It's A Wrap with The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

Hi everyone and welcome. It's time for another challenge over at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. Sara Emily is your host for this one and she has called it 'It's A Wrap!'."Whenever I hear this term, I think of something that's finished or completed. But for this challenge, we want you to share your vintage or shabby chic gift wrapping, gift box or bag or perhaps a set of gift tags. Or maybe you might take a different approach and use a wrap die cut or gift packaging on your project -- just be sure to tell us what your 'wrap' is if it's not obvious!"

As ever, the Design Team will choose their top four picks, with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and three additional outstanding entries will receive Top 3 Badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Yesterday I shared a new junk journal, created after a clear out which provided the perfect opportunity to find 'free' stuff full of memories. Today I'm sharing the wrap cover made to keep it safe and add decoration to the outside, my take on Sara Emily's wrap challenge theme.

Above you can see the wrap tied securely around the journal, below what it looks like unfurled and laying flat. As the art inside the journal develops the idea is that I can continue to add to and embellish the wrap cover with other scraps.

I've taken a few photos to show how it came together, starting with the floral tag on the front. The smaller of the flowers from Wendy Vecchi's 'Bravo' MAKE ART stamp/stencil/die set were stamped onto some cotton calico with Archival Ink before being filled in with embroidery thread (floss) using satin stitch. Using a variegated strand meant that different shades could provide contrast between the separate petals. The spare calico was trimmed away to leave the flowers and a small border around each one.

An old luggage tag was altered with some washi tape, black acrylic paint lines and a little stitching. A couple of leaf stems for the flowers were cut from an old map using dies from the Sizzix Thinlits 'Intricate Corners' Die Set and were embossed with clear embossing powder to strengthen them.

You can see below where the leaves and flowers were added to the tag along with some Rub-Ons for added detail. There's also a little torn cheesecloth glued onto the reverse of the tag ready to mount onto the wrap.

The main body of the wrap was cut from a layer of cotton calico and a slightly larger one from an old lace tablecloth. They were measured to ensure the finished wrap would cover and overlap around the journal even if it were to expand further. After marking where the spine would sit I used Wendy Vecchi's Background Stamp 'All Scratched Up' on a couple of pieces of tea stained cotton watercolor paper and stitched them securely onto the fabric layers.

After adding a panel of thick cotton lace from my stash across the spine area the remaining visible pieces of paper were enhanced with die cut leaf panels using another of the dies from the 'Intricate Corners' die set. These were glued firmly in place with an added layer of matte medium applied over the top to keep them secure. You'll see below that more lace has been added to the left hand side of the wrap - this is lace trim for net curtains, another of those lucky finds during the clear out.

Needing something to keep the wrap in place around the journal I measured a length of old cotton seam binding in place and stamped it with numbers in random patterns. To finish I added an extra piece of contrasting vintage lace around the spine and glued the finished tag onto the front along with a little bronze key from Linda's store.

Here are some close ups of the finished wrap;

So that's my take on the theme 'It's A Wrap!' My wonderfully talented team mates have also come up with their own wrap projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE. And remember to link up your own shabby chic or vintage pieces to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes that's up for grabs.

Thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Products used to create this card are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and are listed/linked below;

Wendy Vecchi MAKE ART Stamp, Die, Stencil Set - 'Bravo'

Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Background Stamps - 'All Scratched Up'

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set - 'Intricate Corners'

Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paint - 'Black'

Dina Wakley Media Cotton Watercolor Paper Pack

Bronze Keys - Set of 2

Rayon Seam Binding

Tim Holtz Distress Archival Mini Ink Pad Kit #1

Tim Holtz Distress Archival Mini Ink Pad Kit #3

Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - 'Mail Art'

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rubs - 'Specimen'

The Funkie Junkie Boutique - Laces and Ribbons