Easter Shadow Box Project

Hi everyone, how is your week going?

Ok, so I do realize that Easter is still more than a month away.

But, for those of us who love to create, well, we often tend to jump ahead of the calendar, right?

I do have a valid excuse, though, as this is my latest project for DecoArt!  

DecoArt was requesting Easter themed projects, so I couldn't resist the chance to make something fun and spring like!

Sometimes inspiration comes just from walking thru the isles the craft store.  Other times it's searching for neat ideas on Pinterest.  And yet others just seem to pop into my head!

So with that, I'll share with you my Easter shadow box project.

 I found this neat wood shadow box with a pretty laser cut frame at Michael's.  I knew right away that it would be the basis for my project!

 Then I had another brainstorm!  I picked up these little wood banner cut outs, also at Michael's

I began by painting the frame and outside of the box in the prettiest light green, called "Pistachio".

One easy way to get more mileage out of your paints 

(and keeps you running to the store to buy yet another color!) is to mix several colors together to create a multitude of shades!  So for a little contrast, I mixed some of the green with a bit of white "Snowball" to make a slightly lighter shade of green, and used it to paint the inner edges of the box.

 I also painted the little wood pennants in both shades of green, as well as a pretty "Baby Pink".

Again, for another shade of pink, I mixed it with a little white to create a paler pink for some of the other pennants.

 I love adding little polka dots to my projects.  So I decided to add them to the edges of each pennants, just for fun.  It was easy peasy!  Just dip the end of a small paint brush, or even the eraser end of a pencil into your paint to create the dots (I used white).

 To each pennant I added adhesive alphabet stickers to spell out "Happy Easter".

You can't tell from my photos, but the letters have just a bit of sparkle 

(because you know just how much I love glitter!)

 I then added the pennants to two lengths of jute twine.

To the inside of my shadow box, I decoupaged a piece of vintage sheet music

(I guess you could say sheet music is one of my signature looks!)

 Then the real fun began!  Assembling my box!

I found this darling little Easter bunny at Hobby Lobby.  Isn't he just the cutest?  He is foil wrapped, giving him the appearance of chocolate (but don't try to eat him, he's decorative only!!)

I also added this sweet spray of pastel colored eggs.

 And the cutest little nest with eggs, also from Hobby Lobby.

 I had so much fun with this project!

 It makes me want to create more for different holidays and seasons!

 I hot glued all of my embellishments in place.  But, if you just placed them inside the box, you could swap them out with the seasons, using the same box again and again for different looks.

Hope that inspires you to create something fun!

Projects

Bonjour Mes Amis!

How is your week going so far?

Wow, it sure is hard to believe we are already into the second week of January, isn't it?!

Today I thought I'd share with you a few projects that I recently completed.

All are in my Etsy shop, if you care to take a look!

My sister has been busy cleaning out her attic, and found this cabinet door that she thought I could do something with.  Of course, I forgot to take before shots of everything I'm showing you today, darn!

Anyway, it wasn't vintage or anything, otherwise I would probably have kept its original paint and patina.

It was boring golden oak, and so ready for a fresh look and new lease on life!

Immediately I thought of creating a coat hook out of it.

So, I painted it in my favorite shade of light blue chalk paint.

 I then stenciled this gorgeous large skeleton key to the front.  (I wish it would show up better in the photos!)

I used several different colors for my stencil, to give it a dimensional look.

 One of the best things about this project was I had everything for it, except the hooks!

I found those at the hardware store and had my handy hubby mount them for me.

It was a fun project, and I am happy with the end result!

(so, my sister can pass along more "junk" from her attic to me any day!!)

 Next up is this large vintage wooden cigar box that I found while out thrifting.

I see plenty of cigar boxes on my hunts, but I've never come across one this large before!

It was very well made, and had a neat brass latch and hinges, so I just knew that I could do something with it!

 So, I painted it inside and out with a pretty creamy taupe chalk paint.  I left the inside lid unpainted, to show off the original cigar ad (wow, only 5 cents each, this box must be old!!).

I also knew that I wanted to decoupage something to the lid. After some thought I decided on these beautiful roses, compliments of The Graphics Fairy.

If you ever decoupage, you know how tedious it can be to cut out details by hand, but the results are worth it, I think!

 Just for fun, I added the address of a Parisian flower market to the sides.

 I just love finding boxes that I can transform with paint and a little tlc.

The one below was also a thrifted find.  It was a dark reddish brown when I found it, and I could hardly wait to paint it the same pretty light blue as my coat hook project.

The neat thing about this box is that it also holds a photo.  I placed a scrap of pretty floral paper beneath the glass insert for the time being. The lid has a metal insert, and features a beautiful floral cut out design.  

 Of course, I distress nearly all of my projects, to give them what I like to call

"that aged over time look".

I almost forgot to show you my knife, fork and spoon trays.
A few weeks ago, hubby came home with a set of three vintage wood trays.
I just love it when he comes home with goodies for me from the thrift store!
(he knows just what to look for!)
Anyway, they were a dark wood finish, and on their backsides was imprinted
"Toastmaster Hospitality Tray".
They were made right here in Michigan (Grand Haven), back in the 1950's.

 While I don't always know right away just how I will make something over,
if I look at the object long enough, inspiration will eventually strike!
So, since there were three trays, I thought it would be fun to decoupage them with these gorgeous copies of a giant knife, fork and spoon.  All were found on The Graphics Fairy.
First I painted the trays in the same creamy taupe that I used for the cigar box.

I had so much fun with this project!

 It's amazing how realistic and dimensional the silverware looks!

And I couldn't resist sharing a pic of Katie, perched on the wicker bench at the foot off our bed.

I had to laugh, as it looks like she's yawning from boredom over all my craft projects:)

Have a great week, can'w wait to see what you all have been up to!

Vintage Jewelry Box Makeover

Hi everyone, happy November!

Wow, it sure is hard to believe that Halloween is already past, and soon the holidays will be upon us!!

Today I thought I'd share with you one of my latest projects that I completed for DecoArt, a vintage jewelry box which I transformed.

Here is a peak at the "after".  Of course, it didn't look like this when I discovered it!

 When I first spotted the piece while thrifting, I just knew it would be fun to give it makeover.

I was drawn to the raised panels on the doors and each side, as well as the pretty embossed design on the top.  Plus, it was made in Japan and very well built, and the music box still worked!  It plays "Lara's Theme" perfectly.  While the ballerina designs on the panels were pretty, they were showing some wear, and one was starting to peel off.  

The two doors opened to reveal three velvet lined drawers.  Only problem was, they were red velvet!

While the material was still in very good shape, the color just did not fit with what I had in mind.

No problem!  I decided to remove the velvet and paint and decoupage the inside of the drawers. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, was I ever wrong!

Can you believe I literally spent hours removing every last trace of that velvet and cardboard backing from the drawers??  It was very frustrating, to say the least!  In the end, I am glad that I decided to redo the insides.  With that said, the next time I make over a jewelry box, I will leave the insides alone!:)

Ok, I am getting a little ahead of myself in all the excitement!

I first removed the hinges on the doors.  Then I painted the entire box in my favorite light blue chalk paint, called "Vintage".  It has just a bit of gray undertones and is oh so pretty!

I also used some creamy white "Lace" chalkpaint to dry brush the piece and give a bit of dimension.

I knew I wanted the drawers to be a bit darker, so I mixed in some black "Carbon" chalk paint with the light blue, resulting in a nice dove gray.

I also gave the entire piece a little glazing treatment for instant aging.

The piece de la resistance is the pretty floral design that I decoupaged onto the raised panels.

It is from DecoArts new decoupage paper line, and I just love it!

Aren't those blue roses gorgeous?

I've done quite a bit of decoupaging over the years, and this was my first experience using actual decoupage paper.  It is the perfect weight and texture, and is so easy to work with!

Here's a look at the embossed design in the top.  It's hard to see in my photo, but the glazing settled into the design making it a bit more pronounced, just as I was hoping.

Oh, another thing I forgot to mention!  I painted the border of the raised panels in creamy "Lace" to help set them off.

I also used Lace to paint the inside of the drawers.  Then I lined them with more of DecoArts decoupage paper in a vintage sheet music motif.  Love!

I must say that I am thrilled with the end result!

Aren't the cute little wooden feet darling?

In the end, it was worth all of the work, and it was a very fun makeover!

I can't wait to find another box that I can transform!

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you have a great week!

Disclaimer:  I am compensated by DecoArt, but all opinions
are my own.

French Themed Lazy Susan, and other Fun Things

Bonjour Mes Amis!

Just thought I'd share with you some of the newest creations that I've made for my Etsy shop.

I love finding lazy Susan's that I can transform with a little paint and tlc!

So I had alot of fun giving this recent find a French twist!

It's been painted with my favorite shade of creamy white chalk paint.

And since you know I love all things French, I thought this stencil advertising a French bakery was quite fitting.

Oooh, la, la!

Another thing I love hunting for are nice wood candlesticks.  There are many I come across that I turn down. But when I am lucky enough to spot nice chunky ones, I quickly snap them up!

I decided to paint these in a pretty light French blue chalk paint.

Then I gave them my special distressing and aging treatment.

Light blue is my absolute favorite color!!

Next up is this nifty wooden tool box/tote. Well, it wasn't very nifty when I discovered it!

It was just plain unfinished wood, and was practically begging me for a makeover!

So, I mixed up several shades of chalk paint to come up with this pretty mossy green.

I thought the French flower market stencil was pretty fitting to add!

Ok, if you aren't sick of seeing my stencils, here is another recent creation of mine!

I've painted and sold quite a few of these wood crates.  

They are so fun to transform with chalk paint and French themed stencils.

I decided to go with a lovely light blue for this one, and creamy taupe lettering.

I can think of so many uses for these crates!

Fill them with books, as I have here.

Or they would be so handy in the bath to hold towels and other supplies in style,

In the living room, store extra throws, pillows, or even board games.

The possibilities are endless!

To each end I stenciled a large fleur de lis, which is quintessentially French!

And since we are on the subject of French flower markets, I couldn't resist sharing a few pics that I snapped of markets around Paris!
****sigh!****

Thanks so much for stopping by, have a great day!