By Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow
Welcome to the final day of the 4th Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop! We hope you enjoyed the projects from the last 2 days! A few years ago we were looking online for handmade gift ideas and thought it would be great if there was a resource dedicated JUST to handmade gift ideas. Enter the Handmade Holidays hop! We’ve gathered over 100 of our creative blogger friends in the craft industry as well as some of our fellow product manufacturers to bring you a plethora of inspiring gift ideas you can make now to give to your friends, family, and colleagues. Pin and bookmark these ideas for this holiday season and to use throughout the year! Each day of the hop features approximately 30 gift projects and you can “hop” from one blog to another to check them all out.
I’ll share a little secret: I didn’t just make one tray to give as a gift; I made two so I can keep one next to my comfy chair in the living room. From the compliments (and hints) I’ve received so far that there will be several more in the works soon.
Another secret: It’s a super easy project. Not counting drying time for paint, it took under an hour!
There are so many possibilities for strips-only Shimmer Sheetz patchwork. Change the color combination to suit the décor of the recipient. Use embossing folders with flowers or allover patterns instead of leaves. Choose another of Walnut Hollow’s trays or boxes or my favorite – the Boutique Tissue Box. As long as they are flat, rectangular surfaces to decorate it will be a success!
If the tray will be used on a dresser with messy makeup or for serving wet-bottom beverages, cut a piece of Plexiglas to cover the Shimmer Sheetz. Drill small holes at the corners of the Plexiglas and use small brass screws to hold it in place. This added protective layer isn’t needed if the tray will only hold a journal, glasses, pen and such.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Base coat rectangular serving tray with royal purple acrylic paint. When dry, add a second coat. For durability, add two coats of matte acrylic medium. (If you are a purist, sand and wipe with a cloth between coats of paint and after the second coat. If you don’t mind a bit of grain remaining visible skip the sanding.)
2. Using an ink applicator tool to apply colors, create a different mottled effect on each of three 5” x 12” sheets of Turquoise Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz. Colors used:
*Sheet 1 – Pool, Purple Twilight
*Sheet 2 – Pool, Purple Twilight, Espresso
*Sheet 3 – Pool, Purple Twilight, Metallic Gold
3. Back each piece of Shimmer Sheetz with 5” x 12” piece of transparent double-sided adhesive sheet.
4. Interior of tray:
Cut 1.5” x 11” and 2” x 11” strips from Sheet 2.
Cut 1” x 11” and 1.5” x 11” strips from Sheet 3. Set these strips aside.
Cut 1” x 11” strip from Sheet 1 and emboss with Spring Leaves folder, half with pattern raised, half with pattern de-bossed.
Cut 2” x 11” strip from Sheet 1 and emboss with Ginkgo Leaves folder, 4” with pattern raised, remainder with pattern de-bossed, moving the folder so all leaves are facing the same direction.
Lightly sand the two embossed strips to reveal some of the silver core in the Shimmer Sheetz.
Working one strip at a time, remove the backing to expose the adhesive and place strips into the tray in this order:
*1.5” strip – Sheet 2
*2” embossed strip – Ginkgo
*1” strip – Sheet 3
*2” strip – Sheet 2
*1” embossed strip – Spring Leaves
1.5” strip – Sheet 3
5. Exterior of tray:
Cut strips from leftovers and adhere to long sides of tray. Options: Use a single 2” x 11” strip for each side, or to echo the style of the piecing from the interior of the tray, emboss at least one 1” x 2” piece and use it to punctuate shorter strips (as shown: 2” x 4”, 2” x 1” embossed, 2” x 7”). Refer to photos.
SUPPLIES
Walnut Hollow –
10” x 12” Rectangular Tray #24648
Shimmer Sheetz in Turquoise Gemstone (three 5” x 12” sheets)
Transparent Double Sided Adhesive Sheets (three 5” x 12” sheets)
Spring Leaves and Gingko embossing folders
Other –
Craft knife, gridded ruler, cutting mat; Ink applicator tool; Alcohol inks in Pool (Turquoise), Purple Twilight, Espresso, Gold Metallic; Flat 1” paintbrush; Acrylic paint in Royal Purple; Optional: Acrylic sealer, sandpaper, tack cloth
Are you ready for lots more creative handmade gift ideas and projects??
Follow along on our blog hop! Simply click on each of the links below to be taken to that post with additional information and photos on how to create a handmade gift project. Have fun and pin away!
Walnut Hollow <– You Are Here
Elizabeth Craft Designs <– Go Here Next!
Tami Mayberry Art & Design – Tami MayberryÂ
Jamie Dougherty – Jamie Dougherty Designs
Elizabeth Craft Designs – Raquel Mason
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L – Angela Ploegman
Carolyn Dube – A Colorful Journey
Pink and Main – Mistyana WrightÂ
The Buckle Boutique – Niki Wilson
It’s Sew Lorine – Lorine Mason  ‎
L. Grace Lauer – Uniquely Grace
Oh Snap Lizzie – Lizzie Sanchez
Polly Carlson – Pieces by Polly
Ellison Educational Equipment – Jan Hobbins
RoseRedd Paper Studio – Rochelle Washington
Enter to win a Rafflecopter giveaway. Prizes from all of our sponsors will be raffled off!
Follow our Handmade Holidays Gift Ideas Pinterest board for even more inspiration!
A huge thank you to our sponsors for this hop – please visit their blogs & websites below and follow them. And be sure to come back tomorrow for another 30+ amazing Handmade Gift Ideas!
Clearsnap || Ellison Educational Equipment || Walnut Hollow || Graphic45 || Westcott || ICE Resin || Therm O Web || Rowland Industries || Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L || Pink and Main || Elizabeth Craft Designs || The Buckle Boutique || Neat and Tangled
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Lovely, Judi!
Love the range of blues!!
Thank you, Mary! I had such a good time making this project. As I said, I’ve already done two of them and can’t wait to make several more before the holiday crunch is in full swing.
Really beautiful Judi!!
Such a lovely tray. Definitely would make a great gift.
I just LOVE the colors, textures and depth to this project.
Shawn ~
Design Team Coordinator for The Buckle Boutique
Personal Blog ~ Crafty Chics Blog
and
MyCutSearch.com ~ Find your Cricut images FAST!
Wonderful! I looks like a beautiful marbled tray.
Beautiful tray. Love all the shades of blue.