Day of the Dead Coffin

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project was created for the Blank Page Muse and I Brake for Stamps blogs. Thank you BPM and IBFS for allowing me to share this project in my blog, too!

I created a 3D coffin for today's post. I created the coffin using the Cricut Explore machine. The cut image is from the Cricut Life's a Party cartridge. I resized the coffin based on the measurements of the stamp image. Since this is an old cut image, I made sure to attach the score lines to the cut. It just makes the folding easier with the score lines attached to the cut image. I still reinforced the score lines with a bone folder.

This cartridge includes a cut image that will cut the layers to embellish the top of the coffin. I did not use these layers on my project. Instead, I traced the coffin on a white cardstock and cut this using a paper trimmer. I trimmed a quarter inch from each side to make it smaller than the size of the coffin. I traced this white coffin piece on a black cardstock. I also trimmed a quarter off each side to make it smaller than the white coffin piece.

I stenciled floral images to the black coffin piece using a Simple Stories stencil and Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks. I used a small blending brushed which made the ink application easy. With the small blending brushes, I didn't have to mask an area where I didn't want to blend ink into.

After the ink has dried, I adhered this black piece on top of the white piece. I poked holes so I can add an outline stitch to the design.

For the focal point, I used the I Brake for Stamps Mr. Bones rubber stamp. 

I stamped the image on white cardstock using a black Memento dye ink. Memento is a Copic friendly ink and also works well with most coloring mediums. I also like Memento since it stamps detailed images really well. 

A stamp positioner was very useful to me in stamping this image since this image is very detailed. The stamp positioner allowed me to re-stamp the image since I missed some spots in stamping. 

There is an option whether you want this rubber stamp mounted or unmounted when you purchase it. If you chose the unmounted, like me, to stamp the image, adhere the unmounted stamp to the door of the stamp positioner as seen on the photo above. I used a glue stick to do this which worked really well. The stamp held on to the door during the stamping and re-stamping. To clean the glue off from the back of the stamp and the stamp positioner door, I just used a wet rag.

I used different coloring mediums to color Mr. Bones. I used color pencils for the base layer. A sharp color pencil was very useful in coloring those tight spots. I then used an alcohol marker which worked well in coloring the hat since this is the largest part of the image. I also used gel pens for accents, coloring over some of the areas colored with color pencils. 

I fussy cut the image leaving a white border around it. I used a craft knife to cut the areas in between Mr.  Bones' arms and body.

I added dimensional glue to some areas and also colored some parts with a shimmer pen.

I adhered Mr. Bones to the coffin panel I created earlier. I adhered this to the front of the coffin using foam adhesive.

This 3D coffin can be used as a decor. I forgot to mention that this coffin can be opened to reveal a hidden message or even a candy bar measuring up to ~1/2". 

I hope you like today's project. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse and I Brake For Stamps are generously offering a 15% discount to their online store to YOU, my blog readers. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out. Enjoy!

I am sharing this project at

Inkspirational Challenge Blog

Spooky and/or Add Some Purple

Just Us Girls Challenge Blog