Make Your Own Decorative Boxes

I have a post coming up soon entitled "Feathers In My Food." I think you'll want to see the creation I made. ;-)
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Many years ago when I was crafting every single day after coming home from my office, I decided I wanted some boxes covered in beautiful papers and fabrics. Understand now that I absolutely devoted most hours outside of work to crafting. I absolutely loved it. So today I thought I'd share how to make these kind of boxes below. I'll give you the dimensions and instructions. The rest is up to you. You can use fabric or paper; it's up to you. I've shown you two of ones I've made. The purple roses box is fabric, and the red and pink roses is that gorgeous paper I love so much from The Gifted Line by John Grossman.

They are approximately the same size. I'll give you the instructions and measurements but it's up to you to do the construction. These little boxes are more for show than actual storage boxes; although, I keep pencils in them or my sealing wax and Dyno Label Maker in the other one. But I wouldn't keep anything heavy in them. Again, just for show. ;-)

You'll need foam board. I used 3/8" so that I could "score"—meaning to go a bit of the way through the foam board without cutting all the way through so you can bend it. You'll need to bend it but keep it together. For my size box below, I cut a piece 16" long and 8 & 3/8" wide. I scored it at 6 & 1/2" from the one end and then 9 & 1/2" from the same side. Or in other words, I scored it 6 & 1/2" from each short side. I then bent it carefully as to not split it. Be very careful. Then I cut another piece of foam board 28 & 3/8" long and 2 & 1/2" wide. I scored that piece at 6" and at 7 & 3/4". Using glue to attach together the 2 ends of the LONG piece I scored.

You cover it with your paper or fabric before you start making it, just after cutting it out. Then you glue. I used a glue gun. You can use any glue you want that sticks though. After covering the large piece and the long piece, you glue it together. Then I hot glued a ribbon around it to secure it.

I've read this so much I'm not sure if it makes sense to you, but if you want to try this and it's not clear, email me and I'll help you all I can. It truly is easy.

These boxes are 6 & 1/2" front to back and 8 & 3/8" wide and 2 & 1/2" high or deep.

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I love this living room setting. Just the way the homeowner has everything arranged, very cozy.

A beautiful approach to a rustic door.

Okay, no privacy here at all. I'd feel like Sasquatch was always watching me.

Just simple eye candy for you.

Be still my beating heart. However, I would keep wondering when it is going to come crashing down on my head. Looks a bit heavy.

Smiling at ya!

I don't know whether this is a fabric or a painting but it's one of my favorite photos of roses.

Just a beautiful setting for you. Very peaceful.

Sweet vignette at a bistro.

An old Victorian in San Francisco, my favorite city in the whole world. I love shopping there.

Did you hear that the mailboxes in the hometown of an Olympic Gold Medal Winner in the UK gets its mail boxes painted gold? Usually the boxes are a bright red. But what a sweet idea to help the hometown men and women celebrate a hometown victory. Bless their hearts for doing this for them!

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Victorian Red Rose Wreath Giveaway for Pink Saturday 1/16/09

No matter what your beliefs on religion or politics, the people of Haiti need our prayers. What a devastating thing to happen to God's children. And they are children of God. Please offer prayers and any relief you can for these poorest of poor people. May God bless the children who are left not only homeless but orphans. My heart truly does cry for them.
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As usual here, it's another Pink Saturday hosted by Beverly of HowSweetTheSound. So go visit the other participants. I went to so many new ones last week I can't name them all.
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Some of the sweet sisters in my eBay group also love the darker colors for their homes as do I. It depends on what it is and where it's to be placed in my home, but I definitely love those colors. I have a plethora of these silk roses left over from some crafts of the past so I thought I'd come up with another tree topper wreath. But this one is for you, chicks. Yesssss, it's another giveaway for this silver and garnet colored roses wreath. You can use it on your tree next year or simply decorate something in your home with it. It is the same size as the one I have on my white, pink and roses Christmas tree. Rules are the same as posted here.

OOoooooh, and winner will be drawn monday night, Jan. 18th at 6 pm mountain time.




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Cottages and Roses Paintings #1

Before the main event below begins, let me say one thing.

For quite a while now I've wanted to do a tutorial on photography. I've made notes and note of things and narrowed it down to a few very simple points that might help other women on their road to taking excellent photos. I didn't do this with an air of superiority because the Lord knows how lacking I am in anything "superior" but I truly did it with the intent of helping women achieve beautiful photos for blogging and/or ebay or whatever your intent is with your photos. With that intent in mind I've finished it after several months of note taking and thinking and about a week of actual "working" on it intensely and came up with it yesterday. With that being said, you'll now find it on the right sidebar just below my laundry room. It is not meant to criticize! It is truly intended as a help to those of us who struggle through this relatively new experience of blogging, selling, digital cameras and all things 21st century. I say go forward, chicks, and conquer this one because there will be a new one by a new entrepreneur any day now. How wonderful it is to live in these times of new inventions!! As Charles Dicken said and it is certainly true in our times today: "It was the worst of times and the best of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness." I don't know about you gals, but I have a bright future ahead for me. I'm positively loving living at this time of the world. Be of good cheer, be happy, be kind, be prayerful, be a friend, be a doer. We have much waiting for us if we get through with the help of our Lord. I don't fear because I know he is in charge - no one else.
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I was searching the web a couple of weeks ago for some cottage or roses prints and came across this artist and just adored her work. In some of her paintings she seems to replicate the old masters, but in some she's just as froufrou-y as the rest of us. She even has a few "country" or "primitive" paintings. Those aren't my favorites so I didn't include any of those in here. So take a look at the first of many I'll be displaying in the next week or two. I think you'll love her as much as I do. Her name is Barbara Mock if you'd like to "google" her paintings.
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A lovely white picket fence with a rose arbor along a stone path.

A bouquet of dusky pale pink roses.

Some victorian women on a lake watching a regatta through a garden gate nearby.

A country shelf with pansies, tulips, a gardening sign and a bird nest.

The quintessential garden shed.

Potted flowers.

Another "old masters" looking painting of lush flowers.

A garden spot most of us dream about from time to time.

A spot to repose inside a potting shed.

A tablescape vignette.

More to follow soon...........

Redecorating is Tiring!!

To those of you who have sent me emails asking me how I go like the energizer bunny - I don't, sweet chicks! I'm losing steam rapidly. I have been getting up around 4:30 or 5 am every day for weeks just because I can't sleep knowing what I want/need to do. But my "mental energy" is abounding and astounding! Today's post will be short - got lots to do. Now, what I'd like is some suggestions. I'm putting my 3 Susan Rios prints on this wall - the partly new wall. I think the 2 french wire baskets are too big for this and the 3 tiered white plate stand I want to showcase some faux pastries on is too big for any plates I have. Sooooooo, my little bunnies, what do I put on a 13 1/3" round plate holder - 3 tiers so I'll have to do "3" of whatever? I don't think I've seen 13" plates anywhere. Then what do you think of the little chair with books and that victorian house with foliage and roses in it on top of that?? By george, I think I've got a vignette just in that quick photo below!!! Hah.... And I can assure you the rest of the house is suffering......but NOT for long. I'm on a roll today!!!!!!!!!!!

De-Stashing Romantic Victorian Magazines

I've got more magazine than I know what to do with. Some are over 10-15 years old! Sooooo, to the delight of my hubby, I'm selling some on ebay. I don't think any of them are in print any more so that would make them vintage, right?!?!?! :-) Well, probably not, but it definitely makes them interesting. They have gorgeous rose gardens in them and also decorating with roses, actual victorian homes, truly romantic cottages, ways to decorate and lovely shops I would love to visit. In fact, when we go back to California to visit kids in July we'll probably be going to some of these shops! I can't wait. But you wouldn't be disappointed in looking at these magazines. I've only got these 6 on my ebay at the moment but I have many more to put on in the weeks to come........as time allows. Isn't that always the case??? Hah.

Sunday Chat

I'm still marveling over what I've found when I cleaned up the office here and transferred everything over to the sewing, now sewing/craft, room. I just know that some of the things I'll be using within the next week. I still haven't decided what but I've got a few ideas.

These little wooden blocks are due for a painting - pink, of course - and then spell out something. Hmmmmmm, wonder what it will be. Maybe paint a rose on each of them.

Look at the sweet yellow and pink of these little posies! I think I'll use them on a new birdhouse I'm doing. Maybe it'll be finished by the end of the week.

And who could resist these little pink flowers all shimmery? Not me!!

Yep, got some little white ones also. To think they were hidden under some computer stuff!! I'd forgotten all about them.

These little scraps came to me with some things I'd ordered and were used as packing material. I thought it was just too pretty to throw away so I'm thinking of a way to incorporate them into the newest birdhouse, which will also be covered with rose fabric. What else?!?! :-)

And of course, who could resist these little pink roses to put somewhere? Maybe on a new sachet I plan on doing this week.

Yesssss!!! These were lost under the computer books also! I can't believe what I found today. This little book has a little heart that says "We are always the same age inside." Those are my sentiments exactly. I may be almost 70 but my heart and head are still 20! I keep telling everyone who will listen to this but they don't quite get it if they are under the age of 35. Hah, have they got a lot to learn.

And look at these old victorian stickers.......old boot shoes - or whatever they called them back then, and parasols, fans, hat boxes, hats and more roses! I love old ephemera but these are new type stickers for scrapbooking.

Victorian Living Room for Sharon and Vickie

I'm not particularly fond of victorian but I do love this room. I posted it for 2 friends to see - Sharon and Vickie - because I thought they'd love it!

Roses and Buffalo Checks!

A cottage in a ski town with a LOT of junker finds is this sweet cottage. The owner of this house chopped down the pedestal and painted the coffee table white. She then made all the slipcovers and pillows. Multi talented lady. But look how everything just seems to go together with her "styling hand"!

Her dining room is the epitome of graciousness with the touches she has applied here also. Now I wouldn't call that chandelier "crystal elegance" but somehow it just works here. She's painted some chairs black and some white and one is even slipcovered. The table underneath that black and white check table with the lace drape isn't elegant at all but with the beautiful cloths over it who in the world would know? It goes so well with her black and pink curtains on one window and the lace and topper on the other window. I had to do the same thing in my living room because of a small side window - just put a lace curtain and a small drawn back drape because of its size. Works though!!

A small entry near the stairs is more victorian looking with an antique sofa and then another sofa with black and white checks and a "hint of pink" on the wall. A pot of flowers is hanging with a mirror and what a statement it makes! A throw made out of her favorite fabric matches the other rooms in close proximity to this entry.

A lounge chair with more of her favorite flowered fabric in an upstairs hallway is surrounded with candy apple red walls and a "vacant" old frame letting the beauty of that red show through. The other frames have mirrors reflecting the walls and are hung high and low also - something I've done and recommended assiduously for years. Remember HIGH and low!

Her yellow and red guest bedroom looks like some place we'd all like to hunker down in! A collection of hats hung vertically down a wall and the little birdhouses make her statement. A miniature chair on the bedside table and on the chest mimics the larger one on the floor beside her chest. Notice how many different roses fabrics she has on just that one window making a very bold statement. Think "remnant fabrics" here and create your own style! The golden yellow of the walls make it such a cheery place and the red quilt and pillows just punches it up a notch. The plaid border brings it all together in this room.

This is another view of the room and sweet vignette she has on the wall.

The kitchen window has not been finished yet but she didn't let that stop her from making it beautiful to look at with some viney branches and a bit of lace drawn back at the window and then some tacked on to the sill. Maybe she has one of those hubbies whose list of honey dos far exceed his time to get them done!

Maybe I'm just "into" checks today but I thought this is rather bold also - a white sectional sofa and red buffalo checks with flowers. I'd call this "feminine/frou frouy country"! I really do like this room with all the antique touches with a girlie girl feel.

And what a bedroom! Red walls, tole trays, antique mirror and painted wicker trunk, black and white buffalo checks, beautiful shawl hanging from pegs along with an old straw hat, beautiful roses rug and luxurious bed linens.

This is another part of her bedroom - a wicker chaise lounge with white lace pillow, wicker table and chair for writing and layered lace at the window. Notice her collection of purses hanging on the wall and the cute white curio cabinet hanging above the desk. Just a lovely place for an afternoon of relaxing.
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