Dungeons & Dragons Faux Book Box

Dungeons & Dragons Faux Book Box

Jess here today with a geeky installment for GSLC. I've created something specifically for use in roleplaying games (Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Savage World, etc.). I'm using the Faux Book Box from GSLC.

As this book box will be opened and closed frequently, I used black duct tape for the hinge on the box. Black is easier to hide than other colours would be.

On the inner side, I cut it in half and tucked it down here to hold better.

I printed off a symbol I wanted to use on the front of the box - in this case I've used the dragon ampersand symbol from Dungeons & Dragons. I thought it was fitting.

I took my small glue gun and filled in all the areas with hot glue - this was time intensive. Don't expect it to look as flat and "pretty" as it would if you were using clay or something akin to it. The hot glue dries really quickly, and you can only go so fast as you're filling in. What I ended up doing was adding texture on top of the base glue, to purposefully give it a more "worn" look.

I tore away the paper underneath, using water when needed (it won't affect the glue, just the paper). 

Then I covered the hot glue symbol in a layer of gesso and let it dry before painting it with two coats of red paint.

Then I made a mixture of white glue and water (about 1:1 ratio) to start on the textures for the book box.

Using some old Halloween tissue paper, I crumbled it up and then pressed my glue mixture underneath and on top of it to make sure it's held down well.

I also cut 4 triangles out of a cereal box to put in the four corners of the top of the box. 

I applied the tissue over every part of the outside of the box.

For anything sticking out over the sides, I used a simple nail file from the dollar store to sand down the paper on the edges, making it neat and tidy. I painted the entire box black and then once that was dry, finished it of with green and red paint.

I added some texture paste to make this part look more like pages and then drew rough lines with the end of my paint brush in the paste to imitate the pages. 

The finished book!

I put some cardstock (scrapbooking paper) inside to make it pretty.

Once finished, there's enough room for my book, pen and dice bag. You can also roll your dice right in the box itself to keep them contained.

Materials:

Faux Book Box Large

A Plethora of Presents

I absolutely love Christmas and gift giving. If I could, I'd buy something lovely for every single person I know. Alas, my bank account is firmly against this.

BUT I had a nice little idea! I saw the Set of Pre-Cut Drawers intended for the Advent Calendar Shadowbox and thought that they'd make a sweet little base for tiny tokens of holiday cheer. Super simple to assemble and sold as a set of 25 they just lend themselves for en masse making.

AND!!! AND!!! A strip cut from a 6" sheet will wrap around the boxes just so, with just a sliver needed to be trimmed. So, you only need a 6" scrapbook pad to cover these cute wee things. These boxes have all been covered with papers from Authentique's Vintage Christmas. The items I've used are all inexpensive but festive.

Covering the boxes with different papers and embellishments, like Miniature Bookplates or decorative brads, make the tiny gifts feel personalized and not mass produced. Filling the boxes with a variety of dodads and treats makes each little box feel like a unique present.

The items I've chosen to fill the boxes are all inexpensive but festive. I think they're rather sweet.

Some ARE filled with sweets! Then a bit of celophane and a simple tie. If you want to be extra fancy, you might place a single gourmet truffle inside. 

Pieces from the Snowflake Shape Set or Winter Shape Set also make sweet little embellishments.

Or perhaps you'd like to top your box with Christmas fairies or angels.

Or send a little holiday message.

While these little tokens have a decidedly Yuletide feel, these could easily be adapted to any theme as party or wedding favours. 

While these are super simple to create, I do have a video tutorial for you. You can pop over HERE to see just how easy they are!

The list of bits I've used:

Set of Pre-Cut DrawersMiniature Bookplates

Snowflake Shape Set
Winter Shape Set
Victorian Corners 2
Banner Border Strips

Authentique's Vintage Christmas
Wrapped Gift Box Ornaments
Tiny Wrapped Gift Box Ornament
Retro Bottle Brush Tree
Fancy Scalloped Gold Dresden Borders
Little Sweeties Collage Sheet
Angel Wings Collage Sheet
Brads
Fake snow
Moss
Candy
Tissue Paper
Cellophane
Ribbon

Snowy Ornament with Susan

Hello crafty friends!  Today I have a sparkly snowy ornament to share with you here on the GSL Cuts blog using a Reliquary Arch Top and a few pieces from the Winter Shape Set!

I used the Reliquary - Arch Top as the base, painted white.

Using fabric glue I attached a bit of ribbon for a hanger.  I used the same glue around the top laser cut layer and attached.

I used clips to keep an even pressure all around while the glue set up.

I painted the snowman and snowflakes with the same white paint.  The built-in hat and layering hat (not shown) were painted black.  Here I glued Flower Soft snow to the snowman.

I filled the inside of the reliquary with glue and then Diamond Dust.  Using a paper towel between my fingers and the glass glitter, I pressed down to adhere as much together as possible.

Filed under I Make The Mistakes So You Don't Have To:  This glue is actually too thick and started to set up too fast.  Once dry, the glue lines were still visible.  I suggest using a thinner white glue, or thinning yours with a bit of water.

I painted the snow flakes with the pearl white Lumiere.  The layering hat was covered in black glass glitter and glued to the snowman's built-in hat (as seen in the photo above).

I covered the scarf in red Stickles glitter and let dry overnight, then added to the snowman.

Thanks for visiting today.

Cheers,
Susan


Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Reliquary Arch Top #D8A
Winter Shape Set #D38C

Other Supplies Used
White acrylic paint
Lumiere paint - Pearl Turquoise
Lumiere paint - Pearl White
Twinklets Diamond Dust
Flower Soft - Polar White
Meyer Imports Glass Glitter - Black
Stickles - Christmas Red
White Glue

Santa's Little Helpers Christmas Shadowbox

Hi! Lynne here with a little something festive....I wanted to use this house shadowbox for a fun theme, and what's more fun than Christmas, right? I found these cute little elves at a local craft store and pulled out some terrific festive Graphic 45 paper and started playing.

This blown out view shows how the pieces fit together; the two in the middle have slits cut halfway through and they fit together to form an X shape. I like to cover all the pieces with patterned paper and sand & ink the edges before putting 3D items together.

I covered all the pieces and then glued my little house together; I find white glue is usually best.

The snow was made using Faber Castell  Pearl texture paste; I just spread it around with a palette knife, pulling it down to create an overhang.

I heat-embossed the fussy cut embellishments with clear embossing powder to add both sheen and strength. They were then attached with foam tape.

The elves and trees were glued in using a hot glue gun, and the twisted paper strips were attached that way as well. I attached wooden beads as "feet" in the same manner after painting them gold. Some of the paper strips were from the St.Nicholas collection, also by G45.

GYPSY SOUL ITEMS USED

Mini House Room Box, 4 cubbies

OTHER ITEMS USED

Graphic 45 Christmas Carol papers

Aleene's tacky glue

hot glue gun

clear embossing powder, Versamark ink
mini trees from Michael's
Faber Castell Texture Luxe-Pearl

Home for the Holidays Hidden Drawer Book Box

  

Hi and welcome to my Sunday share on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cut blog today!!  I hope you had a really nice weekend because I have a really fun project to make up for the holidays you will love.

In the GSLC Chipboard shop we have this adorable Hidden Drawer Book box -large that I am going to have to say is one of my favorite projects I have done so far.  I made this book up with papers from the  Simple Stories "Very Merry Christmas collection" and I love how it came out.

Inside the book that you create and paint you have a hidden drawer that you can fill with life's little treasures from holidays and events or even make little mini books to fill with pictures and journaling to remember a very special Christmas like I did.  Above is how the drawer slides out.  How clever is that!

And you can dress it up with lots of little goodies from the store like this snowflake border from the Winter Shape set.  It has skads of amazing little chippies in the set that you can paint or emboss so that made it even more fun to use.

Here are a few of the mini books that I made for the inside of my drawer.  I made about 6 minis total and each of them is accordian style so I have lots of room for my favorite pictures.

And here is the second set of mini books.  You can even use the chipboard frames on the covers of the books to add a little bit of country charm to them.

Below is a quick little tutorial for you on how to put this cutie together so grab a cup of coffee and join me won't you :)

First take all the pieces out of the set and put a quick drying glue on all the corners and put them together as shown above.  You have one extra long flat piece and that is for the edge of the book but glue the other pieces first and let them dry good before you glue the end piece on.

Once the drawer and the book are dry you can set the book on it's side and glue on the drawer.  Be sure that you have it evenly spaced so that when it slides in it will have a seamless edge.

For my book I wanted to seal the chipboard so I used a gorgeous deep red acrylic paint from Americana that matched my papers and painted all the edges front and back, inside and out and let it all dry.

Then I measured the inside space of my drawer and created little fold out books that would tuck nicely inside of it.  I did them in kraft and ivory to go with the papers.

And then I just had fun and used all the cute stickers and cards in the set and decorated them like you see above.  It was really fun and I can see lots more in my future for maybe babies or other fun holidays or events that I need to store my special little photos and trinkets!

Thank you so much for stopping over today!!  Be sure and check back for lots of holiday ideas from the rest of our amazing team in the days to come!!

Lots of Holiday Hugs .... Teresa

Supply List

GSLC Hidden Drawer Book Box

GLC Winter Shape Set

GSLC Ironwork Frame

Simple Stories Very Merry Christmas collection

Adhesive- Scotch Tacky glue

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L- tape runner, 3D Foam Squares and adhesive tape 1/4 inch

American Acrylic paint, paint brush or sponge brush