Hybrid Project ~ Chipboard Purse

Friday, August 13, 2010

Hey ya’ll, it’s Lu… and I’m back today with a fun little hybird project using Modish Girl, this week’s product in the spotlight. As I was strolling the aisles of a craft store (one of my favorite activities) a few months ago, I wandered into the chipboard section. There on the shelf sat this little unadorned “purse”, lonely & begging for some attention! I just had to rescue her & take her home. When I selected Modish Girl to spotlight, my mind just spun with all the “girly” ideas… and when I saw that naked little purse, I knew just what finery in which to clothe her.

The first thing that I did was consider the purse’s design… On the front, it had an opening slot to slide in a photo. I wasn’t planning on using this purse for photos, so I decided that I would cover this by creating  a “pocket” on top to add some dimension. I scanned the front & the back of the purse, then opened the files in my photo-editing program (I use PSE). I  extracted the shapes of the purse in order to create  clipping masks.  Once I had my basic shapes, I measured the purse vertically, as well as horizontally (both top & bottom) & sized my purse shape to those dimensions. I also added a 1″ strip on the top & bottom of the purse shape to wrap onto the top & bottom of the purse. It’s not necessary, just a matter of personal preference. To create the pocket shape, I just duplicated the purse shape & then downsized to a measurement that I felt would cover that oval cut-out. (Important note: I did not want to just paper over that empty oval, so I cut out a piece of paper & slid it into the photo slot, just as you would a photo. Then I traced around the opening onto the paper. I pulled out the paper, cut out the oval & used it as a pattern to cut out a piece of chipboard. I was careful to mark “top, bottom, left & right” on the pattern so that when I cut out the chipboard oval, it would be a perfect fit to the opening. Then I just glued this piece in). I also measured the sides of the purse to create paper strips, and used contrasting paper for those. Here’s a screen shot of the purse shape & side panels:

Once I had those shapes, it was smooth sailing. I layered on the papers & embellishments,  copied my master psd file, flattened it, save & printed. Then I turned my attention back to the purse itself by removing the clasp & handle and applying a light pink base coat pink. (I wasn’t overly concerned about this phase, as I knew I’d be covering the majority of the purse with paper). But I did want a little something “extra” rather than just chipboard edges, because this would be a more feminine project.  I also considered that it might be a good idea to spray the interior of the purse with some sort of sealant prior to adhering the paper on the exterior. I’m sure it could use that extra protection, otherwise the paint might easily scratch. (I didn’t do it this time, but I’m sure I’ll do this the next time). As I waited for the paint to dry, I start cutting out my paper shapes. I also cut out (2) pocket shapes out of chipboard… one I used for the actual pocket, the other I used as an additional chipboard layer glued to the pocket to create depth. You could stack a couple of these together for extra depth, and perhaps slip a little card in that pocket. Just remember to “notch out” a square shape, as you’ll see in the photo below.

 Then it was time to paste on the papers with the Mod Podge. After the purse & pocket dried (with my additional chipboard layer applied on back of the pocket), I sanded off all the sides to give it that nice shabby look. This is a perfect time to ink the edges, if you choose to do so. I decided against it on this project, so I moved onto applying a final sealant coat of Mod Podge.   When that coat dried, I wrapped on the black polka dot ribbon & glued the pocket onto the purse.

Earlier (while all the Mod Podge was drying), I had stepped outside to give those little brass closures a quick shot of spray paint. I went with white, to stay consistent with the color scheme.  The final steps were to screw the clasp back on, afix the button to the ribbon bow on the pocket, and stick the handle back in. And that’s it! All that was left was to fill with my little goodies. For this gift, I’m planning on turning it into a little manicure/pedicure set, complete with pretty pink polish.

 Wouldn’t this make an adorable bridesmaid gift? Or how about a favor idea for a little princess tea party? So many different & special applications with this little jewel. And with two little girlies, I’m sure I will be doing this project again & again. Well, that’s it for now, but I sure hope I’ve provided you with some inspiration on using Modish Girl. It is truly a girly yet “funky” kit (as Beckie said once)… and I just love that combination!

LuHybrid Projects, Inspiration, Uncategorized 4 Comments