A Box of Winter Delights by Julie Ann

Hello it's great to be at Calico Craft Parts and today I'd like to invite you to step inside a winter's world captured within a frame. For some time I've wanted to have a play with one of the Calico Craft Parts Birch Plywood Box Frame kits and I decided to just let my imagination lead me into this winter's tale. There is a list of all the Calico Craft Parts I used at the end of the blog.

As with all Calico Craft Parts, these box frame kits are really adaptable. They come with a glass panel, which you can slip in and out of the frame and you can change the arrangement if you wish. Because I wanted to create a winter scene the viewer could 'step into', I fixed my elements inside. I also preferred not to use the glass for the effect I wanted to achieve.

My imagination was sparked by these winter-themed napkins, which I tore and fixed with fluid matte medium to the back and sides of the box.

For a magical twilight mood, I blended thin layers of teal and light green acrylic mixed with an acrylic glaze.

I had been wanting to use one a little paper-clay head I'd created by making a mould from this German doll's head. You can see that at first I intended her to be a conventional Christmas angel, but I think she had other ideas!

She was much more of a Nature Spirit!

These beautiful window frames from Calico remind me of the glorious stained glass windows we saw on our recent trip to Belgium. I used Japanese paper and gem stones to try to create the effect of them glimmering in the winter evening.

I just used the outer frame rather than the two pieces with glass between and applied a crackle finish.

Winter worlds within worlds was my plan, so I created this little haven, watched over by a guardian angel fox. I had lots of fun creating ice and snow with ice-resin, gesso and acrylic paint dripped from a cocktail stick!

Putting the whole assemblage together was lots of fun and I reached for a few additional Calico details along the way! I wanted to keep the 'rustic' look of the plywood so I simply stamped in paint on the sides and then used a clear embossing powder to add a little dimension to the stamping, sponging the corners with white acrylic with a dusting of distress glitter.

Step through the frame and we're invited into a frost-bound world, but we don't have to be lonely or cold. The choir is singing carols and the sweet sound fills the chilly evening. Angel Fox invites us to join her by a cosy fire and listen to her stories before we step back into our own world.

I plan to display this little scene above my fireplace this Christmas, but the kit does come with the fittings for you to fix it to the wall. I hope you have been inspired to create your own boxes of winter delights to add a little Seasonal Magic this winter. 

There are so many beautiful Calico pieces you could use with your own artwork and found objects. Have fun!
List of Calico Craft Parts 
Birch Plywood Box Frame Kit
Sheet of mini MDF snowflakes
Mini Star Wreath (split into 2 pieces)
Steampunk Snowflake corner embellishment
Window MDF wood shape style 3
Block style Tall House kit
Sheet of mini MDF Label Holders