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Rubber Road
Scenic Byway:
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Cigar Box Purse ~ A
Chic Companion
By
M. Elizabeth Lee
Rubber Roadsters
Publisher/Editor/Designer/Writer
Altering cigar boxes
is the current rage, and the purses that evolve
from them make a strong fashion hit. This project was done with a brand new
stamp line called Art by Moonlight, one of my very favorite online vendors.
It’s definitely a, year~round, all seasons purse having a Winter/Spring design
on one side and a Summer/Fall design on the other. Since I prefer a shoulder
length style, I recycled a brand new detachable shoulder strap off another purse
that had never been used. It was a perfect match to the brown tones that make
up the sides of the cigar box. The purse, also, has a distinguished decorative
handle for carrying that adds a bit of panache to the look. Cigar boxes are
readily available at specialty smoke shops or contact an online vendor who
carries them as craft kits.
- The Seasons (Art
by Moonlight)
- Noir Palette
Hybrid Ink (Stewart Superior)
- Beaux Arts Blue
Palette Hybrid Ink (Stewart Superior)
- Landscape Palette
Hybrid Ink (Stewart Superior)
- Bordeaux Palette
Hybrid Ink (Stewart Superior)
- Burnt Sienna
Palette Hybrid Ink (Stewart Superior)
- Jardin Moss
Palette Hybrid Ink (Stewart Superior)
- Repositional
Masking Tape (3M)
- Black acrylic
paint (DecoArtAmericana)
- Water Receptacle
- 2” Flat Paint
Brush (Royal)
- Variety of
Patterned Papers in Blue, Lt. Green, Red, and Earth Tones
- Sponge Daubers (Tsukineko)
- Cigar Box (with
heavy duty latch and hinges)
- Electronic Rotary
Tool Kit (Durabuilt)
- Eyescrews, Latch,
and Hinges (Lowe’s Hardware)
- Drawer Handle
(Lowe’s Hardware)
- Polyurethane
Finish in Clear, Glossy, or Matte (Lowe’s Hardware)
- Heat Tool
(Milwaukee)
- Magic Sticker
Maker (Xyron)
- Sanding Sponge
(3M)
- Tack Rag (Delta)
- Chrysanthemums
Embossed Stickers (Miss Elizabeth’s)
- Fall Garden; &
Inspirational Clear Stickers (Miss Elizabeth’s)
- Floral Embossed
Stickers (Miss Elizabeth’s)
- Grid Cutting Mat
for Work Surface (Creative Memories)
- 16" Cutting System
(Genesis)
- Personal Paper
Trimmer (X-Acto)
- Paper Towel (Viva)
- ProCraft Craft
Gloves (Wilshire Technologies)
Instructions:
- Select a wooden
cigar box in good condition and well made that already has a heavy duty latch
and hinges on it. If not, replace the latch and hinges with purchased ones
from any hardware supply store. They, also, have unique handles to use on the
purse located in the drawer handle section. The handle used here is twisted
like a branch with a leaf at each end.
Remove any unwanted labels from the cigar box by heating it with a heat tool.
Clean off remaining sticky residue with Goo~Gone and a Viva paper towel.
- Sand the cigar box
with a sanding sponge and wipe off dust with a tack rag. Drill holes for the
decorative handles, eyescrews, and any latches or hinges that need replacing.
- Mask off a ¼”
around the front and back panels of the cigar box with Repositional Masking
Tape and paint these areas with black acrylic paint. Allow to dry and wash
paint brush with soap and water.
- Select patterned
paper or design your own as the backdrop to each of the four seasons and cut
to a desired size. Ink the stamps with Black Palette Ink and stamp images
onto the Sheer Heaven Vellum. Trim close to the design and run through the
Xyron Magic Sticker Maker machine. . Peel off adhesive backing and center
onto the patterned paper. Run through the Xryon Sticker Maker machine once
again and trim. Punch all four corners of The Seasons images with a corner
punch.
- Stamp the
definition names of the seasons images with ink colors that coordinate with
the patterned papers used for each season. Winter utilizes blues, Spring has
light greens, Summer uses reds, and Fall has earth tones. Trim to appropriate
size leaving a margin and through the Xryon Machine. Peel off Adhesive
Backing as the design is being used. For the words of the seasons, detail the
edge with coordinating ink applied to Sponge Daubers.
- Refer to photo for
color suggestions as well as design and sticker placement on the front and
back sides of the cigar box.
- Apply several
coats of polyurethane finish to the out side of the cigar box with a wide
brush. Allow each coat of glaze to dry before reapplying succeeding ones.
- Decorate the
inside of the cigar box, if desired. Inspirational messages and appealing
motifs stimulate happy thoughts. Once again, apply several coats of
polyurethane finish to the inside of the cigar box. Allow each coat of glaze
to dry before reapplying succeeding ones. Wash out brush with soap and water.
- Attach handle for
adornment or use as a clutch purse as well as any eyescrews, latches, and
hinges, if applicable. Fasten the detachable shoulder bag strap onto the
eyescrews for shoulder wear. Now, jet out on the town in high style and make
a fashion statement!
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