My Other Creations: Pen Holder Using Seth Apter's Maze Embossing Folder

"Contain Yourself" is the theme of the week over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and it has been one of my favorites!  Include some sort of container in your project and you're good to go!  Since I am constantly losing pens (Sharpies seem to be particularly elusive), I decided to make a pen holder out of a tin can to keep those pens in check!

 I started with the background paper, which I made using Seth Apter's Maze embossing folder.  I have not yet learned how to fully utilize embossing folders, but this is my go-to technique.  I start by embossing white paper, then I go in with ink pads and rub them across the embossed pattern so that the pattern stands out.

Next I go back in with paint and rub it into the background so the background isn't so stark.  I rub the paint in with my fingers, which is messy, but quite therapeutic.

If the colors turn out too bright, I'll wait for the paint to dry and rub white paint on top of certain sections, which is what I did for this project.  Once my paper was done, I glued it to my tin can using Aleene's Turbo Tacky glue.  From there, I started embellishing it with strips of patterned paper and ruler ribbon.  I covered both the outside and the inside of the can.  I even added a little section of striped paper to the inside top of the can for a bit of oomph.

I love me some Tim Holtz Label Letters, which can spell out anything your little heart desires!

I decided to add some paint brushes to the outside of my can (heck, why not?) and used embroidery thread to replicate dripping paint.  I love buying cheap paintbrushes that I can chop, distress and use on my projects without feeling guilty for ruining nice ones.

Not only was this project pretty darn entertaining, but now I have a corral for those free-spirited pens of mine.  And I made this project with all these fabulous supplies that you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

Seth Apter Spellbinders Maze Embossing Folder	Sizzix Big Shot	Tim Holtz 12 x 12 Correspondence Paper Pack	Bo Bunny Believe 6x6 Paper	Echo Park Let′s Be Mermaids 12x12 Paper	Tim Holtz Idea-ology RULER RIBBON Fabric Canvas Measure	Simon Says Stamp Circle Loops Die Set
Tim Holtz Idea-ology HINGE CLIPS Nickel Metal Hardwar	Stamper′s Anonymous Tim Holtz Worn Text Stamp Set	Tim Holtz Idea-ology LABEL LETTERS	Iris Embroidery Floss Pack- Variegrated Colors	Dina Wakley LEMON Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley LIME Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley TURQUOISE Heavy Body Acrylic Paints
Dina Wakley Ranger WHITE Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley UMBER Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Peacock Feathers - Distress Ink	Squeezed Lemonade - Distress Ink	Tim Holtz Distress Twisted Citron Ink Pad	Black Sharpie Fine Point Pen	Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink Pad
Ranger Archival Aquamarine Ink Pad	Aleene′s Turbo Dry Glue	Fiskars Acrylic Blocks	Ranger Non Stick Craft Sheet

I am especially excited this week to see what you come up with to contain...something that needs containing!  Be sure to upload your works of genius to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 gift voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store!