pretty little suitcase filled with....

* WOW, I'm stunned my little suitcase WON at The Shabby Tearoom!!*

Filled with tea bags of course!! You could fill it with anything, it's such a neat gift box. I woke up with a picture of this in my head and you guessed it I had to make it. I bought a book a while ago called 'Paper Sculpt Sensation' by Marion Elliot, there is a great project in it for a masculine suitcase, the basic structure is the same but I made a shabby chic girlie one!!  It's made from foam board/ foam core, it gives great rigidity to the box and it's really light! (Apologies for the bad lighting in the photos, I had to take them in the evening!) I also made this with The Shabby Tearoom in mind, Week #17 'Let's make an Impression' - the challenge is to use embossing somewhere on your project. I used heat embossing on all the little tags on the tea bag holders and on the tag on the suitcase.

I used silver pearl embossing powder because I thought it complimented the pastel colors of the suitcase nicely. The little tag shape is from Victorian Fripperie by Waltzingmouse stamps. My favorite stamp set at the moment but Afternoon Tea I love too! So, I decided to combine the two in this little project! So inside we have.....

A set of six little tea bag holders/ pockets (with a selection of my favorite teas inside!). I made three different designs two of each. I decorated the backs with Victorian Fripperie and the fronts with Afternoon Tea. On the inside of the case on the top section I stamped an area to write a little message to the gift recipient. 

I used digital papers from the Girlfriends kit by Nicole and Mari Sugarplum Paperie at The Digichick to make all the little teabag pockets. I used various elements from Afternoon Tea by Waltzingmouse Stamps on each design. The suitcase itself is covered in a pale green wrapping paper that I had.

A detail from the back of the holder, embossed tag with little teeny tiny teacup! I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Victorian Velvet to stamp pretty much everything in this set. It just turned out lighter on the pink colored card.

I felt like it needed a flower (or maybe I just wanted a flower!) so I used one of my favs from the Symphony Blend Amoroso Pink Prima flowers. I layered some lace, pink satin ribbon, pink picot edged ribbon, a little green and white baker's twine and some natural twine to create the embellishment.

The corners of the suitcase I made from card from The Mariposa Stack DCWV (the inside of the suitcase is also lined with this), I stitched these on the machine (curves are a little tricky as I discovered!) I added a little stamped detail from the Victorian Fripperie set and a few flat backed pearls.

I was just lucky to find a few buttons that matched nicely! I really loved making this, it would be a great little box for notecards too! It did take a while to make but I think it was worth the effort!

Supplies: 

Card/paper: Foam board, pale green wrapping paper, Mariposa Stack DCWV, Girlfriends kit by Sugarplum Paperie at the Digichick

Stamps: Victorian Fripperie, Afternoon Tea by Waltzingmouse stamps

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Victorian Velvet, Versamark

Other: Selection of ribbon, lace, twine, flat backed pearls, buttons, thread, sewing machine, silver pearl embossing powder, heat gun, Symphony Blend Amoroso Pink Prima flower.