the hybrid chick

My niece getting married has caused everything to be wedding and bridal shower oriented in my thinking lately. It is spring in Australia and romance is in the air. Having seen this matchbox template by Kelleigh Ratzlaff made up so cute around the place I was inspired to try my hand at making something “romantic” with it.

Then Danielle Engebretson brought out her cute cute cute complete digital kit called, of all things, “I Do Love You”. You can’t get a much better marriage of idea’s coming together than a fab template and the right kit. Oh, and did I say “cute” enough times already?

It really is!  

I used Kelleighs templates and made up two drawer sets, printing off extra elements from Dani’s kit to add after. Also printed the back side of the papers so that the inside looked pretty too. Gloss Modge Podge was applied to all pieces. If you would like to see how I do that you can read about it here or here on another project.

Then the modge podge was also used on both surfaces of the two matchbox bottoms to glue them together. A couple of pegs come in handy to hold it together as it dries. Leave this a fair while to dry so that nothing moves later.

While that was drying I worked on the decorative bits. One full size brown piece to go around the two boxes would give it extra strength. Then using this fab doily edge punch from Martha Stewart I made a pretty edged strip from the plaid paper printed from the kit.  Isn’t that paper just gorgeous!!  Prints up perfectly too on the Epson Premium Presentation Paper.

After attaching the brown paper from the kit and the pretty edged plaid pieces right around the outside I cut one of the scraps to the right size and glued it to the bottom. This piece was not modge podged on the outside. Using hot glue to adhere small wooden beads to the bottom was the next step. I was not willing to take the chance that the shiney surface of the modge podge may have not taken the hot glue so well which is why I did not use it on the bottom.

Assemble the inner drawers, adding some elements from the kit and using a good amount of hot glue behind some wooden buttons for “drawer handles”.  Add some pretty ribbon and anything else that will go with your theme.

Now what to include. Well, that is totally up to you.

However here are some quick ideas:

• Miniature Bubblebath, massage oil & body creme
• Candles and Matches
• Aromatherapy oils
• Chocolates
• Mini Voucher booklets for various “date night” treats and ideas.
• Disposable birth control (if you use it )

If you can bear to give it away, create a matching gift tag, fill it up with some goodies and perhaps a list of  “ideas” for the romantic couple.

Or – keep it for yourself! Your other half may just decide they like this hybrid scrap thing!!

Other Articles by Shabby Shaz:

• Wedding Gift Frame - March 5th, 2010
• Love Notes - February 14th, 2010
• Disc Album - January 6th, 2010
• Stitched Christmas Card - December 7th, 2009
• Travel Notebook Diary - November 4th, 2009