One Touch of Nature.....in a shadow box

You all know how much I love my earth tones. Well, I wanted to play around with the Touch of Nature set, but I didn't want to do a card. As much as I LOVE making cards, I was in the mood for something different today.

I realized that I had a shadow box still in the package and it had been sitting under my desk for about a year and a half! (Hey, I only hoarded it for a year and a half......that's not nearly as bad as some of the other stuff I hoard.....and technically, I forgot about it, so that's not really hoarding, right? Work with me here.)

It's been a little while since I've done a shadow box and I realized again how much I love doing these. I really need to check out my local dollar store and see if I can find some more of those great boxes.

I wanted to go really earthy with this set so I used two of my favorite colors.....green and brown. I used Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa. Those 4 colors go so well together. And as you all know, I love "swiping" (aka: direct-to-paper), so there's lot of that on this project, as well.

I used my Mellow Moss Craft pad to wipe around the wooden frame. I closed the pad and pressed it against the lid to pick up some ink on the inside of the lid, then used a paint brush to pick up the ink and paint it on the recessed part of the frame edge. That worked perfectly. I kept some of the frame uninked because I liked the bare look of the wood. It seemed to really add to the "earthy" and naturesque (I think I just made up a word) feel of it.

I used the end of the branch stamp with the berry to give the frame edge a little bit of decoration by stamping it along the edge with Handsome Hunter ink. I tried the Always Artichoke ink, but it just wasn't dark enough. It did create a really cool effect, though, because it looks like there's a little bit of a shadow behind the Handsome Hunter images.

If you look closely at the Creamy Caramel strip of cardstock across the center of the shadow box, it looks like it has texture. Actually, all I did with it was stamp the berry/branch image across it with the Creamy Caramel pad and then swiped over it with the Creamy Caramel ink pad.

The striped strip across the Creamy Caramel is a piece of ribbon that I got at *the big box craft store that I dare not speak its name* (said like in the movie, "The Village") and mounted that on top of a piece of Close to Cocoa cardstock (which wasn't swiped *GASP*)

The key to make a shadow box really "pop" is the dimensional layering. I used pop-dots on every layer except for the ribbon that I mounted on top of the Close to Cocoa cardstock.

I'm so used to layering things with adhesive and glue sticks, so the first layers that I put in were done that way and then I realized what I'd done and pulled them out before they were set. DOH! It was a total "Homer" moment.

I'm so glad I pulled out that set today and even more glad that I remembered that shadow box under my desk. Now I wish I had another one down there. Looks like a trip to the dollar store is in order sometime soon.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Creating!

-Stampin' Mama

Comments

[Elishia]

Oohhh....very pretty! I love earth tones as well, and can't stay away from them!

[Marie]

This is GORGEOUS!!!! I love the colors - EE is my favorite color family and it works so well with the others (except maybe most of the BBs ;) ). TFS!!!

[christina fischer]

This is amazing!! Love, love, love the earthy colors! What a terrific project -- thanks for sharing it!

[Misti]

Very nice Erika! I love your swiping! It looks so much better than when I do it!!! You've got the touch!

[Erin Morse]

I really like this project, it has wonderful fall colors. It is some great dimensions to it.

[Stephanie]

I love the colors of the shadow box... You always make beautiful color combinations....

[Carol]

simply beautiful!

[Kimmiek]

I like it a lot!! ( movie voice :})

[Mary C. Anderson]

Like you, Erika I love earthtones. Your shadow box is absolutely stunning. I hope that you have it hanging on one of your walls now.

Mary

[Mary Davidson]

Absolutely beautiful, Erika. I love the colors and the layout. It's the perfect accent for home decor. TFS!

[Kelly]

So pretty great project!

[Linda SS]

Your shadow box really turned out beautiful. What a fantastic & creative idea - nice work!

[Kiim]

Beautiful darling! :-)

[Sharon (notimetostamp)]

What a wonderful project!!! I, too, love doing framed items!!! This is very inspirational -- great colors, great design - TFS!!!

[Betty]

This is beautiful! I think I may have a couple of shadow boxes somewhere around here. I think I'll get to looking and see what I come up with. Thanks for sharing. I am in awe of your work.

[Kim Leach]

What a wonderful gift for somebody! (or were you thinking of hoarding it only for your own self??? LOL!!) I plan on picking up some of those dollar store goodies myself! Was it raw wood or did you alter one already made?? I see a lot of them in the $ store already painted...so I wondered. Love the color scheme, too....some of my favs (aw, couldn't you find a way to use old olive, too!! :I

Kim

[Lourin]

I love the Depth, Dimension and Detail in this project! I am a huge fan of the direct to paper and swiping techniques! Love these shades too. Mellow Moss is the color I just painted a few of my walls in my Studio.. Ill have to share pictures. Thanks for all the inspiration you share.
Hugs, Lourin

[Jillian Curtis]

Beautiful job on the shadow box. I love the colors you used.

I'm new to your blog, please feel welcomed to come visit mine.

Jillian

[Jane]

Wow, this is stunning! Love all the layering.

Jane

[Mary Butler Il.]

I have been reading your blog for a year now and have loved every min. of it. I have gotten so much out of reading it.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with each time i
log on with my moring cupo of tea. It starts my day.
Thank - you
Mary B.