Saturday, January 16, 2016

Can You Believe This Started As A Place Mat??

I love to participate in fun swaps and when I saw this Elegant Envelope Swap on Chic Craftique's Facebook Events, I just had to try something new and participate!! The swap rules had us taking a Place Mat, yes a place mat and turning it into an Elegant Envelope full of YUMMIES to send to our swap partner. I grabbed my place mat and some Reneabouquets products and got to work to create the following envelope to send out to my swap partner Faith Chesney.



I started with a sheer gold place and folded it into an envelope. I then took curtain panel and covered the whole inside of the envelope and then edged it out with some Vintage lace from my stash,  hot gluing the sides to form the pouch. I then layered  on some Reneabouquets  Golden Goddess Wide Lace on the outer top flap of the envelope, and used a Vintage Romance Brooch to simulate a closure. I used spray adhesive to attach tall my laces, because I thought it would help to make the piece a bit more stiff and it worked perfectly.


I opened the envelope up and added some Reneabouquets My Romantic Heart Lace. I also used the same lace to cover the back side. I then added a strip of Vintage lace from my stash and a sweet resin angel. 




To decorate the outside, I created a pocket from a heart doily that I misted with Tim Holtz Tattered Rose Stain and then rolled some script paper and tied them with twine and tucked them in the pocket.



Next, I added an Ivory Chiffon Flower some mulberry paper flowers, some light green leaves, and a Love Stick and Cherub Die Cuts from the Reneabouquets Victorian Ephemera Set. 



I tucked in lots of treasures for my swap partner into the pocket that includes: 4 different Vintage Laces from my stash, 2 Vintage Doilies, some paper Doilies, a collection of Vintage images that I have recolorized over the past couple of years wrapped with hand dyed seam binding with a sweet Vintage Scissors Trinket, and a set of my handcrafted Reneabouquets Divine Romance Butterflies.

I hope my swap partner loves her Elegant Envelope!! I have to say this was a project that I would not have tried had I not wanted to participate in the swap, so I hope that I can encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try something new as well. If you would like to participate in a Chic Craftique swap, but are not a member, please feel free to message me on my Renea Harrison Facebook Page , and I will get Julie Monroe to send you an invite!! Hugs ~Renea

3 comments:

Debbie Adams said...

Super gorgeous! I just love this idea taking a plain place mat and turning it into something so stunning.

Roosterhead Designs said...

GORGEOUS Renea!! Looks like an elegant evening bag or clutch!!
I really do love "stuff like this" - when you can create from something ordinary or simple, and end up with little masterpieces'! : ) You did a beautiful job friend. Thanks for sharing~ Karen O

Unknown said...

I totally agree that it looks gorgeous! The girls from my team at stilusessaywriting.com agreed that they 'd like to have such an evening bag. It looks like a great job you've done!