What we Love!

Good morning!

Welcome to my page today! My project share for today is something really small but yes an altered one!

Normally albums are made and then the box or cover is designed to fit the album,but in this case, I had small box with me(looks like a book box) which I altered to fit in an accordion album!

The box measures 4 inches by 3 inches and opens up with a pearl and elastic closure and a pretty sturdy one and I was no way chucking this one in the dustbin. I decided to make a tiny memory box for my daughter to capture her solo moments in every stage of life.

You know how little girls are and their love for pinks! So I kept that in mind and worked with these gorgeous papers from Papericious, Love in Italy paper stack.

Again I was careful to choose the pinky ones and yes of course some neutral ones too! They had lovely prints of the Eiffel tower, birds and flowers ( all of which are my daughter’s favorites) and so it was just easy on that part.

The box was so tiny I had to actually make a custom made accordion to fit in but the depth being more, I knew I could fit in more pics. So I went ahead and made something like a gatefold accordion! 

Well suit your needs...It had accordion opening from both the sides and there are pockets and small journaling tags too.

It can easily hold upto 20-25 pictures! 

Isn’t that awesome for a mini, mini album!

I wanted to make the lid something really different yet catchy for a 7 year old! I wanted it to reflect my taste and yet make her want to have it! Now is that asking for too much!

I decoupaged a lovely little angel on to the box after a coat of gesso and then fit in a negative die cut on top to make a frame. Then I layered some crushed tissue , found objects, an Eiffel tower made from air dry clay, lace, corrugated cardboard, some twine, a broken butterfly charm...yup all of this on one side of that tiny lid!

Then I covered the entire box with black gesso and start to dry brush some paints from Deco Art. I was careful to use more green and less pink here ( the way I wanted!) and once dry, I also dry brushed some gesso(white) on it.

I love the antique kind of look that comes with dry brushing. 

And for the middle part of the box, I rubbed some silver metallic lustre from Deco Art . The black with silver gave an aged metallic look which went pretty well with the pinks on top!

I heat embossed a little quote in white near the closure and also added some pink bling (to satisfy her soul now, lol) on the base of the box.

As part of the final embellishment that would catch her fancy, I made handmade flower using TH tattered florals die and used DI(worn lipstick) to color it and along with some store bought peace lilies and die cut leaves, the box had a bright new life!

I covered the entire box with Ultra matt varnish too from Deco art and yes, my box was sealed and protected to hold a life time of memories of my little girl. I hope to fill this up in the years to come and hand it over when I think she can actually treasure it!

So my like + plus her like = to happy mom and daughter!

Thanks for stopping by today and let me know how liked this altered box.

I would like to take this to the following challenges...

Frilly and Funkie- It’s a small small world

Things to Alter- AG

Alphabet Ch Blog- M for mythical

Brown Sugar Ch blog-Lace and bling

All sorts Ch blog- fabulous florals

Papericious- AG

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

HOPE...a new beginning.

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. Today’s altered project is miniatures! I had this set of identical trash with me and thought they had scope to become a decor piece!

Once they hit my craft table and a few hours later, they became THIS.....

I have tried Deco Art chalky paints for glass on these bottles! I love the matt finish and the rest of it was easy.

The lovely floral patterns that I have used in the tissue reminded me of my summer garden in bloom! All fresh and colorful just after a mild shower.

The caps have been altered using air dry clay and to give the feeling of “mushrooms”, have painted them with co coordinating acrylic colors and also polka dots!

The weathered look finally is by dabbing burnt umber and adds that woody look to this project.

Keeping in mind the saying...WHERE THERE ARE FLOWERS, THERE IS HOPE...I die cut these alphabets in chipboard, inked them and had them stand on the lid!

A new day, a new beginning and waking up to “hope” every day! Now that’s quite motivating and a sight to begin the day with!

Hope you liked the new life of these bottles, do let me know.

I would like to take them to the following challenges...

Country View Challenges- Summer

OLLCB- ribbons and bows

Berry71bleu- Summer hideaway

Scrapki-wyzwaniowo- meadow flowers

The Corrosive Ch blog- Summer

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

Books and Blooms!

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today.

Well another altered project for you today! This time I decided to give my 15 yr old wooden tray and some ceramic coasters a makeover...yes 15yrs! I wish I had taken a before pic!

It all started when a few crafty friends visited me last week and I happened to serve them tea and which is when I realized my poor little tray needs a new look, ...it just went unnoticed, lol!

I had this lovely vintage paper stack by Eno Greeting in my stash and had been wanted to use it in such a way that I get to see it every day ,lol...am I greedy here????

I also swished out an old mills and boon book as I love to have some text pages with my vintage projects!

I covered all the coasters with text pages and when dry water washed them with gesso to lighten the text.

Meanwhile, I prepped my old tray and painted it with chalky finish paints from deco art.

First gave a coat of yellow(Delicate) and then dry brushed in green(New life) to give a distressed look, will I have it any other way?

This lovely pattern pattern with vintage blooms and oooo! The circles, just stole my heart. I was so happy I could use the entire 12X12 paper except an inch gone!

 I inked the edges and then did some more script stamping on the pattern paper before adhering it.

Once modge podged, I gave it 4 coats of ultra matte varnish...no way was I going to spoil this, lol!

Next I took some stencils and worked my way on the sides of the tray, both inside and outside. 

This time I used the lovely peach color (smitten)from deco art to compliment the flowers! More circles here! I was done with the tray and pretty happy with it.

THIS TIME IT IS SURE TO GRAB ATTENTION, what say???

Coming back to the coasters...There were some bloom cutouts in the paper pad and I had them modge podged on all the coasters. I inked the edges of the coasters with the chalky finish paints and then gave 4 coats of the ultra matte varnish. I was done and happy again!

 

 Anyone for some tea....WELCOME home!

I would like to link this entire set to the following challenges...

Creative carte Blanche- book pages and blossoms

City Crafter Challenge blog- Book of love

Things to Alter- AG

A Bit more time to Craft- AG

Country view Challenges- Have fun with circles

Catch The Bug Challenge- AG

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crating and recycling.

Cheers.

Deco Art products used

Chalky finish paints- Delicate, Smitten and New life

Deco art modge podge

Deco art media Ultra matte varnish

Girls wanna have fun!

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. Its getting warmer by the day here but I had great joy in doing this project as always... its a trash to treasure one, (do I know anything else at all!!!).

Off late I have been doing a lot of masculine project and so this time decided to pamper myself! Its vacation time here and I plan to travel soon and isn’t that a time to flaunt too...and so I made myself a little suitcase to carry all those “strictly womanly stuff”...you will see in the end, lol!

This time I looked around my store room and spotted this DIY craft packaging box, quite sturdy and ready to take on what I had in mind and so it reached my craft table along with an old Mills and Boon!

And after some time became this.....

Here is how it went...

Step1- It was a vertical closure box and I had to play around a bit and make if a horizontal one with the flap opening like a suitcase. Once that was done, I gave a generous quote of gesso and planed my next course of action. 

I had this lovely vintage wrapping paper in soft pastel shades which I thought would be perfect. I wanted something subtle and not too flashy! I inked the paper with tea dye and painted the box with chalky finish

Step 2- I cut out the wrapping paper with the images of the bird, lovely blooms and the vintage gramophone and a perfume bottle...It felt like a dream already!

Once that was decoupaged, I worked with my new stencil from Deco art and my homemade texture paste. The stenciled flowers start from where the decoupage ends and I carried it to the sides of the box too. Once that dried, I spritzed some walnut stain DS and dried it with a heat gun. It found the crevices easily and added a lovely vintage look to the box.

Step 3- I fixed the metal closures for the box and worked on the handle. I ran a thick CS thru an embossing folder and then gessoed and painted and it and then gave a few coats of varnish to make it sturdy like leather and then rubbed it with de co art metallic lustre in fushia and gold! Fixed it with a brad and lo!  Some metal charms..a pair of heels, a comb and wings...and I was ready to fly with this!

Step 4- As part of embellishments, I made the corner strips for the box using CS and did the faux leather technique in dull grey colors and attached it to the box with some faux stitching too! The top of the box is an altered key using TH alterations die and I aged it up with crackle paste and DS, fixed a metal flower and then a shabby resin rose and some 2 toned paper twine along with a pearl, phew! The label says it all and that gave me the mojo to work on the inside!

So let’s open the Pandora’s box!

Here we go....

Step5- The inside lid is lined with pages from an old Mills and boon and I altered a little envelope...got my new credit card, lol...more shopping! I covered the envelope with the same wrapping paper and covered the flap with a doily and attached it to the box. 

This can hold my secret bills! A lace flower sprit zed with milled lavender and a velcro closure seals it. One more label for the lady and  a few tiny wooden pegs on the lid to hold some paper slips and girlie pics...just made me smile actually!

Step6- The inside of the box was lined with wrapping paper too and inked it with tea dye DI. The crochet lace on the rim just added to the womanly factor and I placed a text doily in the center and sealed the base with an sheet so that it doesn’t get soiled inside. The edges of the entire box were rubbed with metallic lustre gold and some fuchsia here and there.

That’s the pretty suitcase all set to be loaded...let’s see the “strictly womanly stuff” ,lol!

There you go...one more time...

There is room for all of this and more!

Ta ta...My new companion for the vacation! I will see you soon.

I wish to enter this suitcase in the following challenges...

Stamps and Stencils- Trash to Treasure (you bet, my new buddy now!)

A Vintage Journey- Spring is in the air ( with all the pastel shaded and the flowers all around! )

Things to alter – Ag,Add a bird ( can you hear it sing near the gramaphone,l ol)

Craft Stampers magazine – Spring flowers ( loads of them)

Lessology- snail mail revolution( gosh, if not for that credit card! )

Thank you so much for stopping by and

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling,

Cheers.

Deco Art products used-

Deco art decoupage glue

Chalky finish paint- Vintage

Deco art matte varnish

Deco Art metallic lustre- Radiant red and fab Fuchsia

Deco art stencil- re usable stick on stencil, Arabian tile

Ageing Gracefully !

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome today to my page. I have a REAL project to share today.

If you are thinking I am going to share some beauty tips, lol...No way!

As I told you in my previous post about being a member of the Deco Art Blogger Outreach program and receiving those dream goodies and actually using them on my old furniture’s at home...ITS A DREAM COME TRUE!

Yes, I finally laid my hands on my Kitchen buddy for 10 years which I thought should get a makeover.

This is how the old one looked...

And hers’ how she has aged gracefully, lol! Perfect isn’t it???

Just a few steps and you can get this look.

Step1- I removed all the hardware from the set and voila ready to give the first coat of paint. Yes, its that easy. No priming or sanding...just a clean surface and you are ready to go.

 I used different colors of Chalky finish paints for the trio. Before the first coat, I just rubbed some candle wax on the areas I wanted some distressing and then gave the first coat. Once dry, the second coat. For impatient soul like me, this actually dries VERY fast!

Step2- I love this..DISTRESSING! I had a blast working my Ideology sanding block and scraping paints off from areas. You can actually get carried away here...as to how much you want to distress.

 But I told you I love it...so some extra scrubbing to reveal the wood beneath and this is so easy bcos of the wax.

Step3- A coat of the clear wax. I gave a generous coat of the clear creamy wax and yes, waited patiently for it to dry. No risk here. Once dry I dint think twice to coat it with the dark wax. 

I love weathered and aged stuff and its just magic how instantly on applying this it just changes color! But, you need to apply and wipe off the dark wax before it dries. It’s amazing how it just settles down in the grains of the wood and lends that beauty to the ageing process!

Step4- I was not keeping them plain. I decided to do some decoupage on this with some vintage flower napkins. I tore out portions of flowers and adhered them with the matt gel medium and one dry have a generous coat of the ultra matt varnish too. For the tray, I did some stamping of butterflies and script..its a habit now, lol!

 But I liked the final look! Time to fix the hardware’s back.

That’s how EASY it is!

What was 10 years old has aged beyond so gracefully and beautifully! I hope I made the trio happy. But, I am happy how it looks in my kitchen now. PERFECT...all set to be noticed and complimented.

I already have my eyes and hands set on the next piece of furniture !

Waiting for your comments too.

Deco arts products used..

Americana Decor Chalky Finish- Timeless, Vintage, refreshing, lace (love the names)

Americana decor cream wax- clear and dark brown

Deco Art media matt medium

Americana Decor Ultra matte varnish

Have a great day.

Until my next creative journey,

Happy Crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

One for the table!

Hello crafty friends..

I have a crafty share and some good news too! As always I have an altered art project to show you and the good news is that I am a member of Deco Art Blogger Outreach Program! Yeah...I was more than happy to receive a bunch of dream goodies, mostly paints, varnishes, wax and so on for furniture distressing!

Do you know what that means...my fav old furniture’s will be getting a makeover soon...not going to spare them too, lol!

Here is what I created with a few of the new products that Igot from Deco Art. 

An antique wooden caddy...you think so??? Wait till the end for a surprise reveal!

Here is how I went about making it...

Step1- I painted the box with black gesso and went about creating textures with stencils, stamps and home made texture paste. I used some die cuts from my stash too. 

I have adhered a cute angel made with POP and resin mold and have worked texture around it too. The focal point on both sides is the heart shaped frame which too has a textured border. The rope running all along the base of the box is made with air dry clay.

Step2- Once the texture was ready, I painted the whole box with black acrylic paint and then started working some brushed pewter DS on it, followed by a wash of burnt umber fluid acrylics. 

To further antique the look, I gave the entire box a wash of antiquing cream in patina green and then rubbed with a baby wipe. Lastly I rubbed in old gold, Inka Gold too. My antique caddy was looking a museum piece now! As if that was not enough, I rubbed in rusty hinge DI in places to give a worn rusty look!

Step3- I cut out this lovely angel from a decoupage tissue and adhered it to linen white CS, and cut it to size to fit the heart frame. I aged her too with some distress inking and Inka gold.I have applied Liquid glass clear on heart and on the other I used Triple Thick diamond glaze! The little angle is secure now!

Step4- I decided to give a pop of color to the antique caddy by embellishing it in fall colors. I punched holes on both sides, used gold eyelets and strung a copper wire for handle. 

All the glass beads and baubles are from my stash and I have used some patina green, orange, copper and black colors which brightens the caddy! A little metal charm that says it all hangs from the handle!

Step5- On one side of the heart I have orange twisted rose buds and a rusty metal wing that hangs above the angel.

 

On the other side some pretty white flowers and have colored the flowers on the angel’s hair!

Finally, a coat of Ultra matte varnish and my caddy was ready. Here is how it looks on my table with a little natural freshness picked from the garden! 

I have kept a few of the supplies that I reach out too quite often, so that I get to see this beauty.

Did I tell you that I altered a wooden caddy??? How could I if I dint have one...

No sweats..but I have THIS!

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I love to hear from you.
Deco arts Products used
Burnt Umber Fluid acrylics
Antiquing Cream patina green
Liquid Glass Clear
Triple thick Diamond glaze
Ultra matte Varnish

I would like to have this caddy enter the following challenges...

Frilly and Funkie- Stamps be gone

TIOT- add some metal

Brown Sugar Challenge- Anything But A card

Crafting musketeers- Autumnal colors

Stamps and Stencils- Up, Up, away in autumnal colors

OLLCB- feminine

Loves to Create Ch Blog- Ag mixed media

Crafty Calendar Ch- AG

Loves to Scrap Ch blog- AG

Until my next creative journey,

Happy Crafting and Re cycling.

Cheers.