Today’s project is another one where I changed focus part way through. I’d planned to bring you a proper sneak peek of the Magnolia Lane Designer Series Paper (DSP), but in the end it was the Magnolia Memory Dies that stole the show.

THE HEXAGONAL BOX

Some time ago I was given this little hexagonal wooden box. Each side is a 2-1/8″ and the box is 2-1/4″ high.

I began my project with a 2-3/4″ strip of one of the pretty magnolia designs from the Magnolia Lane DSP. Instead of measuring around the box with a ruler, I placed the strip level with the top of the box and tight up against one of the corners. Then I wrapped the strip around the box, using my thumb and forefinger to make a crease at each corner.

Once I’d gone around three sides I added an extra 1/2″ and cut the strip. Then I repeated this a second time so I had two strips, where each one would cover three sides with a little extra at one end.

Then using Tear & Tape Adhesive I attached the ‘extra’ piece to the box, and then wrapped the DSP around three sides, gluing the first two sides in place with Multipurpose Liquid Glue. With one section still loose I used Tear & Tape to attach the ‘extra’ piece of the second strip to the end of the third section. Then I attached the last part of the first strip to the side with liquid glue. This covered the start of the second trip and created a neat, almost invisible join.

With that done, all I needed to do was use liquid glue to attach the rest of the second strip. In no time at all I had a pretty magnolia covered box.

A LITTLE RIBBON TRIM

Although I love the paper, I decided that it needed a little something more. It needed a bow.

First I used Tear & Tape Adhesive to attach some Whisper White 5/8″ Flax Ribbon around the box, overlapping the ends at the front.

Next I tied a bow and cut the ‘tails’ very short and secured them behind the loops with Tear & Tape Adhesive. Then I used more Tear & Tape to add the bow to the box, hiding the join in the ribbon.

MAGNOLIA MEMORY BLOOM

Now I couldn’t decide what to do about the top of the box. Cover it with DSP? Leave it plain? In the end I pulled out the new Magnolia Memory Dies.

This set of 16 dies contains some that coordinate with images in the Good Morning Magnolia Stamp Set. But I wanted some of the other 3-petal dies that are designed to make 3D flowers.

Using my retiring Big Shot I cut two large flower pieces, and one each of the other two from Whisper White Card. Then I used a Sponge Dauber to add some Petal Pink ink to the centre of each one, bringing the colour up each petal just a little. I flipped each piece over so I could add ink to the back too.

With that done, I shaped each petal by gently drawing them between my thumb and the edge of a Bone Folder.

As I started to stack the four flower pieces I thought that the lowest set of petals needed to come out more. So I used Paper Snips to cut one of the largest pieces into three separate petals. Then I used liquid glue to attach these three individual petals to the back of the other large piece. The medium flower came next, followed by the smallest one.

TIP – The new Hot Air Balloon Punch will make even larger petals for flowers. Initially didn’t think I needed this punch, but I might just have changed my mind!

FLORAL DETAILS

So back to my project… There was just one thing missing, the stamens in the centre of the flower.

The Magnolia Memory Dies has two different dies for the stamens and I chose the smaller of the two. I wanted my stamens to be yellow, but not bright, so I cut three of them from scraps of Very Vanilla Card.

Then I used a Sponge Dauber to add a little So Saffron ink to the very tips on both sides. To get the stamens to curl I used my Bone Folder again, and carefully shaped each one.

With liquid glue I layered two sets of stamens together, off-setting them slightly. To make the third one fit inside the other two I sort of rolled it between by thumb and forefinger before gluing it in place.

Then all that was left was to glue the assembled stamens to the centre of the magnolia bloom and it was finished.

A TRIP DOWN MAGNOLIA MEMORY LANE

Oh I think I’m in love! I’ve made a lot of 3D flowers using Stampin’ Up! dies and punches, but this one has to be my favourite. However, having made the flower, now I’m not sure whether I want it on the top of the box. You see I quite like the lid underneath the box, which wouldn’t be possible if there was a flower attached to it. I’ll have to think about that…

So while I wrestle with that dilemma, I’ll leave you with a look at all the Magnolia Memory Dies. They’ll be available to purchase on Tuesday when the Stampin’ Up! 2019/20 Annual Catalogue goes live. They’ll also be available as part of a discounted bundle with the co-ordnating Good Morning Magnolia Stamp Set.

You’ll find more sneak peeks from the Magnolia Lane Suite in these earlier blog posts:

• For Someone Special
• Magnolia Discovery

I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for another sneak peek and a Simple Sunday project.

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – If you want to order the Magnolia Memory Dies along with the coordinating Good Morning Magnolia Stamp Set, you save 10% if you do so using the ‘bundle’ item number. Although I didn’t use the stamp set for today’s project, I’ve included a link to the bundle below in case you want to look at this further.