Storing the cards you make

If you make a lot of cards, and I do, you need somewhere to keep them don't you?   I have ring binders with plastic pockets full of cards so why when I need a card to I have to make one?  One reason for keeping them all is the laugh my son and granddaughter will have when I'm gone and they have to sort the house out!  Well the idea makes me chuckle anyway.

So when i saw a concertina folder in a charity shop it became a project in waiting.  First picture is the finished project.

It started put like this and as you can see it was faded more in some places than others.  Not very attractive at all.

First thing then was a covering of white Gesso all over.  The metal catch on the front and the handle on top had to be carefully painted around or cut in I think the term is.  Not something I'm much good at so focus was the key word there.

Next came blue chalk paint all over.  My paint being quite old had become very thick and difficult to spread.  In fact the remains of the pot went in the bin after this.  The effect of this coat is rather shabby and distressed which works well for this project.     

The back (above) came next with a Mackintosh style rose stencil and some white structure paste.   Once it had set I coloured it with felt pens then used a water brush to move the colour around, this also lifted some of the colour which was then used on the second set.   The tissue tape across the middle is something else just lying around in my stash mountain.

Now for the front.   A different stencil and paste for the corners, this did not go as well but the impression is there so some of the left over paste scraped over the edge added to the shabby chic feel started by that chalk paint.  Well when a theme presents its self you gotta go with!  The PSX style Canna Lily was stamped onto the folder next but it did not quite take all over.  So the image was stamped again onto vellum/tracing paper and fussy cut.  This was adhered with a gel medium and careful placement over the original outline.  

As you can see in the side on view the folder is already being made excellent use of, so much so that I will need another soon!

The crafters foam flowers were part of my first attempt, along with the one used and shared recently on a CAS card.   I really love these flowers and plan on making many more as well as trying other things with the foam.  The pearl embellishment was also old stash and just seemed to balance the flowers.   The pearls on the front flap were added last they came from more old stash and the design of them is my own.

So something in a charity shop that was already on the shabby side has now become proper shabby chic storage for my cards.

Thought I'd share this with

Crafty Creations - #415 Anything Goes

Retro Rubber - #147 Anything Goes with a stamp older than a year, the Canna Lily is undated but I have had it in my collection for the better part of 15 years.

Creative Moments - #202 Anything Goes

613 Avenue - Anything Goes I've not used the option this time.

We Love to Create - Always Anything Mixed Media Goes

Creative Artiste - #66 Always Anything Mixed Media Goes

I hope your creative spirit is taking you somewhere nice today.  Stay Safe, Keep Well, Wear your Mask and HAVE FUN.