Saturday 5 November 2011

Beer mat gift box

No, not a gift box for beer mats, silly! A box MADE using a couple of cardboard beer coasters that were headed for the recycling bin. Unused ones, I hasten to add, he hee.

I wanted to make a gift box just big enough to hold a few chocolates to give a very special person, and this is what I came up with. There was a tune going round my head at the time, a Billy Joel song called You're My Home, and there's a nice line in it which goes "Home is just another word for you" which seemed very appropriate for the person I was thinking of, so it became a sentiment on the box lid.


The lid and base are made from 2 beer mats which I covered both sides with brown dogtooth-checked paper, sanded a little around the edges. I made a small box from cream card using a box-maker and adhered one beer mat to the top of the lid and the other to the bottom of the base.  This is what the beer mats looked like before they were repurposed:


To decorate, I first used a lacy doily on top of the paper-covered beer mat, then I took a square of paper and made a background by aging it around the edges, crinkling it up and running a distress ink pad over it to highlight the creases. Then I added an epoxy flower embellishment, some roses, a die-cut gingham heart and some pearls.


The ribbon wrapped around the box is a beautiful patterned white ribbon from my good blogging friend, Kevin.

Background is made from some pale pink backing paper which I aged and distressed a little, then I scrunched it up and wiped a distress ink pad over the flattened out paper to show up the creases.


I'm entering this is these challenges:
2 Sisters Challenge - Ribbon (round the sides of the box)
Bearly Mine - Anything but a card
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Lace it up
Cooking It Up With Katie - Anything but a card
Crafts & Me - Let the music move you
Crafty Cardmakers - pink, brown and cream
Crafty Emma's Store - Entertain us, song- or film-inspired
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Secret Crafter - Flowers, ribbon, lace
Southern Girls - Can you hear the music?
Sugar Creek Hollow - Trash to Treasure vintage
Top Tip Tuesday - Make your own background
Truly Scrumptious - Bingo time (Gems-Flowers-Diecuts line, I used pearl gems, roses and a diecut heart)

Have a good weekend all.

39 comments:

RoseC said...

Ooo Carole, your collage work on your beer mat looks wonderful on this distressed gift box! Love how you incorporated Billy Joe's Home is Just Another Word for You as your musical inspiration. So glad to see your entry at the Crafts and Me Digi team's Let the Music Move You challenge. ~ Rose

J said...

A very original idea - thank you for sharing it with us at Crafty Cardmakers...

Jackie xx

CraftyC said...

What a beautiful gift Carole and so beautifully embellished. Your friend will treasure it. Thanks for taking part in this weeks CES Challenge!
Clairexx

McCrafty's Cards said...

Beautiful gift box Carole, I did notice the ribbon :o) I like all the embellishments, clever idea.
Kevin xx

June Nelson said...

Wowser girl this is fabulous oh its so pretty Ilove it!!!!! xxx

Jackie said...

Oh wow Carole, it's gorgeous. I have lots of unused beermats to play with, they were given so I may have to play when I get the chance :o)
Jackie xx

Renkata said...

ohhh wow Carol,
such a romantic and gorgeous box.
Love it.

Lindsay Craftymonster81 said...

Carole this is stunning! such a clever idea and a beautiful box, love everything about it!
Lindsay xx

Dotty Jo said...

Beer mats - really? How gorgeous, Jo x

Lisa Minckler said...

Absolutely gorgeous creation!!! Complete stunner. Lovely work. :)

Thank you so much for playing along with us at Top Tip Tuesday!
And remember, if you have a TIP you’d like to share with us crafters, just write it up in your post and then add TIP by your entry name and you’re eligible for the TOP TIPPER PRIZE as well.
Lisa xx

chrissy xx said...

Fabulous box Carole! One Brilliant idea! LOve your colourings! LOve the distressing! LOve everything lol.
Chrissyxx

coldwaters2 said...

OMG Carole this is fantastic, what great creativity and inspiration, oh I love this so much, brilliant work.
Hugs
Lorraine x

Sonia said...

You did a fab creation, love it!
Thanks for joining us at Lollipop Craft Challenge.
Good Luck!!
-Sony
Sonia-Studio60

Kazza said...

A fabulous collaged box and a great song title and what a lovely idea. Thanks for joining us at Southern Girls.xx

Amber said...

Beautiful and so very crafty! Thanks for playing along this week at Southern Girls!
Hugs
Amber

Anonymous said...

Fabulous recycling, beer mats totally transformed!

Thanks for coming to play with us at Top Tip Tuesday for our Make your Own Backgrounds challenge I hope you can come play again soon you can enter up to 3 times per challenge, hugs Samantha :0) Ps I have candy on my blog too!

sara said...

wow carole your box is gorgeous what a fab idea thanks so much for joining us at truly scrumptious this week
hugs sara x x x

LaJanette said...

What a great little box! I am glad you decided to recycle it into this beautiful creation. Love all of the great details:0) I am sure the person receiving this will be very happy!

Thanks for playing along with us this week over at Top Tip Tuesday; hope to see you back often:0)

Hugs;
Janette

karen said...

Such a beautiful box, very pretty, thanks so much for joining us at CES, hope to see you again, Karenx

Natascha said...

What a lovely project. Love your design and all the little detail work. Thank you for joining us at Bearly Mine "Anything but a card" Challenge. Good luck!

Hugs, Natascha

NanaConnie said...

So beautifully done, Carole! Love that wide, white ribbon you used around the box. Gorgeous flowers. Thanks for playing along at Cooking It Up with Katie this week and I really hope we'll see you again next week. :-D
NanaConnie DT Chef

gina g said...

Wow what a gorgeous little box this is beautiful work. Thanks for joining us at Bearly Mine this time. luv gina xx

Patti P. said...

Carole, this is such a beautiful gift...in itself, not to mention those chocolates. I love the pansy epoxy piece and your distressing is just perfect. Thanks for sharing at Sugar Creek Hollow with us this week.

Patti SCH/DT

Joan Ervin said...

Sooo shabby and beautiful, Carole!!!!! First I looove how you distressed the background paper and then added all the pretty details...FABULICIOUS, gf!!!!! The beer coasters have made quite a transformation!!!! Hope all is well with you...Oklahoma has had earthquakes and tornados....I think I'll stay home and dig a basement...LOL!!!!

downrightcrafty said...

wow a gorgeous creation thank you so much for sharing your lovely work with us at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge
Hugs Kate xx
PS I have some more new candy if you are interested :)

Scrapcat 1 said...

Oh my that's a real work of art whoever receives this will be delighted.
Thank you so much for joining us at Craft Cardmakers this time and we hope to see you again soon.

Heide said...

What a beautiful trash to treasure project! I so love all the detail that you have added to this box, are you sure you want to give this beauty away?? LOL! Wonderful work, so glad you could join us at SCH.
Hugs, Heide

Nancy said...

Absolutely beautiful! Great when you can use those coasters :)

Jennifer said...

Absolutely love this. Gorgeous work! Thanks for playing at CES this week. xx Jenny xx

melsanford said...

Oh this is beautiful! What a fab idea :-) Love 'n' hugs, Mel xx

Linny said...

WOW Stunning! So much to look at. Thank you for joining in at Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.Linda x

Zulma said...

Beautiful proyect! LOL! nice d/p's, embellish and ribbon. TFS with us at 2SC.
Zulma DT

Martica Designs said...

Wowzer from coasters who would believe it.... Great job.

Tara Cardwell said...

What a genius recycling idea - I'm off to the pub to swipe a few ;-)

Renee Matarese said...

What a pretty box! I absolutely love that heart and all of the dimension on the lid. Great project. Thanks for joining us at Sugar Creek Hollow. See you again soon.
Renee
SCH DT

Helen said...

Beautiful box - great recycling!
Thanks for joining us at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge!
Helen x

Lynne in NI said...

COOL! Congrats on your win at Crafty Cardmakers AND Top 3 too! ...well deserved!

Janette said...

Oh Carole this is gorgeous with a capitol G.....xxx

Craftdee said...

Wow, this is fabulous... and so inventive! Mind you if I salvage one more thing "destined for the bin" my hubby will blow a fuse (mmm, let me assess the risk...) Thanks for sharing, Donna