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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Postage Stamp Suitcase

Hi everyone! I was happy to get to play with the new Darkroom Door Postage Stamps background stamp. Don't miss the post on the Darkroom Door blog where some of my design team mates show different projects using this same stamp.


This is a really useful background stamp which can be used on a large variety of projects: cards, layouts, 3-D projects etc. My first thought when I saw it was of old suitcases covered with stamps or travel destinations stickers. 
 Layers of ink: Postage Stamp Suitcase
I made a suitcase using Eileen Hull's Sizzix Suitcase Bag die, which is a favourite of mine. There is a mini-book inside. The suitcase was die cut from cream mat board and stamped with the Postage Stamps background stamp, using Archival Jet Black ink. I inked it with Old Paper and Gathered Twigs. If you want to see a tutorial for another version of the suitcase, I made one here. More suitcases: here, here and here. My suitcases look pretty nice standing together on a shelf.
 
A suitcase needs a ticket and some luggage tags. The ticket was stamped with one of the sentiments from the Nomad set, and the two small tags were inked and stamped with sentiments from New York Vol. 1
 
Background stamps don't only need to be used for backgrounds, I stamped the Postage Stamps again, on Ranger's Specialty Stamping paper and coloured three of the stamps lightly with Distress Inks. They were cut out and placed underneath a die cut postage stamp frame, just cut the inner frame away to form a frame. The postage stamp frames were inked first with Brushed Pewter Distress Stain, but I wanted more colour and went over them again with Barn Door Distress Stain, giving them a nice red metallic look. 
 
I kept the back of the suitcase simple because I didn't want to cover up the background, and used only one framed postage stamp.  
 
Here you can see the suitcase from the side.  
 
The two small tags were tied to the handle. I love these types of small sentiment stamps, they are very useful. 
 
On the inside, I stamped the gorgeous Central Park photo stamp with Archival Jet Black and inked with Old Paper, Bundled Sage and Gathered Twigs. I love how it looks like you are looking really far into the suitcase because of the perspective in this stamp. A little left-over bird on my desk flew into the suitcase too. 
 
On the front flap, I stamped a stamp from the Love Letters Vol. 2 set and some more sentiment stamps from New York Vol. 1. As you can see 'N.Y.C' is stamped twice, I forgot that the lower part of the suitcase would be covered up by the flap. 
 
Inside the suitcase there is a small mini-book, which can be filled with travel memories and photos, or perhaps with quotes.  
 
The pages are made from manila cardstock which was coloured with Bundled Sage, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Brushed Pewter Distress Stain. When dry, I cut them into pages (7x8 cm) and stamped them with different background and photo stamps using Frayed Burlap ink. I also added some sentiments and more stamping with black ink. The back of each page was left blank, to give more space for writing or photos. All the edges were inked with Gathered Twigs. 
 
I bound it with my Bind-it-All. This first stamp comes from Venetian Vol. 1
 
Here's one of the inside pages, with a stamp from New York Vol. 1.

Thank you for looking!!

Happy Stamping!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

Darkroom Door products:
Photo stamps: Central Park, Bicycle, Laneway

Other products:
Surfaces: Sizzix Little Sizzles cream mat board 6 x 13; Ranger Manila Cardstock, Specialty Stamping Paper
Ink: Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink; Ranger Distress Ink: Old Paper, Gathered Twigs, Bundled Sage, Mustard Seed
Stain: Ranger Distress Stain: Bundled Sage, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Barn Door, Brushed Pewter
Embellishments: twine; ribbon 

11 comments:

  1. How I would love to see your studio with all of your amazing projects lined up Anna-Karin! I LOVE this suitcase- what great stamps you found- they accent the suitcase perfectly. And funny thing, I am headed to NYC on Saturday! All of the little tags and stamp die cuts are just the right size. Love it all....

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  2. So, I read your post on Darkroom Door's website and just had to order up this die!!! So inspiring! Now....on to the stamps!!! Thank you for sharing and inspiring! You are amazing!

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  3. This is a really great project!! Thanks for sharing :)

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  4. This is really neat! I love everything about it. =)

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  5. This is just so fab, I love vintage style and travel themes - wonderful!

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  6. Great project! I love everything about it!

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  7. What a fabulous project! The wonderful darkroom stamp looks perfect as the outside of your suitcase. Love all the other details completing the look. The sweet travel truly finishes this suitcase.

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  8. This is awesome. I love it and the wonderful inside as well. The suitcase is perfect for the journal. Well done.

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  9. Anna, your creativity is amazing! Thanks for sharing your wonderful projects using the suitcase die.

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  10. I so love this, your stamping is brilliant! Love the postage stamp from Darkroom Door - looks amazing! xxx

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment! Happy Crafting!