Wintery Mixed Media Mail Holder − Scrap Africa

Hi there! Just a few days left until Christmas, and some lovely cards have began to drop in. I have to admit I don't always send many and I'm often late with them. On the other hand, I love to send and receive snail mail all year, and I think most people would love a hand made card any time!Let's keep that in mind in case we don't get to send Christmas wishes to all those we would have liked to.

This is my project for the mid-month mood board challenge No. 65 at Scrap Africa!



For the Christmas cards and any nice snail mail, I've been hoping for a special place to put the letters as soon as they arrive instead of piling them with bills and magazines. I spotted this little holder in a thrift store earlier this year and saw it was perfect for altering.



I got too carried away making it that I forgot to take photos of the process, and in a Nordic country winter, it's also always dark when I'm crafting! But I gave it some sandpapering, then gessoed a couple of layers.

Now before I forget, let's take a look at the lovely wintery mood board by Denise van Deventer! You can join the Scrap Africa challenge No. 65 until the end of the month.



I was inspired by the snowflakes, the frosty feel, and all the glass and sparkle.

I was also inspired by the Winter Challenge at WOW! Embossing Powder and the Christmas Ornament Challenge at Art Bazarchik.


I hadn't made a lot of 3D projects before, at least not this kind where you build layers of all kinds of little bits and bobs. It was a bit of a challenge but a lot of fun, a bit like a puzzle, moving and turning all the pieces around to reach a balance.



First, after the gesso, I had painted the holder with acrylics in white, a few shades of blue and Inka Gold in Turquoise. Secondly I stamped it with an old script looking stamp and used metallic blue embossing powder from Wow! Embossing Powder.



The leaves and some of the snowflakes are also decorated with embossing powders, after paint. The "foot" of the holder I painted with white and shades of blue, also making a bit of a pattern with stencils.



The side in the photo below has slightly less embellishments so it's probably going to be the back side. There's also a used puzzle piece under all the other parts - I first didn't like the look of it, with too much gold, a messy mix of paint and embossing powder. But it works out fine under the other pieces!



I even got to use a broken cheap necklace, probably dating from my sister's or my teenage years! You can see it between the other pieces, with the darkened chain and pearl and blue jewel looking plastic beads.



Et voilà, here it is ready and in use!



Thanks for your visit, and I wish you all a very happy midwinter celebration!