Hello there lovelies, I´d like to share a fun Canvas Corp Brands crew challenge project with you today.  The design team/creative crew was challenged to use a 12×12 Kraft Envelope in some way on a project. This is what the envelope looks like on it´s own. The Canvas Corp store has quite a few sizes availabe and the 12×12 inch envelope is the largest in size (check out a few facts about the kraft paper secection in this post). This big envelope perfect for mailing scrapbook layouts and has a great big size to be altered into something totally different or folded into a minibook, for example. So the creative crew was challenged to take a second look at this envelope and use it in various ways.

I think we all loved this challenge, as so many various ideas evolved around the envelope. You definitely need to hop over to the CCB blog to take a look a them. They are just stunning!!!

The 12×12 size of the envelope immeadiately spoke to me and I wanted to create a scrapbook layout with the envelope. But I did it with a twist and used it to store something inside. Since it is an envelope, it´s perfect for storing something, right? 🙂 The size is also perfect for a scrapbook album and the envelope form makes it more interactive and interesting. That is where my idea for a love letter storage came from! Here is what I did:
I created a layout on top of the envelope and inside, I stored love letters my husband that he sent to me while we were still dating. Yes, actual love letters! Hand written and all :). I think  I got one each day while we had been dating (he was in Austria, I was in Finland, so there was quie a distance to be overcome). And now I have the precious memories stored in one place and a nice photo from one of our first dates decorating the envelope cover (good memories).

I´ve also prepared a photo step-by-step for you:

I started by taking my crop-a-dile out (it´s been a while since I used it..) and punched holes into the envelope and placed two punched circle paper pieces on top of the holes and attached everything together with eyelets. Remember when eyelets were totally in? I still have plenty of them in my stash and they work perfectly for creating such mechanisms for minibook and/or envelopes.

After that I started to assembly papers alongside and around my photo using the 7gypsies Ordre Du Jour 8×8 paper pad. I didn´t adhere them down yet, just organized them around abit to see what pleased my eye. Then I put them aside again, to be adhered on place later.

Next I took one of my STAMPlorations stencil designs and applied Nuvo Embellish Mousse thru the stencil onto the background around the area where the papers had been earlier.

I also added black Glimmer Glaze droplets on top of the stenciled elements for addtional decoration. I still love doing that – I think it´s just part of my work and it is really hard not to add any for me :).

Then I adhered the papers on top of the stenciled area and added some iridescent paste thru another of my STAMPlorations stencil on top of the papers. I just wanted to add texture and interest and layers. And I LOVE stencils 🙂 

After the stenciled image had dried abit, I added some 7gypsies rub-ons here and there. The time themed words fitted the layout theme perfectly so I went with them and the clock images.

I also added one of the Architextures embellishments as a focal piece to the layout (the old typewriter). This is one of my favorite Architextures pieces and I´ve been saving it for a very special project and this was the perfect spot for it in my opinion.

I wanted to add a little interest to the typewriter image, so I wiped pink Nuvo Embellishment Mousse onto the textured areas of the typewriter image. The Architextures embellishment pieces are so pretty fun on their own, but can also easily be altered with various pastes and media too, if preferred.

There is also another Architextures piece decorating the layout. I added it under the title of the page to make the title stand out just a little bit more from the page. Also, do you see the pink splatters? I did those with the Nuvo Embellishment Mousse by diluting it with water and spritzing the solution directly onto the page. That adds a fun detail to the layout.

After placing all the love letters inside the envelope, I closed it with the DIY mechanism and some glitter yarn.

And for finishing touches, I wanted to add some white contrast to the layout, so I spritzed some white High Impact Paint here and there (but first protected the photo with a piece of kitchen towel).

Here you can see the actual love letters going inside the envelope :).

And here are some detail shots of the layout – I just love that typewriter and the touch of pink mousse makes it extra special.

I also always try to add a date somewhere on my pages for time reference. As you can see, this photo goes back quite a long time.

I did quite a lot of fussy cutting with the Ordre Du Jour papers, cutting really tiny pieces off the papers and adding words and sentiments and even the very tiny images onto the layout. And most of them were just perfect for the love theme on their own!! The Ordre Du Jour paper pack is one of my all time favorites by 7gypsies!!

And here a closeup of the iridescent stenciling (not quite dry yet). It takes a little longer to dry, but in the end it will turn out totally transparent and only when light hits it, will show.

And here is the finished envelope  layout.This is my take on the 12×12 Kraft Envelope crew challenge. I really had a great time creating this special project. Which brings me to another idea: you could also create a layout around your children and add their artworks inside the envelope…hmmm… maybe I´ll do that next!

Now be sure to hop over to the Canvas Corp blog to see the video on all the challenge submissions. I might need to warn you tho, you WILL be in ave after seeing what the crew created and it might lead to you wanting to get yourself a 12×12 envelope and to create something with it yourself too *laughing*!!! Oh, and there will be a vote on the projects created by the crew on the Canvas Corp Brands Facebook collective, so if you want to, you can go there and give your vote up on your fave projects. Thank you!

Wishing you a wonderful, crafty weekend!!
xxx, Sanna

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