Now, I wish I could say that I came up with this idea! Wouldn't that be nice ... but not so! Dianne Shiozaki shared the idea on a Demonstrator discussion group. She had received an e-flyer from a craft company with a picture of a matchbox dresser that can be made with normal household objects that usually get thrown away! Dianne posed a challenge for someone to take this idea and use it with the Big Shot and the new Stampin' Up! Exclusive Matchbox Bigz Die that will be available beginning April 1st in the Occasions Mini Catalog. Well, you know me and challenges! And since my preorder goodies from the Occasions mini just happened to come the night before, there was that die, just begging to be used! Igot up early this morning and started playing around and this is what I came up with. Isn't it cute? I actually made two of them and let me tell you, they are so quick and easy to make. The exclusive Stampin' Up! Die both cuts and scores your cardstock. The base of the box doesn't even need any adhesive to hold it together. That's how wonderfully this die is designed. The top of the box just needs a tiny bit of adhesive on one flap. A few folds and it's all together, beautifully. I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard that four little Nugget candies will fit perfectly inside the box, making it a great quick little project for teacher gifts, door prizes or just anytime you want to let someone know you're thinking of them. In addition to the box, the die also include 3 exclusively shaped tags that can be used with the boxes or with other projects!
Anyway, on to this project. I made three of the boxes, one each in Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Almost Amethyst. I made all the tops in Almost Amethyst. I used Sticky Strip Adhesive on each of the box top flaps to hold them together and used Sticky Strip as well to adhere the Tea Party Designer Series Paper around the assembled chest. A 2" piece of 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon serves as the drawer pulls, held in place with the adorable new Flower Assortment Brads. I wrapped a piece of DSP (2 5/8" x 10") around the assembled drawers, securing it all around with Sticky Strip. I wrapped a generous piece of the new 5/8" Satin Ribbon (again available April 1st from the Occasions Mini Catalog), leaving enough to tie
a bow on the top. Oh my gosh, this new ribbon is so beautiful and easy to work with! The tag is made with one of the tags on the Die and the new set (yes, from the Mini) called Great Friend. The butterfly antennae are from the Pretties Kit! (click on the pictures to see larger images) I punched a tiny hole in one butterfly wing and tied a loop of Linen Thread thought it to attach the tag to the bow! This little treasure chest will be sent to a special friend and each little drawer will hold some tiny secret Stampin' Up! surprises! I can't wait until she receives it!
Here's the other one that I made, using Good Morning Sunshine Designer Series Paper. It was constructed in the same way, using the colors Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip. I made some little mini tags to go inside the drawers using the stamp sets Cheep Talk, WOW Flowers and Short & Sweet! Oh, the tag on this little chest uses the new Scallop Oval Punch and the Oval All Stamp set, another sneak-peek at the good things to come in the Occasions Mini Catalog!
If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!
Check out my previous posts for information about Marker Clubs that are forming now, a Big Shot Class-On-The-Go that you can order from me, and some great new Easter Setsthat are now available from Stampin' Up!
Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you come back soon!!!
Blessings, Gretchen





























Gretchen! You have GOT to stop this! You come up with the greatest ideas, or you get them from somewhere and make them better! Can I move in with you and suck up all your talent? You are very talented and I would love to be your apprentice. :-) Thank you for all your inspiration!
Lisa Tedder
Posted by: Lisa Tedder | March 06, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Holy Cats! That is *extra* cute :) Tfs!
Posted by: Robin | March 06, 2009 at 09:05 AM
GORGEOUS!! But, all your projects are!!!
Posted by: Tammy | March 06, 2009 at 09:26 AM
Gretchen baby, these are wicked! Love em!!! My matchbox will be here today, and this is first on my list!!!!! Yahoo!
Becky
Posted by: Becky Roberts | March 06, 2009 at 09:54 AM
Brilliant!!! Very creative Gretchen!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Posted by: Kay | March 06, 2009 at 10:12 AM
These are just darling gretchen!!!
Posted by: Heidi Sorg | March 06, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Great job! You are so clever!
Posted by: 2stampis2b | March 06, 2009 at 10:58 AM
These are soooo cute! Now I have to order that Big Shot die cut too! UGH!
Kristi
Posted by: Kristi Kelly | March 06, 2009 at 09:03 PM
If that isn't just the most precious thing! TFS, Gretchen.
Posted by: Sue duffy | March 06, 2009 at 09:06 PM
This the same template that Lauren Meader had out over a month ago in her "My Timeless Templates" and she also showed it placed together in set of six and nine. I really think someone should appologize to her for promoting it as their idea!
Posted by: Nancy Park | March 06, 2009 at 09:19 PM
sinkin' cute! I love it and will be casing this for sure.
thanks!!!!
Posted by: melanie Hopes | March 07, 2009 at 08:42 AM
In reference to the above comment, as I stated in my blog post, I got inspiration for this idea from a Craft Company flyer. If someone else has done something simliar, I did not see it and would have linked to their blog and given them credit if I had! Blessings, Gretchen
Posted by: Gretchen Barron | March 07, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Very cute and creative.
Posted by: Mary | March 09, 2009 at 07:14 AM
You rock! This is a great idea! WOW! Speechless, here, and that's a tricky thing to do to me!
Posted by: Sara | March 10, 2009 at 12:05 PM
I saw this and I had to order the Big shot and the matchbox die. I was indecisive but after seeing this; it made up my mind. Thanks so much, I really love this.
Posted by: Jeannette Dailey | March 21, 2009 at 08:28 PM