posts in category Heidi Swapp Marquee Love

1.05.2016

a darling little gift box...with Marquee Love!

Hey hey everyone!

I'm so excited to share this project with you today! My dear friend, Kim Jeffress inspired this little box and I'm so grateful for her creative genius...

Are you looking for a fun, unique gift for a loved one? Something that can be used long after a holiday or celebration? Well then, this little Heidi Swapp Marquee Love Heart gift box is just what you've been looking for...

Heidi's brand new collection of Marquee Love shapes and accessories have just been released and they wonderful! The new patterns and colors definitely scream spring...

Creating this little box is really not hard...but it is a bit time consuming.

You'll need the following: (all materials - except maybe the chocolates - can be found at Michaels Stores)

*A Marquee Love Heart

*Marquee Love Tape, both 2" and 1" sizes

*Marquee Love Patterned Paper

*Marquee Love Paper Flowers

*Marquee Love Faceted Bulb Caps

*Heidi Swapp Color Shine

*White cardstock

*Pencil

*Scissors

*Glue

*Makeup wedges

To create your box lid:

1. Start by tracing your shape onto a piece of white cardstock...twice. You will use one of these tracings now and one later.

2. Cut JUST ONE of your traced shapes out - staying just a smidge (maybe 1/8") outside your trace line. This will ensure that the lid will fit over your marquee shape.

3. Adhere your white cardstock heart to the back of a piece of patterned paper and cut around your shape. You know have a 2 layer heart that will act as the top of your lid.

See how the soon-to-be-lid stretches slightly over the marquee shape?

Now we're going to add the sides of the lid...

4. Cut several strips of white cardstock (length doesn't really matter) to 1.5" wide. My shape used 2 strips that were 12" x 1.5".

5. Using your 1" glitter tape, tape the long side of your strip, being careful to keep your edges straight.

6. Use a bone folder or stylus to score a line down the edge of your tape where it meets the cardstock. This will allow you to fold your cardstock more easily. Fold the cardstock away from the tape.

7. Starting at the bottom point of your heart, glue (I used plain old white glue) the cardstock to the underside of your lid, making sure to keep your taped edge flush against the top of the lid. This process takes a bit of time, but as you start working it will get easier.

8. In order for your tape to wrap around your lid correctly, you will need to little slits into the cardstock edge. This will allow them to bend easily. I cut the slits as I went, but you may find it easier to cut them first - before you start gluing.

9. Continue cutting, bending & gluing around your entire shape, making sure your glittered edge is right up against your lid edge, until you come to the end of your shape. I then cut a little "v" out of white cardstock to attach to the inside bottom point of my heart to keep the lid sides together.

10. Now here's where you will use your other traced heart. Cut this heart out just slightly inside your tracing, and adhere it to the inside of your lid. This will cover up your glued areas and will give the lid a more finished look.

And guess what?! Your lid is finished! Looks good, huh?

Moving on...

11. Decorate your marquee shape with the decorative tape - 2" tape on the outside edges, 1" tape on the inside edges. If you've never decorated a Marquee Love shape before here is a quick run-through...

12. Add your paper flowers. These little paper flowers are specially designed to fit into Marquee Love shapes and come ready with a hole in the middle. Simply place them over the bulb cap hole in the shape and push in your bulb cap. Easy peasy.

To add color to the tips of your paper flowers, spray the edge of a makeup wedge with Color Shine and rub over your flower edges.

13. String your lights according to the included instructions, add batteries and you are done with your shape!

14. To turn your shape into a box, trace the inside heart onto white cardstock and cut outside the edges of your tracing (just like we did in Step 2). Add a line of white glue to the edge of your inside heart and add your cardstock. Allow to dry. You may also choose to make this piece more sturdy by using cardboard or coverstock instead of cardstock for this little heart. I like to use cardstock because it is easier to remove after the candy is all gone...

15. Add your candy (or whatever!) and your lid and you are finished! Isn't that little box just so darling?!

What a fun gift for your honey, or kids' teachers or friends! Or maybe just for you...

SUPPLIES; Heidi Swapp Marquee Love Heart, HS Marquee Love Rose Gold Glitter Tape 2", HS Marquee Love Rose Gold Glitter Tape 1", HS Marquee Love Wood Grain Tape 2", HS Marquee Love Wood Grain Tape 1", HS Marquee Love Mint Faceted Bulb Caps, HS Marquee Love Paper Flowers, HS Marquee Love Spring Paper Pad, HS Color Shine - Mint, white cardstock, makeup sponge, chocolate candy (yum)

*All Heidi Swapp products can be found at Michaels Stores*

11.02.2015

my "metal" snowflake...Christmas Marquee Love...

Hey hey everyone!

I'm back with another quick and easy Christmas Marquee Love project today!

This time I've used this adorable snowflake Marquee...and I've decorated it with spray paint!

Now this spray paint is a little different than some you may have seen in the past...this paint actually give the look of a hammered metal finish...and it's totally awesome.

This spray paint is made for metal surfaces...but it works just great on the hard cardboard that the Marquee Love lights are made from!

My Christmas decorating vibe tends to lean toward the natural/urban...creams and browns and greens with a lot of wood and metal...so I thought this snowflake would look awesome in this dark brown "metal" finish.

Here it is all sprayed up...

You can totally see that "hammered metal" finish...ack - I LOVE it!

I added the lights, and now it's perfect...exactly what I was hoping for.

This is probably where I will put this darling snowflake come Christmas-decoratin' time...probably.

But I'm thinking it may look cooler hung on the wall...with a few friends...painted the exact same way.

So what do you think? Is the faux-metal look something you think you'd try?

This little snowflake Christmas Marquee Love piece is making its way to Michaels Stores right this very minute...they've even already been spotted in some stores!

For a quick tutorial on how to decorate a Marquee Love light - click HERE...it's super-easy...and fun...and ADDICTING!

SUPPLIES: Heidi Swapp Marquee Love Snowflake, Rustoleum Hammered Spray Paint.