A Fox on a Box

If you know me, then you know that I have a bit of a thing for making and decorating pretty little boxes , often  using antique Natural History illustrations.

I am currently taking an online course to get back to my painting and illustrating and I have long been intending to create my own images to decoupage. So I gave myself a bit of a push and went for it. I created the fox illustrations with watercolour and coloured pencil.

For the body of the box I have used some Sarah Jayne chalk paint which I was sent at the end of last year to try out. This is me getting around to it now ! Too many things on my list!

These are the little project pots, they will keep me going for ages.

It went on smoothly and easily, and I love how there are no nasty fumes.
I used Royal Navy for the outside of the box, which is a gorgeous lapiz lazuli shade.

Inside and underneath I painted the box in Stardust, which I have to say I am really impressed with. It has a highly metallic sheen and I will be using this for more boxes. (This started as one of those little papier mache box blanks that you can buy, and I have added the cute wooden feet.)

On top of the Royal Navy I have splattered Stardust and a small amount of Mercury. The fox is standing on some silver snow which is Nuvo gilding flakes from Tonic Studios.

It turned out quite cute I think. There may be more foxes on boxes in the future. This one is going to be a gift, but I think now I had better make something foxy to go inside of it! An empty box might be a bit of a disappointment.

Have a lovely day.

Vintage Hobbies catalogue - an MDF mini shelf

I love collecting vintage ephemera to use for craft projects, This little unit is one of Tonic Studios range of mini furniture. This particular unit is called the Tivoli unit which you can also make up with 4 rows plus 24 mini drawers. This time I opted to leave out a couple of shelves and make it up as a little shelf unit to store some of my craft supplies. It's the perfect size!

The paper |I used to decorate this unit is taken from a 1936 Hobbies catalogue that belonged to my great grandfather. It wasn't in mint condition so I didn't feel too bad cutting it up for this, and now I can enjoy looking at it on my craft desk. Hobbies  are still very much on the go and have been trading since 1895. They sell all sorts of interesting bits and bobs . My dad says he can remember when his father taught him how to create fretwork using patterns from Hobbies, and it was that which initially got him into woodwork. He then went on to train as a carpenter and he still loves to make things today in his 80s.

There are so many ways to decorate these little units...I hope this has inspired you.

have a lovely day

Apothecary cabinet

Tonic Studios have recently brought out some very cool mini furniture that you build and decorate yourself. This unit is called the Tivoli unit and is designed primarily to be used as an advent calendar. I decided to give mine a vintage twist and just for fun made it into an apothecary style unit. It will find a use on my desk storing drawing pins, paper clips and other such small items.

I'm a little bit OCD, and so I always have to decorate the back to make it pretty too. I found some wonderful vintage printable advertisements for some rather dubious sounding medications!

Electricity..nature's chief restorer apparently! Sounds a bit scary if you ask me !

These units can be decorated in any way you fancy.  I added the little wooden drawer pulls for feet to further customise the unit.

I used my old favourite - tomato paste tube, to cut the letters with Tonic's new alphabet dies. I've used crackle glaze all over this unit. I love the effect!
(And yes, I had to decorate inside too !)

There is another new style of drawers being launched tomorrow on Create and Craft TV. so I'll be letting you see that very soon. For more ideas on how to decorate these units pop on over to Blog Tonic. 

Have a lovely afternoon

Doda
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A touch of decoupage

Would you believe this started life as a red metal tray with a snowflake pattern?
After a bit of a sand, two coats of metal primer, and three coats of base colour, some Mod Podge, laser printouts of shells that I got from the Graphics Fairy, and patterned paper cut with the fabulous new dotty lace punch and matching intrica die set from Tonic. Followed by about 3 coats of Mod Podge to seal it.

OK, so it was time consuming, but I am pleased with the result and it should last for a good while...and aren't the new dies and punches so pretty!

Lots more crafts to come...watch this space.

Have a great day. Hope the sun is shining for you !

Doda
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