Firstly apologies for the lack of daily news. It is hard to do the blog properly without a machine and much easier to use things already formatted for posting that I can just copy and paste. I am sorry that it isn't as fresh as usual. I have everything crossed I will have a machine sorted soon.
So, in keeping with what I have been doing all month, I have a really quick and simple home decor fix for you today.
We redecorated our bedroom in a completely new colour scheme a few years ago and I wanted everything to match and, just like now, I had time on my hands, though not as much as it was just a holiday, not a lifestyle choice.
The bedroom was aqua and cream and I made a heap of stuff including this clock and these little boxes.
Decorated Boxes by Scrapdolly
The two boxes I decorated were very cheap and ripe for decorating. The first, the hexagonal box, was made of balsa wood with a hinged lid. The second, the little chest, was papier mache board,
Let’s deal with the hexagonal box first.
I used acrylic paints to paint the box, inside and out, mixing the colours I wanted. It takes several coats of paint to base coat it and, if you are impatient like me, use a hairdryer to dry each coat thoroughly before moving on to the next. As the box is wood you need to sand it lightly between coats.
Once it was all painted I then sponged it with various shades of cream and blue to give it a bit of definition.
I inked the edges with white Brilliance ink to give it a more worn look.
I wanted the stamping to be very faded and delicate in keeping with a worn feel so I used a light brown ink to stamp the flourish round the sides and to stamp the design on the lid.
I used liquid pearls in a platinum colour round the lid and added thin cream rik rak round the centre as well.
I finished it off with a flower and gem stone brad.
The small chest was painted in the same way using acrylic paints, but you don’t need to sand this one down between coats.
I wanted a different effect on this box – a light splattering.
I use a stippling brush, but an old toothbrush will work just as well.
Cover the area with newspaper and use a cocktail stick or a scorer or similar to rub across the brush to flick and splatter the paint drops onto the box.
Not only does this give a nice effect, but it is very satisfying as well.
I used the same platinum liquid pearls to look like studs along the chest and some cream dots along the edge.
I stamped the word ‘enjoy’ on card, added eyelets and then tied this round the box with ribbon.
I stamped a butterfly twice on cream card, painted it to coordinate, and then stuck them back to back. I curled the wings slightly and then added him to the box with a foam pad.
Both boxes were really simple, but coordinate perfectly with the room and give that handmade touch.
I hope you have a go at decorating some for yourself and cant wait to see them.
Having little accents to pick out the new colours really tied the room together.
I did - of course - go a few steps further and repainted the table lamps, made and trimmed new shades and made a tissue box as well! They were burgundy to begin with - before I sprayed them with stone effect cream paint. I couldm't find lamps the right size and colour and I did like the size of the ones I had. Seven years on and they still look good as new
The tissue box was just covered with some of the wallpaper and the same trim I used on the lamps.
and the full effect of the room! The photos were taken before we changed the carpet to a cream which matched the new room. It only stayed pink for a week!!!
This was the before
and this is after
and my favourite bit of the bedroom decor - something I didn't make - my butterfly fairy lights.
