On the Journey of Life

Here’s another project using Across the Miles, this month’s stamp of the month from Clear and Simple Stamps. It was inspired by a recent trip to the beach. My best friend and her family joined us one morning and we walked along the beach (as best as we could with two kids and a super-bouncy puppy), collecting “treasures” for her older son to take home. That got me thinking what might happen to those treasures once they arrived at home, which in turn led me to this project.

I picked up a small, inexpensive wood suitcase at the craft store and painted it with brown acrylic paint. While waiting for the paint to set, I stamped the set’s “on the journey of life” sentiment in brown ink on a piece of plaid designer paper that I had cut to fit the front of the wood case.

After the paint dried, I attached the paper to the case using a coating of Mod Podge. After that had set, I went back and added a strip of sage twill tape just underneath the sentiment to draw attention to it in that sea of plaid. A simple brown button was the final accent. The box isn't really big inside, but it's just big enough to hold a few special items and mementos, like shells or ticket stubs.

Be sure to stop by the Clear and Simple Stamps iPhone app today. I have another CSS project featured exclusively over there. I can't reveal it here, but I'll say that it's another box, totally different from the one in this post, but inspired by the very same little (or not so little now that he's about to start first grade!) boy. You can get all the info about downloading the app to your iPhone or Touch right here.

Materials Used:
Across the Miles stamp set, Dish All the Dirt Brown button (Clear and Simple Stamps); Rich Cocoa ink (Memento); Mr. Campy-Happy Camper designer paper (Cosmo Cricket); twill tape (Martha Stewart); twine (Papertrey Ink); acrylic paint; Mod Podge; wooden suitcase