~ Mother's Day, Paper Mache, Craqueleur, Chalk Paint®, Graphics Fairy and Old Lace ~

Hello friends....welcome back to my little blog.

Although The Empty Nest shop is closed on Mondays, I often head to the shop and work in peace and quiet. At least until someone knocks on the door and has a paint emergency.

Today it was rainy and dreary, so I enjoyed locking myself in the shop and getting creative.

With Mother's Day right around the corner, I wanted to create a few pretty feminine and vintage looking paper mache boxes for purchase as sweet gifts.

Come along...I will show you how I made them.

Paper Mache boxes like these can be found at your local craft store and are very inexpensive.

The ladies in my shop painted an array of boxes in pretty Chalk Paint® decorative paint colors.

I added an Old White wash and created a fun pattern by laying a textured paper towel over the wet wash of Chalk Paint®.

Don't wipe...just gently lay the paper down and press. Whatever print is on your towel will be on your painted piece...cool, huh?

I used this ADORABLE vintage cat image from

 Karen at The Graphics Fairy Blog

The colors printed out so beautifully!

Instead of cutting with a scissor, I carefully tore the edges to give it a softer look.

  

I then decoupaged the paper image onto my painted box.

Apply your decoupage medium, I used Mod Podge, to the area on the box where you will place the image.

Be sure to overlap a bit for good edge adhesion.

Lay down the paper image over the wet area and gently smooth out any wrinkles.

Pay extra attention to the edges as you do not want them to peel up.

I used Annie Sloan's wonderful Craqueleur varnish crackle medium 

to create the china crazing style crackle you see.

A little of Annie Sloan's soft dark wax brought out all the lovely cracks.

Remember...whenever you use Annie's Craqueleur, be sure to keep it away from water or any exterior locations. This product is for dry, indoor use and is water soluble.

To read about this wonderful crackle product, check out an earlier post

 Here

I then had fun gluing bits and bobs of vintage lace and trim all around.

The lace was gifted to me by my dear friend 

Patty Seaman and her sister Karen of Classic Wall Finishes. In case you don't know them, they were one of the original Chalk Paint® Stockists here in the US.

I bought my very first can of Chalk Paint® from Patty and Karen 

and we have been friends ever since.

Here is my pretty Mother's Day Keepsake box all finished.

Isn't she sweet?

All ready to be filled with special trinkets and mementos.

Here is another box in Provence Chalk Paint® and a lovely birds nest image

also from Graphics Fairy.

I transferred my chosen image onto some sheets of antique sheet music I had.

To transfer your image onto sheet music, simply place your sheets of music into your printer and when you print your image, it will be print on to your music instead of plain white paper.

Make sense? 

No vintage sheet music???? 

No problem...here you go!

Thank You Graphics Fairy...you ROCK!!!!

I also crafted a small round box with a vintage rose bouquet image.

So that's it...Chalk Paint® and Craqueleur....Graphics Fairy images and sweet trims all come together for a lovely

 Mother's Day Keepsake Box.

My creations will be at 

The Empty Nest

I am hoping you will create a few of your own now that you know how.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

PS...remember top hug your Mother or any woman who means the world to you!

Whether we are blessed enough to have our Moms with us or not, we all have a woman in our life who inspires us like a mom would...go hug that lady!