Love, Italian Style

I've had this chipboard album and box for quite a while (I can't even remember where I bought it or who makes it). I finally put it to use for a gift for Husband. For our honeymoon several years ago, we traveled throughout Italy and Monaco. I used some "leftover" photos from this trip for the album.

First, the box:

I covered the box with patterned paper, vintage trim, and a stitched ruffle of sewing pattern tissue. I added Crackle Paint to the edges. I created the ruffled flower using vintage paper from an Italian travel book, which I punched with a Martha Stewart edge punch and then folded and curved into the circle shape. The bottom is decorated with a photo from the Boboli Gardens in Florence. I coated it in several layers of Tim Holtz Rock Candy Crackle Paint, Crackle Accents, gel medium, white ink, and brown Distress Ink. I wanted it to have a worn and aged look. I added a few embellishments to the bottom corner.

The top of the box is covered in vintage wallpaper. I used Crackle Paint on the edges, and applied a new Prima Say it in Pearls and Roses flourish to the front and top.

On the top, I layered several flowers, vintage lace, an old button, and paper fan.

On the back of the box, I made a little tag decorated with a map of Italy from an old book. I added Distress Inks, vintage lace, a scrap of sheet music, and a tiny posie.

The album is tucked inside the box. Here's the cover:

I used 7 Gypsies papers from the Swirlydoos February kit to cover all the chipboard pages. The cover also has a map from the vintage Italy travel book, Thickers letters, KaiserCraft letters (from the Swirlydoos kit), Prima flowers, a Prima Say it in Pearls Center (the fleur de lis in the upper-left corner), Maya Road stick pin, and vintage lace. I made the vintage paper flower at the top. The KaiserCraft letters are painted with more Crackle Paint and edged with Copper Stickles.

Here are a few of the inside pages:

These Prima flowers are also in the Swirlydoos kit. I added Glossy Accents on the water in the Venice photo. In person, you can see how it gives a great water effect.