemporary edge while the soft transparency of the tracing paper keeps it toned down yet allows some energy to still be present.

Another box is created from my stash of gelli prints. I added my graffiti script with a Micron brush pen.

The inside is lined with sparkly paper and commercial scrapbook paper.

Tags were made with recycled cardstock from product packaging. I used the Tags & Labels stencil (Americana Mixed Media), threaded mini jingle bells and glass berry beads on the embroidery floss for some festive charm.


To complete my Origami Gift Boxes, I stamped Snowmen w/ Scarf in Onyx Black onto the white tag. Look how much fun he's having in the snow! I love the snow and can't wait to jump in it myself!

Snowmen w/ Scarf stamp

 

 A smaller piece of the sparkly paper was folded to create a pull tab for the lid and glued on top of the embroidery floss.

I hope this project has encouraged you to present your gifts in a more personalized way.



Do you like gifting hand-made items to your friends and family?



Happy holidays!

----------
Products used:

RubberMoon Stamp: 
ge2747 - snowmen w/scarve

Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts:
White irRESISTible Colored Texture Spray, Sheer Shimmer Spritz - Sparkle, VersaFine Archival Instant Dry Pigment Ink - Onyx Black

DecoArt Products:
Black Gesso, Craft Twinkles Glitter Paint Writer, Bahama Blue
(Americana Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints: Chartreuse & Lipstick)

Stencil:
Tags & Labels (Americana Mixed Media)

Other:
"Snowman Sam" and "Black & White Sketchy Ornate" 12x12 inch scrapbook paper (The Paper Studio), Selection of gelli printed papers, White cardstock, embroidery floss, glass berry beads

All Dolled Up!!

RubberMoon is thrilled to introduce Guest Artist Chris Rowe from the United Kingdom. Chris has been a participating artist on numerous design teams and has designed stamps for two UK companies. She also oversaw and managed the UK Fiskars blog.  A self-taught artist, Chris is a lover of the understated graphite pencil and "grown-up" coloring. She also loves to paint, stamp, journal and create mixed media art. Here is her post for us today from across the pond:


Hi All, my name is Chris Rowe, I live in the Northeast of England and I am thrilled to be here as a guest artist today!

I hope this post isn't too long for you because I got a little carried away.... I hope you enjoy what I have to share and gain a little inspiration from it for your own projects.

Okay, off we go.  First of all, I am happiest when I have some sort of drawing/colouring implement in my hand and doodling is one of my all time favourite things to do so I thought I would share how I did the masterboard for my projects with you first. (Your master board can be any substrate, of any size)

Supplies you will need for your Masterboard:

Paper or lightweight card, RubberMoon stamp #KP5084 --three rings light stamp (and a stamping block if your stamp is unmounted), Acrylic paints, old credit card or piece of strong thin cardboard, a piece of acetate, marker pens, paint brush and water for cleaning, kitchen roll, baby wipes and a white paint pen (optional)

For this part of the project I have used only one stamp, #KP 5084, but you can use as many as you like.

Step 1:
Put a piece of acetate on a flat surface and apply an amount of your base colour using it as a pallette,  I chose pale green first of all and I used an old credit card to pick up the paint to spread a thin base coat of paint all over an A4 piece of paper. (Unfortunately I forgot to take a photograph of this sorry).

Step 2:
After your base colour you will need to choose at least another two colors. I chose a mid blue and crimson. For the purpose of this tutorial I will assume you are using the same. Using a paintbrush, paint random dots and circles all over your page after your base colour has dried. They don't have to be perfect, just have fun.

Allow to dry.

Step 3:
Clean your acetate with a baby wipe and apply some of the blue and crimson acrylic paint to your pallette and drag your old credit card over the paint to spread it into a thin layer as shown.

Step 4:
Using KP5084 - Three rings light.

Stamp into the crimson paint and then stamp the image into and over the blue circles on your paper.  Clean the surface of your stamp with a babywipe and then repeat with the blue paint onto the crimson circles, also use the stamp using both colours randomly over the rest of the background.

Step 5:
Using markers ( I used 3 coloured sharpies) colour in some circles and add doodle petals to others.

Step 6:
Still doodling but this time adding doodled circles. It's a little time consuming but sooooo therapeutic!

Step 7:
Keep doodling with circles, petals and dots until you have an effect that you like.  It doesn't matter how random your doodling is because you aren't going to use the full sheet as it is.  So add as much or as little doodling as you prefer.  Personally I forget when to stop lol.

This is the first stage complete.  Now you just have to choose which projects you want to use it on.... IF you can stand to cut it up.

So now for some more stamping and I like to think out of the box sometimes when using my stamps, to see what else I can create with them for mixed media artwork or for using in my journal.  So I had a little play around.

To play along you will need the following stamps which are available from www.rubbermoon.com

KP5132 Circles upon circles
MK9199 Art set
SC128 Lucy w/bunny ears
MK593 Garden gate
White paper or Card
Black ink of your choice
Stamping block (if your stamps are unmounted)

You need to stamp out each image using black ink onto white paper or card. but you should also stamp an extra Art set.

 

Cut out each stamped image and remove the parts that are coloured in the image above.  You will be left with the pieces below.

You are going to create your own dancer doll and this is where you need a piece of your masterboard for the background. I chose this area and added more doodles with my Posca white paint pen.

Arrange your stamped pieces into a paper doll, you can see mine below, you can choose your own pose but make sure that the piece of masterboard you cut is large enough to place her on.

Stick down the circles upon circles as a stand for your dancer and when you have her arranged adhere the arms, legs and head of your doll before you place the body part on top.  I finished off by adding words on white paper that I wrote, but you could type them if you prefer.  You can add your mixed media piece to whichever project you like afterwards.  She looks good matted onto the front of a notebook....

But I got carried away and used some more of my masterboard to cover the bottom of a box and added my piece to the top.

I also had to use up the left over pieces of my masterboard so I stamped KP5132 and SC128(twice)  to create a gift card....

And a cute mixed media necklace :D

Thank you for staying with me to the end.... see I told you I got carried away.... smiles.  I hope that you like what you have seen... now go play.  You know you want to!
Chris x

p.s. You can find me on my blog here if you would like, although I have been a bit neglectful of it as of late there is still a lot to see.