Sunday, February 15, 2009

Hedgehog Nesties Box {& Bling on a Sneaky Preview}



This was an ultra fun project for Jessica's "Bling it On! challenge" & it's a sneaky preview too... for the new LPS release: {Happy Hedgehog} (Little Paper Shop release this Tuesday.) If you're up for a challenge, grab your LPS stamps come glam it up with us! :O) Bring on the bling! (Is there any word as fun too say as "bling?") heehee.

Do you think a whack o' glitter & crystals is blingin' enough? ;o)


Do hedgies like shiny things?

Makin' a
Hedgehog Nestie Box:

Prep Nestabilities Pieces:
(top & bottom)




Step 1) Die Cut four Nestabilities & emboss (Spellbinders Label 2 Nestabilities, embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder)



Step 2) Die Cut two nestabilities cardboard pieces & paint edges (U used gesso, but any craft paint would work, of course)



Step 3) Adhere the two white embossed pieces onto the cardboard (sandwich that cardboard)



Step 4) Brush on some gesso for funky texture



Step 5) Apply some ink (This is SU's retiref Cool Caribbean-- i still love that colour!)



Step 6) Wipe off excess ink: nifty texture. :O)

Bling on the {Happy Hedgehog} Image!



Step 1) Stamp the Hedgie & colour him (or her) in <---hedgehog feminism, harhar (For the blues I used Nile Blue BG45, Frost Blue B00, and a homemade Stream alcohol ink marker, made like this):



Making your own custom alcohol marker or copic is really easy: This is Ranger's alcohol ink (Stream) in an empty Copic Marker. I love that colour & the tips on the Copics too so this is perfectamundo in my book.

(I borrowed this idea from the ultra talented Lisa. She took the nib out, but I cheated and just squirted a bit of ink on the nib. I add ink when it's dryish, so less evaporates...<---a mel-bird says "Cheap! Cheap!")


To make an alcohol ink Copic marker...
1) Hold the empty marker (or stand it in something)
2) Drop ink one drop at a time & clean it up
3) Tidy any spillage
4) Label if you like (draw colour on lid & write on with Copic Multiliner

It's a good way to use up an old muckied up Colourless blender. (For darkish colours anyhow. The new alcohol ink obscures any mess on the old blender tip & then you can use a new empty Copic marker ($1.oo cheaper usually) to refill with clear blender solution for a new colourless blender. Just swap out the lids that say "Colourless blender"...



Step 2) To colour the rest of the image I used these Copic Markers: Apple Green G-14, Warm Gray No.1, Putty YG-91, Skin White E-00, Sugared Almond Pink (Ciao RV-02), Clay E-44 and Dark Bark E-49.

To glitter it,
(pictured up there) :O) add Quickie Glue Pen to anywhere you'd like...



Step 3) Cover in glitter and shake! shake! shake!... shake! shake! shake!... Shake your hedgie! hehehe Sorry! (but not really) ;O)

(Hedgehog Fashion Editors note: Happy Hedgie's Couture statement is Dazzling Diamonds by SU. A timeless classic you can pair with any colour.) teehee



Step 4) Add Sakura Stardust glitter pen details



Step 5) Cut mat with Nestabilities, Layer it, & Add bling

(That's Aqua Rhinestones by Kaiser) & some glitter sprinkled on a glue pen outline around the label--layered.

(Layering is big in hedgie fashion this year! hehe. ;O) Even bygone year's classics are forgivable when layered: this retired SU dp has a marker trim (DIY Stream alcohol ink marker) and the Cool Caribbean mat has been drybrushed with Gesso:



Dry-brushing with Gesso is an easy (cheap cheap) way to add extra texture



Step 6) If you wanna, add a shadow to make the hedgie look like he's jumpin' in the air. :O) This shadow uses Warm Gray No.1 & Putty YG-91. (It looks more blended in real life, honest.)


Assembling the Nestie Box:



Download the Template HERE

Step 1) Build the Box:

1) Print the template on Cardstock
2) Score it
3) Cut it out (i like to cut off the black lines)
4) and assemble with sticky tape




Step 2) Add adhesive to the inside of the Nestabilities pieces & stick on ribbon. Repeat for the top & bottom. (This is SU's taffeta ribbon in white.)



Step 3) Embellish box however you like. I added more bling. :O)



Step 4)
Adhere the Bottom & Top pieces to the box.

That new hedgie looks happy in his new digs, huh? I'm guessin' I'll have to fill it with those hedgehog chocolates. (NO chocolate allowed in this house even for photos--it finds it's way to my lips & makes a home on my hips!...where it has to fight with the chips! muhaha. Sorry for the corny humour...) ;o)

...and that's all she wrote!



...Coming soon to a post near you:
Blingalicious buttons...

Want more Inspiration?

Here's my sketchiness:



14 comments:

linda said...

What a lovely, gorgeous little box! And thanks for the tutorial!

Anonymous said...

hi mel i hpe you got some bling to put in hedgehog and shake shake shakelol... call me , lady

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Your tutorials are just magnificent. Thanks for sharing.
x Natasha x

Elena said...

How cute!!! I love this little hedgehog! Love the box you created! Thank you for the tutorial, Mel!

StampinCathy said...

WoW! This box is just fabulous and so inspiring. I just love the colors and technique you used. Your card is so pretty.

wwilloww said...

You are so funny!!! I love reading your instructions as much as trying your techniques!! AND,that hedgie looks glorious!! Thanks soooooo much!!

loftylass said...

Hi Mel - I just love your sense of humour - the box and hedgie were cute too!!
HW

Crafting Queen said...

wonderful project! Love the cute image and the colours. Great tutorial.

Jennifer_GlitterInMyHair said...

I love reading your posts Mel!! This box is adorable, I love all the bling and glitter, and thanks for the tut it's FABULOUS! Always get the best ideas from you.

Jessica Diedrich said...

This is BLINGALICIOUS, Mel! I absolutely LOVE everything about this...OMG it's SO amazing! You rocked this preview, AND my challenge...to the max! I love it!!

Cazzy said...

I'm not keen on the hedgehog but the box is great Mel.

Lexxie said...

Thank you so much for your lovely comment on my blog, and I'm so glad in turn to have found you!
Your creations are AMAZING and I love your tutorials.
Will definitely be back to see more,
Love Sarita xx

Sue from Oregon said...

Great project Mel...I have a question, do you use a certain type of cardboard in order to cut with your nesties?

Maria said...

Hey Mel, wow love your box. That hedgehog is adorable and the cover is so pretty embossed and all.

Great idea with the homemade copics. . .I have a whole bunch of alcohol ink refills. I will definitely have to try this out!

Your button is gorgeous too!! Love the rhinestones but I don't know if I could work with such tiny things the way you did on your button. .. I can barely add a rhinestone to my card! LOL!

thank you for the template and tutorial!! You're fabulous!

maria