Steampunk ATC Storage - by Claudia

Hi, servus and thanks so much for stopping by!

My lovely design team colleague Jennie recently mentioned in one of her posts on here that her friends preferred getting ATCs instead of birthday cards from her and I could totally relate ;)
That inspired me to create another - this time smaller - ATC display and storage box (means: smaller than the one I did HERE) for my own little collection of steampunk themed ATCs.

And as the content of my Calico Craft Parts treasure box has been constantly growing since I became a member of their wonderful design team, I always find plenty of left over little pieces to put together or add to some "starring" larger Calico Craft Parts (especially the Mini Craft Shapes sheets go a long way and there's a huge and awesome collection of these to choose frome in the store). It's the layering and adding little dimensional screw heads, hinges, labels and others on larger Craft Parts that make a huge impact on a steampunk design I found.

So this is how my new ATC display box looks like:

with ATCs in it 

 and without - so you can see how the display box looks like and works

Calico Craft Parts used: 

- MDF ATC/Tag Display Box Kit - small
- Steampunk Mechanical Clockwork Heart
- Sheet of Mini MDF Wood Wings - Style 4
- Sheet of Mini MDF Wood Cogs - Style 8
- Sheet of Minie MDF Wood Crowns - Style 3
- Sheet of Mini MDF Hardware Wood Shapes 
- Sheet of Mini MDF Hinges Wood Shapes
- Sheet of Mini MDF Label Holders Wood Shapes
- Word Elements - Blank


I kept the colour scheme quite simple this time and also didn't go too textural in my choice of media used so the Craft Parts and the texture from the embossed card stock that I covered the box with could unfold their full potential.

The whole design came together after some joyful rummaging my Craft Parts treasure box and playing with different combinations.

I started with dry embossing some cut to size black card stock. I simply used the panels from the display box as templates and traced around them with a pencil. I used the 3D "Foundry" embossing folder and misted the card stock with water from the spray bottle before I ran it through my Big Shot.

While I set the embossed pieces to the side to let them dry, I assembled the display box using a flat brush and DecoArt matte Decou-Page.

As that dries rather fast I could continue after about five minutes with adding two layers of DecoArt Raw Umber Student Acrylic to the box's inside.

While I let the paint dry I glued the cut to size and dry embossed black card stock pieces to the outer sides and the back of the display box. I made sure to especially cover the edges and corners thoroughly with the Decou-Page so the glued on card stock would not come off during usage.

Then I added a layer of Raw Umber Student Acrylic to the other Craft Parts using a soft flat brush.

Using my fingertip and in circular motions I gently rubbed some Black Shimmer DecoArt Metallic Lustre onto the dry embossed card stock to add a metallic look.

To glue the painted wings, cogs, screw heads, hinges, word element with label holder and the crown in place I had to stabilise the box with cloths pins while the Decou-Page was drying.

I thought that my ATC display box already looked really nice at that stage and I was quite tempted to leave it like that and call it done, because I liked the contrast of the toned down MDF (that was still visible and gave a lovely texture) against the metal plates look on the outer sides. I had originally thought of using several different tones of DecoArt Matte Metallic paints on the wings, label holder and cogs, but then decided to use just a single colour that would on one side contrast the Raw Umber but on the other also visually fuse the Black Shimmer Metallic Lustre...

...so I painted only smaller parts and areas with DecoArt Pewter Matte Metallics:

I really like the result - the warm brown from the Raw Umber against the cool blue from the Pewter combined with the neutral metallic grey from the Metallic Lustre!

Going for a decent colour scheme was also a good choice because this way the design of the box doesn't compete with the ATCs displayed in it.

I love my small ATC display box for my steampunk ATCs! I think I will also need to do a nature themed one....and a vintage themed one...and...oh, dear...I need more space!!!!

Hope to see you again in two weeks!

Hugs and happy crafting!

Claudia 

xxx