Sunday 11 September 2011

Altered Storage Drawers ... Suitable for Storing Brads

Hi Everyone,

Another horrible, rainy, blowy day here in the West of Scotland - in fact the weekend weather has been pretty poor ... just the kind of weather to keep me holed up in the craft space.  So what to do on ... I was looking for something to do with the piece of gorgeous paper left over from Jovial Poinsettia card - posted here - when I remembered this sad looking little storage drawer set.


It's a remnant from my working days and now that I'm retired it no longer has to look so utilitarian, especially as the little drawers are just the ideal size for storing brads in. I'd been meaning to do something with it since I'd seen a similar makeover in issue 53 of the Scrapbook Magazine which took my fancy. Here's the end result.


My favourite colours are green and red, my all time favourite flowers are poppies ... and this makeover has all of these in spades. I didn't cover the drawer fronts because the EM, always so practical, pointed out that I wouldn't see the contents so would have to label them anyway ... and that would mean I couldn't change the contents at a future date. How can you argue with such good logic :)

For those of you who would like to know how I went about transforming this wee drawer set into what I think is a thing of beauty here is what I did in photos.


Left photo shows the box and some of the materials I intended using, the remains of the Basic Grey Jovial Shopkeeper paper (there's a 6" square chunk missing, not seen because it's hidden under the box), some gorgeous new Marianne vintage lace from Handy Hippo ... note to Jules: you're to blame, girl :) ... and my much treasured MS edge punch.

Centre photo shows the paper, measured and cut to size - the two larger ones for top and bottom and the two smaller for the sides.  The two pieces to the front, edge punched, are the corner pieces. I inked all the paper edges, with that muddy green colour from the Noel Adirondack pad I have now grown attached to, and left them to dry before adhering them to the box.

Right photo shows the box after the paper had been adhered to the sides and left to set.


Left photo illustrates that I scored the edge pieces on so that I had a nice crisp edge.

Centre photo shows the inked pieces drying out.

Right photo shows the corner - I chose to use the reverse side of the paper uppermost here. Almost done :)


Here is the box with all the embellishments in place. A poinsettia & leaves left over from Friday's Christmas card - some WOC poppies left over from a Remembrance tag made last year, and a couple of roses made with the smallest Marianne die and the last of the paper, the lace trim, some green leaf trim and satin ribbon, again leftovers from other projects.

The EM is feeling a bit off-colour today but when he is up and about again he is going to attach the box to the craft space wall - it has wee slots ready to slot down onto screws - and it will be off the workdesk, thus leaving more space to work in, but within easy reach. In the meantime it is sitting here on the table, in front of the computer, for me to enjoy - just love those flowers :) I should have taken a piccie of the minuscule scraps of paper that are all that's left from that gorgeous sheet of DP - I'm not sure I'll be able to squeeze a snippet make out of them but you never know ;)

I'm now casting my beady eye around looking for the next thing I can alter in some way - I think I've caught the bug.

Hope you are all having a rather better day weatherwise than we are here and that your weekend is proving to be a pleasant one whatever you've been doing.

Happy crafting to all,

20 comments:

Sarpreet said...

Gorgeous storage box. Love how you have revamped it. Love that hougie board. How do you get on with yours? I have been thinking of purchasing one or one that is similar.

Hettie said...

Well done Elizabeth. This is lovely and so much better than it started out as. Poppies are one of my favs too but before this year I never had much luck at growing them.

Jennibellie said...

Oh Elizabeth, it's just beautiful, fancy coming around to mine on the next rainy day and doing over some of my craft storage that lack lustre? Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog & for the dog lol hugs Jenny x

Peggy said...

Looks great! first time at your blog really enjoyed all you art such inspiration! thanks for commenting on my blog My dest isn't always that clean acutally that;s the one of 3 desks in my studio and it was the cleanest and the flowers looked the best there.LOL have a great day Peggy C

Jules said...

Wow Elizabeth .. .. what a fantastic use of snippets .. .. you take the award for the most ingenious way of using them!!

A fantastic finished result and certainly more artistic than the original version. Great thinking on the EM's part with regards the drawer fronts.

Thank you for all of the photographs and the detailed explanation of how you performed the magical transformation. Very helpful!!!

Listening to the weather forecast you might be "holed up" again today. We have been promised a "windy and blusty day" but apparently Scotland is going to have it the worst. Sorry Elizabeth :-(

Thank you for sharing such an ingenious use of snippets this week.

Love Jules xx

Jackie said...

What a gorgeous transformation, it looks so pretty :o)
Jackie xx

coops said...

wow this is gorgeous elizabeth.it looks totally different and so pretty :D

xx coops xx

Anonymous said...

Wow thats clever,original and inspiring. Love how you did this
hugs June

Siobhan Fyffe said...

What a tranformation!! It's lovely.
Siobhan
PS Thank you for your lovely comments on my blog.

lisa said...

Your little drawers are beautifully transformed and will look gorgeous in your craft room. Funnily enough I was only re reading that SM last night and admiring those altered drawers!! I bought some little wooden boxes to alter today. The bug must be catching!!
Hope you are staying safe in these winds.
Hugs Lisax

Angie said...

What a transformation ... absolutely beautiful. xx

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Lovely spring weather here Elizabeth, I have just been out gardening and weeding (sigh, hate those bindii with a vengeance) but tis lovely to be enjoying God's beautiful world and such sunshine! I trust you get some cracker weather soon! and wow! do I ever love this little set of drawers you have altered, it always really impresses me no end that people do this - I am too plain Jane when it comes to craft tools, containers etc. You have done it beautifully, of course! Shaz in oz.x

SYLVIA-ANNE said...

This is a beautifully altered piece Elizabeth, and so useful for all those little crafty bits. Thank you for sharing the tutorial too. I love your choice of flowers - my youngest Grandchild is called Poppy!

Hope your weather is less windy today - we have beautiful sunshine with very strong winds!

Thank you so much for joining my friends and followers - hugs, Sylvia xxx

Jovita @ Inky Impressions said...

I would have never thought to decorate a storage box, well done and I love the colors you used.

Hugs, Jovi

Carol said...

This is fabulous Elizabeth and a great way to use your snippets. Carol x

MagsB said...

Oh my goodness, this is fanTAStic! Really beautiful! It makes me want to rush out and buy a set of drawers just to alter them!!

luv, Mags x

Debs M said...

great altered project and with snippets too x

Claire said...

Beautiful project, so much nicer than a boring plastic box
Claire xxx

Made by Mandy said...

Very pretty Elizabeth and your EM was right about the drawer fronts. That lace is VERY yummy too :)

Love Mandy xxx

Sarn said...

WoW - that sure is one beautifully transformed box.

Congrats.

Hugs, Sandra