Roses on my cabinet

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. Its festivities in this part of the world...as people are busy cleaning up their homes and get it ready for the coming festival season, I decided to give the OLD a NEW look!

Here is what entered my studio a couple of days back and I had a blast work with the Deco Art Chalky finish paints. 

Its a dream come true, I have always wanted to give my furniture a different look but not a NEW look, does that make sense??? I love it aged and distressed and YES, that look is possible in just a few steps with these paints!

Here is the process...

Step1- I removed the glass and the hardware items from the cabinet and gave it a good scrub and wash to remove all the dust and grime. Gave a coat of Americana decor “vintage”, waited for it to dry...just a few hours. 

I know what you are thinking...patience and me...yes I had to cos my reputation was at stake. This is house furniture and I will not get a second chance if doesn’t turn out well, lol!

A second coat too and this time I was smarter, I decided to work on the table top.

Step2- I had chosen this lovely decoupage paper from Deco Art Victorian Romance collection and since I had only one sheet, I decided to give it a background. 

I took a simple brown wrapping paper and stamped music notes with Archival black ink and edged the entire sheet with potting soil Archival ink. I then stuck the rose sheet in the center with decoupage glue and it was ready to hit the table. This was a tough part as it was BIG, I had to do it in sections to avoid creases. Once this was sealed, I gave it a coat of triple thick brush on glaze.

Step3- My second coat was way ready and now I distressed just here and there with sand paper...not too much this time! I wanted to bring those roses to the doors too and thought about stenciling. Luckily, I had a rose stencil and I worked my way all-around the front with chalky paints and some fluid acrylics from deco Art. 

I have to admit I had no patience to measure and stencil...all of this was done just by eye balling!

 I have use two tone colors too here and the flourish is a Sizzix die cut negative! For the sides I used the Americana Victorian baroque.

Step 4- Time for waxing! First came a coat of clear wax and this time too I dint waste the drying time. I cleaned up the glass and gave the handles too a coat of sponging and coloring. Once the clear wax was dry, I took a soft cloth and started rubbing the dark wax. I love how instantly the piece begins to age. Here is the difference...the left is with dark wax.

 That’s how much it ages...isn’t that beautiful???

Step5- a single coat of color inside the shelves and a coat of varnish and my piece was done. However, since this was going to be used quite often, I gave a second coat of varnish too. 

 Fixed the glass and the handle and Voila!my first big piece of hand painted, distressed, weathered and stenciled furniture was ready! A happy moment...I knew I am not going to stop at this....

Step6- Time to drag the piece inside from my studio...but I decided to give it a sun bath for an hour outside! This way, it cures a bit and there is no odor too.A little sunshine is always good.

Now, this is how it sits pretty in the dining room! 

The brick wall lends it a very country look and I have to admit, I did get a pat on the back from hubby!

 Yeah...that means it’s time to drag the next piece to my studio....

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Do let me know how you liked it.

Deco Art Products used-

America Decor chalky finish paints- Timeless and Vintage

Deco Art decoupage glue

Decoupage paper Victorian romance

Deco art stencil Victorian baroque

Deco Art Triple Thick brush on glaze

Americana decor creme wax clear and dark

Deco art media Ultra matte varnish

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

ART THERAPY

Hello Crafty Friends...
Welcome to my page today...Happy to share this project with you today, which to me was so therapeutic and so the name!

A well spent creative time is therapy to the soul and this one is like that. I managed to make fabric paper or paper fabric...you could call it any way with just a piece of CONSTRUCTION PAPER and some kids crayons.

I know this is unbelievable but YES...it is as easy as that! Head over to lengthy tutorial at Rhedd's Creative creative spirit for the same.
Here are a few pictures ...

I so love the colors...I know a bright color palette from my side. I had a great time with stencils, crayons, paints, stamping and yes found my lost passion for machine stitching and hand stitching too!


There a lot happening in this project and I hope you get the time to read the tutorial and indulge in some therapy as well!I urge you to try the same.

If you do make one, do share it.
Deco Art Product Used-
Americana decoupage for Fabric
I would like to enter my journal book in the following challenges...
Beyond Grey Challenges- AG
STAMPlorations challenge Blog-Mixed Media
Loves to crate Ch Blog- Anything Creative mixed media
Sweet Stampin Ch blog-Script or text
All Sorts Ch Blog-No design paper
Craft Stamper magazine Ch blog- try a technique-Ink,stitch,paint,stitch
Polkadoodles Ch blog-Use a die cut
MOOMANIA-show patterns
Stamps and stencils - make it 3D
Until my next Creative journey,
happy Crafting and recycling.
Cheers.

Small Wonder

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to another month and I am back with my altered art project for Rhedd’s Creative Spirit. You can make anything but a card but altered art or mixed media only.

I have today a shabby book to share with you! It’s the size of a palm and unravels a big SURRISE in the end!

The book cover is a shabby chic style...after a long time from my side. For the cover, I dry embossed a white CS and then used DI peacock feathers to color it. Then took another scrap PP from Prime Sunrise Sunset pack and created texture with crackle texture paste. Once dry, I sprayed in some green and blue inks randomly.

I then decoupaged this lovely napkin onto this paper and then dabbed on some gesso on the sides.

The spine is using Tyvek paper and then I covered it with this pretty lace, (my prize win at Lessology). I inked the edges of the lace with tea dye DI and pierced an eyelet to hang this cute bottle charm. 

I have filled it with colored white sand. I colored white sand with peacock feathers DI. Love that color and some wooden beads and some silver charms give it thet perfect girlie look! The ornate metal corner is colored with silver alcohol inks too. I named the book “Small wonder”.

Ready for the ride ahead????

I shall now open the book and you can see the first SURPRISE...well, its not a book here!

 I altered a tin box to look like a book! On the lid i have a frame where I have used resist technique to color. I heat embossed a pattern with clear embossing powder and then mopped up the colors mustard seed, crushed olive and peacock feathers from the craft mat!

Well that not it...There is another SURPRISE inside this book.

Out comes a mini book...no ordinary book. Its a mini star book. It says “Short Stories” cos i have used the pages inside to showcase my daughter’s childhood photographs and against each picture I have these one line quotes from Inkadinkado.

There are 3 layers to this star book and on the final later I have used PP from Prima sunrise sunset stack and have done some stamping around the pages.

The colors in pink and yellow urged me to use up some more lace for the base of the page! It surely looks pretty with all that dressing, lol!

 Once the pictures and the quotes came in, it becomes an attractive display.

The advantage of a start book is that it can be a display on table or can be closed into a book at any time!

My daughter loved seeing herself in my craft project today! I hope you enjoyed too and play along with our challenge. Do drop in to see what the team has to show you.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

 I would like to have my “small wonder” enter the following challenges.
The Crazy Challenge- Shabby chic
Dream valley Challenge- recipe-Lace, pink, embossing
That Craft Place- Ag mixed media
Loves to Create Challenge- Ag mixed media
Lessology- Its reading time ( up cycled tin box)

Until my next creative Journey,

Happy crafting and re cycling.

Cheers.