A bag full of MEMORIES

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. Back to paper crafting after a long time...yes this time with some scrap denim too!

I had an empty cereal box sitting on my table for sometime now and I was wondering what to do with it. As I was playing with it, I realized I could make a bag and so was born this project!

Next, my hands reached out to some old jeans and i ripped some fabric to make the cover. The best combination to go with denim is leather and so.... some faux leather too for this project.

Here is what I made...do you think this is just a bag!

It opens into a handsome, macho masculine album! The paper line used is Tim Holtz “lost and Found” and have used the hidden hinge binding here.

I followed the score line of the empty carton and so the size of the album and spine was determined by that. To enforce the strength of the album, i used thick chipboard and tyvek too to make the album durable.

There are 4 interactive pages...the base being Kraft, the papers compliment so well with it. I have inked the edges with walnut stain to further age the album. There are a lot of tuck spots and some little interesting tit bits that can be opened up for a little surprise!

The faux leather too is with Kraft CS as base and I have actually done some stitching to attach the leather and denim to the cover! How cool is that.

This album screams “masculine” from all sides and so I kept the embellishments sans flowers! Now that is a relief...

The handle is fixed using bronze metal brads and there some charms too hanging from the handle. The little glass bottle is filled with colored sand...white sand + fired brick distress inks!

In all this album has a list of men’s favorite stuff....denim, leather, metal, machine, football , blues, browns , reds and NO FLOWERS! Do you agree???

Do leave me a note about this album...I had a great time making the bag too! A lot of Tim Holtz Visual artistry stamps have been used for the secret elements and surprise notes that spring from the pockets!

I have still not made up my mind about the recipient of this bag full of memories...may be my brother who is visiting me next month with a box full of crafty goodies??? Definitely a deserving candidate...what say?

I would like to enter this album in the following challenges...

Lulupu- make a mini

Sparkles monthly Challenge- Anything But A card

A Bit More Time To Craft- AG

Country View Challenge- Blue

The Artistic Stamper Ch- fabric

All Sorts Ch Blog- Anything but a card

Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

Journey of a WICKET GATE!

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. I am so happy and excited to share with you my first “re purposed project “! Its the journey of a wicket gate!

My little one is 6yrs old now and has out grown this wicket gate which we had made for the stair cases. I was not ready to give away this door and thought having served and done its duty for so long, it needed a better exit!

Did I say exit...no way... it deserved a royal entry into the house and so I decided to give it a makeover and make it a prominent feature in my house.

Are you ready....

Here is how it stands today!

Now that’s the story of a dutiful wicket gate to a focal home decor piece! Here is how it happened..

Step1- The base of the gate being black, it was going to be shabby chic theme. And so I gave the gate 2 coats of chalky finish paint in “everlasting”. Then came the distressing to reveal the black here and there. I love distressed furniture and I kept it pretty simple hare. No ageing with waxes, since I wanted it bright!

Step2- A little box planter was fixed on the base and i did some crackle with white glue to reveal the black here. I loved the bold cracks here by using just white glue. Pretty roses decoupaged with Americana decor decoupage glue was just the perfect add for the chic look!

Small potted indoor plants sit cozily in the box giving life to the panel!

Step3- An ornate oval wooden frame distressed in the same color theme gives the much needed vintage look and I had a family picture to go with it too! I wanted this to be in black in white.

Step4- Some more wood embellishments...this time I had little wooden discs which I gave the shabby look with the chalky finish paints and then decoupaged flowers and birds. One of them even has a stamped quote with black archival ink! These little trio lend a warm feel to the panel and compliment the little bushes below!

Step5- I just added a little more greenery with a money plant towering all over the frame. This is it! It was ready to adorn my living room where the theme is white and vintage!

A few simple steps and my wicket gate has been transformed beyond recognition! I wish I had not given away two more of these that I had but glad I could give this one the much needed “THANKS” for guarding my little one! This is definitely my favorite project.

I am looking forward to hearing your views and comments on this project. Sorry for the glare on this pic!

Americana Decor Products used-

Americana decor chalky finish paints- everlasting

Americana decor- decoupage glue

Deco art matte varnish

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

HANDSOME or BEAUTIFUL ???

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. My adventures and discoveries with furniture makeover is on an a high and this time Ihad this Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome lurking in my studio and very adamant about having a cosmetic surgery, lol!

I had something in mind, and considering the size I was just hoping this should come out well...this furniture is about 18yrs old and I was just bored with its plain look.

I wanted an ornate, vintage and distressed look and did quite a bit of research on google for the look I wanted but finally settled down with a two tone coloring pattern. My husband was skeptical but I was hell bent on making Mr. Handsome really BEAUTIFUL now!

Here is the process...

Step1- The furniture was too plain and I decided to give some texture by pasting some dry wall tape all around the door frame. For the ornate look, I made a few molded roses using a silicon mold and plaster of paris. I stuck them on the door frame and once dry, proceeded to paint.

Step2- The deco art chalky finish paints are a boon for such projects and I had just the colors for this one. Once the hardware was removed, I gave 2 coats of timeless and vintage. This time used just the sand paper for distressing and did it quite a bit cos I wanted it really worn out. For the knob I used one step crackle and colored the cracks with burn umber fluid acrylics.

Step3- A coat of light wax and then the dark. I wanted a pretty aged look, and in spots I gave a liberal coat of this. I love how the textures and the flowers took to the dark wax giving it so much age and character!

Step4- A good coat of varnish, waited for it to dry and then another coat of varnish and my Ms. Beautiful was ready! I quite like the ornate look of the pop roses and how delicate it made the whole thing look!

Step5-With my increased passion for crafting and the amount of time devoted to those...other things take a back seat. Not that I regret that...I found the perfect poster for the base door keeping this in mind! Here it is...lol!

I JUST LOVE IT! Are you ready to pretend????

 

Step6—I wanted to embellish further and once the hardware was fixed, I hung this pretty wicker heart on the handle! 

And when I zoom up, there is this pretty arrangement on the top! Any guesses on the red checkered basket???

A recycled broken hose pipe and some fabric and voila..a lovely basket is ready...compliments the cabinet so well.

Here’s a look with the crockery inside...I could just keep looking at this all day and pretend I was cooking, lol!

Now it sits pretty in my dining room, waiting for guests to compliment...so when are you coming home??? Let’s pretend....

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I would love to hear what you have to say about this project.

Deco art products used..

Americana decor chalky finish paints- Timeless and Refreshing

Americana Decor creme wax light and dark

Americana Decor one step crackle

Americana Decor Ultra matte varnish

Media art fluid acrylics burnt umber

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.

Canned Flowers

Hello crafty friends..

Welcome to my page today. We are already nearing the end of this year...gone by so fast!

Today I share my DT project for Rhedd’s Creative Spirit where the challenge is always “Anything Goes” ...Mixed media or altered art. The team has some amazing inspirations for you, do hop over and play along.

I had been keeping this empty tin can, actually a liquor bottle packaging for  long time, not knowing what to do. 

Then it struck me that I could make it into a mixed media vase to hold flowers and that what I did and gifted to my aunt who recently celebrated her birthday!

Here is the process..

Step1 -It was long black tin which already has some embossed script and flourish on it, I further added some more texture with Deco Art stencils and embossing paste and covered the whole tin with black gesso.

Step2- Once dry, I colored it with Deco Art Chalky finish paint “everlasting”. It’s a lovely white and dried in minutes!

 I distressed with a sand paper to reveal some black color here and there and my background was ready.

Step3- My first attempt on image transfer using Deco Art matte medium was a success! 

I did a small image for starters to gain confidence...the focal image and the little border running at the bottom and 2 small bows hanging on the side. 

I was keeping this theme just 2 toned!

Step4- Did some random script stamping, bg texture, some butterflies and rubbed the prima chalk edger tin can all around for some depth.

 I left the tin to settle down for a day and then coated it with Deco Art matte varnish. In fact I gave 2 coats as this could carry water!

That’s it...I decorated it with some flowers and my canned flowers as a birthday gift was ready. Hope you liked this and looking forward to seeing you all play.

I would like to have my canned flowers enter the following challenges...

Crafty Sentiments- Black and White

The Crazy Challenge – Vintage

Simon Wednesday Challenge- Ag

Decorate To Celebrate- Ag

Shopping our Stash Ch Blog- Go paperless
Catch the Bug Ch blog- Black and white and pop of color
Deco Art Products Used-
Americana Chalky finish paint- everlasting
Deco Art stencil- Victorian Baroque
Deco Art Media Matte medium
Deco Art Matte Varvish

Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Until my next creative journey,

Happy crafting and recycling.

Cheers.