Toolbox Trio

It has been a tool caddy showdown in blogland over the last couple of weeks.  I personally have posted two:

I went from blue-gray with bird nests to turquoise  named Solomon with a bandana.  This time it is a trio of black tool caddies (or toolboxes!)

You know I am moving over to our new/old building at the antique mall and I have not yet gotten around to making autumn stuff.  I decided just to add some black, gold, and brown items.

I started with three unfinished toolboxes and lightly sanded them.

 I cleaned out the paint cabinet of all the spray cans of black paint.  I did not care if it was matte, semi-gloss, satin, or glossy.  I just sprayed and sprayed until all the little leftovers were all gone.

Then I sanded the heck out of them!

You can see the distressing better in this photo.

Before I get to the fun part of decorating them, let me show you how I use them around the craft room.

I stack them on their sides!  You can just see Laddie on top.  The other three are holding twine, ribbons, thread, and all kinds of other goodies.  The handles are great for hanging stuff on.

These three would really work well because they are similar in size and the same length.

Try it - you'll like it!!!

First toolbox received a Mod Podged graphic from The Graphics Fairy of antique garden tools.

Very appropriate for a tool caddy!

After it dried I took Tim Holtz Distress Stain in honey and daubed it over the image to stain it.

I let this dry then covered with a coat of Mod Podge. I edged the image with a gold Sharpie paint pen.

I took a risk here.  I really should have coated it first before the antiquing!

 I felt the need to stencil my toolbox with something frilly.

I used spicy mustard craft paint with a soft bristle brush and added a little water to get the fuzzy edges.

Then I went over and around with metallic antique gold craft paint.

You know by now I cannot tell right from left.  The after is first; then the before!

Finished product - black and gold with flourishes!

If I ever do get busy with some autumn stuff, this will fit in nicely!

Got to love the flourish so I will show it again!

See Audrey's beautiful toolboxes that gave me inspiration! 

Up close and personal!

I am glad I have a place to sell this stuff or I would have to rent a huge storage facility for all my projects.

Actually that may be a business idea - a storage facility for crafters to work and store their goodies.

We all need a place for our goodies!

 Second toolbox was Mod Podged with this graphic of an almanac page from The Graphics Fairy.  It was already distressed and I used the harlequin patterned paper behind it.

 I decided to stencil a phone number on the backside. (I almost made a tramp stamp joke, but I will let you have a moment to think of your own :>D)

If you are impatient,  you can use waxed paper to cover the wet part and get on with the stencil.  Just remember to turn over the waxed paper as you move across the piece.

This is spicy mustard again!

 I got this one right!  The before image is before the after image!

"CALL" has not been highlighted, but the numbers have.

See Solemn Solomon for how to do this with your lettering.  Lettering here!

 Close up of the completed lettering.  

Yes, I see I only put five numbers on it.  Until the seventies, we did not need but five.  I actually remember just dialing four digits.  Yes, dialing, not punching in. We had a party line and you could pick up the receiver to listen to other people's conversations!

This was my phone number in elementary school.

 Finished front looking very spiffy in black and tan!

Finished backside with a handy who-to-call telephone number.

I took a manufacturing label from The Graphics Fairy.  Karen had already reversed it for us - she is so good about that!  So I clipped it in half to use the name on one side and the address on the other.

All three toolboxes were handmade and had quirks.  Someone had routed out an area on the bottom of each side of this one.

I painted the area with linen paint, with sage surrounding it, and gold to highlight.

 I forgot to say I used the reverse Mod Podge transfer method.  I had time so I let the images dry overnight and rubbed the paper off the next day.  I did not distress them so they are right clear - sort of different for me!

Here's the name.

 I added a stencil of the flourish in sage green to each side.  It was highlighted with antique gold.

Here's the address.

I finished off with two coats of a satin varnish for each toolbox.

You saw the front sides up top and here are the backsides - right out in the open for everyone to see.  I think I might add some torn cotton ties or some keys to the handles before I put them in the booth.  If you have any extra pumpkins, send them over - I could use some!

See y'all!





Party Junk #228 at Funky Junk Interiors 

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Vintage Bits

 As I drive back and forth down Highway 1, I stop along the way at favorite thrift shops.  Now I know I am busy setting up my new booths, moving stuff from the old booths, and decorating, but still there is always time for vintage bits!

While shopping on eBay one night, I found this collection of a gold book of Harlequin Romances, a framed landscape photograph, a small painting of a town, and two others I left out of the photo!

 This is a sweet poem about Mother and Dad - great graphics and a vintage frame!

But this was what I wanted from the group - a child-sized picnic hamper in great condition.

The group was much better than the seller had advertised, and I was very pleased with the price even though it cost more to ship than to buy!!!

On another day I found this heavy glass dome that fit perfectly on a silver cake stand.  A match made in heaven.  

I am joining the cloche club one dome at a time.

At some point I will actually own a real cloche!

Yesterday I was dawdling around waiting for  the mall to open and ducked into the Bargain Box where I found three small suitcases, a dark wood plant stand (won't stay that way!), a windmill print, and an original painting of a Santos.  Oh, and a doll that was hand-embroidered.

The clerk said he was the Cracker Jack boy and another said Poppin' Fresh Dough Boy.  I think he is the little Dutch boy who put his finger in the dike!

What do you think?

I have passed this up twice and my niece who likes quirky clothes passed it up, but this time I bought it.  It is a crocheted collar with blue and pink flowers with green leaves.  

It is different!

Windmill pictures are very popular around here.  Don't know why, but I do keep at least one in the booth at all times.

I do not carry a lot of vintage clothing.  Just some here and there to complete a vignette.  I found some vintage looking slips and wanted to stage them with jackets.

I lucked up and found one on eBay that has not arrived yet and these two.

First a creamy white wool with green collar and cuffs.

 The label is special to me.  I used to save my baby-sitting money to buy something from The Fifth Avenue Shoppe.

This great suede jacket in taupe is in superb condition.  In fact the paper label sewn in one pocket is still there.

Below is its label:  Gary Gordon.

We are a horse community and this could be a stylized version of a riding jacket.

I wish I was a size 6!

THE FINALE:  VINTAGE BITS OF PINK!

I need to add some pink and white to the small booth and found the following that will fit in nicely with the furniture pieces I am planning.

 

First this long dress of pink and white daisies over a pink silk lining.  I can only give you a preview look because it started raining and I could not find a place in the house to photograph it.   It is really beautiful and I can hardly wait to make a hanger for it.  OOPS, almost told about a new project!

 

Label reads:  Designed by Sarmi New York.

I am thinking vintage prom or bride's maid dress.

 Last this set of four salad plates with gold rims and pink roses.  I cannot tell you the company or the pattern because someone epoxied hangers on the back!

Of course one plate's hanger has fallen off.  Now, do I attempt to scrape off the other hangers or put a new one on this one plate?

I will have to think about that!

Chucks, my husband, and Calvin, my helper, went with me today and moved doors over to the new booth and set them back up.  We also moved a dresser and a desk.  I am having to keep my booths neat and customer-friendly while slowly moving stuff to the building next door.  At one point today it appeared that a tornado had blown through!  Tomorrow I have got to get some painting done and items tagged.  

Busy, busy, busy - if idle hands are the devil's workshop, then my hands are complete angels!

See y'all!

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