Vintage Lunchbox Reborn

I really had a blast altering this lunchbox, and I have to say it may be my favorite thing I've ever stamped...or at least in the top three. It took a really REALLY long time, as far as stamping goes, about 35 hours total work time. I put alot of elements into it- I made my own papers(that snakeskin looking stuff, I'm so proud I actually made that out of paper towels!), added in three different layers of paint including a crackle finish, decoupaged the paper over the paint, used gold leafing, acetate, metal mesh, pearl-ex, glitter,...you get the idea. I love the look of different metals together so I used both copper and gold accents, I think it adds alot of style to it. The stamped images are from Kimberly Crick at The Enchanted Gallery. The last thing that I will do to this is add a velvet liner to the inside to make it as pretty as the outside.

Both my husband and my sister asked what I was going to do with it. I teased my husband and said I would carry it around as a purse...he laughed and said I could probably pull it off. My sister suggested selling it, but I don't know if I could part with it; I'm leaning more toward purse.

So, just in case you don't remember what it looked like before, here is the pic:



And now, here is what I did to it. You can click the pics for bigger images. Leave me a comment and let me know what you all think!

Yay to Vintage!

When I lived here in WA six years ago, I discovered a fabulous consignment mall that I absolutely loved; it was the neatest little place. I'm sure there is something similar pretty much anywhere you go, but it was the first time I had seen one like that. Well, yesterday my daughter and I went on a search to see if we could find it again. After 45 minutes of driving around in circles, because of course I didn't remember the street name or exact location, I finally saw a restaurant that I recognized and flipped a u-turn. A little more driving brought us to what I think is the same location, but different store entirely. Still consignment and still AWESOME, just owned by different people and much MUCH BIGGER! I could spend days getting lost in all the stuff!

Needless to say, I found things that I wanted. Last Christmas I accidentally broke (sob!) a crystal decanter that had been given to me by my grandmother. I was devastated!! A few days ago I had even mentioned to my husband that we needed to find a replacement somewhere... well, guess what I found at said consignment shop? You got it! A brand spankin' new-to-me decanter! Happy Birthday to Me!

Anyways, besides all the goodies that I bought just to buy, I found a pretty cool vintage tin lunchbox to alter. I know they sell tins regularly now at any scrapbooking store, but it's just so much cooler to have a scruffed up vintage one, ya know? I also found a few craft globes and some half used really old parchment paper boxes with envelopes. They are all discolored, so it makes my job alot easier! I don't even have to stain them myself. Yay me! Can't wait to get started on the lunchbox and share with you all. Right now I am finishing a magnet project that I think you will just faint over, it's so fun! Hopefully I will finish those today and share with you tomorrow!