CCM&M - #144 - Anything but a card!

Morning - it's been a while since I've blogged!! A combination of being busy - and when I wasn't busy I had no energy!! So have done little crafting - and less blogging!! 

Anyway, today is the launch of a new Challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More. And I am hosting this fortnight. The theme is - Anything But a Card - so tags, boxes, altered/upcycled items, home decor - basically anything that isn't a card!!

I decided to use the opportunity to make something useful! I've been meaning to make a new desk tidy since Christmas - but just haven't had either the time or the inclination to get on and do it! Back in November 2011, we had a "Recycle" challenge - and for that one I made my first desk tidy - as shown below!!

Over the past nearly four years, it has been very well used, and become a bit grubby and bashed. So it was time for a new one - shown below!!

I started with an old snack container, and an assortment of pieces of cardboard tubes - bits left from cutting 34 totem pole size tubes for a school project!!! 

I laid out the tools I wanted to put in the container - including my scissors, knives, embossing tools and files - then cut the pieces if necessary. 

I used Eco-Green Acrylic paints (Lilac, Orchid, Black, Pomegranate, Eggplant, Tomato) to paint the tubes  - I didn't want them all the same colour.

The tubes for the scissors needed to be open at the bottom so that they would just hang through.

The other needed a bottom to prevent the bits falling through. All I did was to glue them to a thick piece of card. After the glue was dry, I then cut them out.

I covered the container with 2 pieces of DoCrafts paper (I think it was Boofle). 

Next, I wrapped round some Bazzill Bling card, and another border of the paper.

I kept the decoration simple with different pieces of Washi tape (think they were all from The Range).

I painted some of the inside with Orchid paint, and then added more Bazzill card around the top of the inside to provide a better surface for sticking the tubes - and also the seal in the ends of the Washi Tape.

I then used more wet glue to attach the tubes where I wanted them. I have plenty of room to add more tubes later if I find I need more storage!!  

So now I have a nice new desk tidy - with room for expansion!!

Make sure you pop over to the Crafty Cardmakers and More Blog to check out the rest of the inspiration from the team. And I look forward to your creations!

Back soon (I hope!!)

Cxxx