Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow...

Hey everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and looking forward to the week ahead! As always on a Monday, it's time for a brand new challenge over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and this week, the theme is USE RED because LOVE IS IN THE AIR! Whether you want to create a Valentine's project or just use red because you love the colour, we can't wait to see what you create and hope you'll join in with the fun and play along with us!

For my project, love was definitely in the air as my mind turned to Cupid, his arrows and some Love Potion No.9 and I created a treat box, decorated and then filled with a gift for a lucky recipient. If you're making a box then why not add chocolates, heart confetti or a special note telling them how much you appreciate them, whatever you decide and once you have your basic box decorated, it's up to you where your imagination takes you of how to fill it...

To begin with, I created my little cubed shape box which is approximately 3" in size and has an opening at the top. At this stage, you really can use any shaped box that you have to hand, it's entirely up to you and will work just as well or like me, if you have the Sizzix Block/Cube 3D die, this will work perfectly.

I cut my box from white mount board and then gave the outside of the box a coat of black gesso, applying masking tape along the inside edges, so that this remains white. I added small amounts of gold paint down each of the joins of the cube and then whilst the box was drying, I started to make my painted panels which would fit on all the sides of my cube. I cut pieces of Manila card slightly smaller than the sides of the box and then added a coat of Festive Berries Distress Paint over the top. Heat dry before adding the next layer of Spun Sugar, followed by Picked Raspberry. I dried the panels thoroughly before stamping the Love definition wording randomly onto each panel and then adding scrapings of gesso using an old credit card. Finally, I flicked small amounts of Black Soot Distress Paint over each panel.

Next, I used some Crimson Red and Gold Rush Glass Glitter mixed with Prima Soft Gel and applied this randomly to the sides of each of my panels.

Once the glitter is dry, attach the panels to the sides of the cube. Tie a piece of Crinkle Ribbon around the box and secure with a scruffy bow on the top. Add a small heart charm to the centre of the bow.

I used the Heartfelt die to die cut three of the largest sized hearts from chipboard and applied a coat of Festive Berries onto each heart. When the paint is dry, I used my fingertip to add a layer of Glossy Accents over the top of the hearts and sprinkled each of them with Festive Berries Distress Glitter. Allow for the glitter to dry and then distress the edges of the hearts with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Attach the hearts to the left and right hand sides of the cube and place the final heart on the front. Add a small amount of Treasure Gold Gilding Wax to the Signmaker Alpha Part letters, "XO" and then attach them to the centre of the glittered heart.

Finally, create your trophy cup by applying alcohol ink to the cup to make it look more vintage and adding a vial sticker to the front. I used Remnant Rubs to add the wording "No 9" onto the sticker.

I then added more of the gilding wax to two adornment arrows which a popped into the cup together with, a Mini Tattered Floral flower die cut from Core'Dinations card, some Boxwood twine and a bingo piece, attached to a Memo Pin.

I then popped the cup on top of my cube as a beautiful, removable keepsake decoration!

...and that is how I made my little treat box, ready to be filled!

As always, if you need any further inspiration for this challenge, then you need look no further than our blog to see all the wonderful creations from all the very talented Design Team members and every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....

Just click on the link below to go shopping:

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Thank you so much for all your visits today and hope you all have a great week ahead

See you again soon...love Emma xx

Products used:

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Dies: Tiny Tattered Florals, Heartfelt

Tim Holtz Stamps: Love Struck

Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

Distress Paint: Picked Raspberry, Festive Berries, Black Soot, Spun Sugar

Mediums: Jet Black Archival Ink, Treasure Gold Gilding Wax, Glossy Accents, Festive Berries Distress Glitter, Prima Marketing Gold Rush Glass Glitter and Crimson Red, Prima Flowers Soft Gel, Black Gesso, Gesso, Ranger Gold Metallic Paint Dabber

Idea-ology: Crinkle Ribbon, Adornment Arrow, Trophy Cup, Signmaker Alpha Parts, Numbers Remnant Rubs, Heart Charm, Boxwood Twine, Vial Labels, Bingo Pieces

Surfaces: Manila Card Stock, Kraft Core Core'Dinations Card Stock

Ranger Craft Sheet

Blending Tool

Heat Gun

Big Shot

Mount board and Sizzix Cube Die from my own stash