A pretty hutch in shabby chic style

This hutch was painted a grubby looking  dark brown when I recieved it as a gift. I did not like it at all and it stayed in the box for a very long time. Till I saw a picture of a similar looking  full scale hutch done up in shabby chic style.

I had no idea about doing the paint effects so I looked for tips. I found one that suggested rubbing the furniture with a candle and then painting it with white paint. I decided to give it a try and I feel the effect is actually quite nice on most of the hutch. But the  back behind the shelves looked really awful.

I decided to copy the idea I saw on the photo I liked : covering the back wall with pretty little pictures.
 I found these and stored them on my puter and just printed them to size.

I cut out the pictures and glued them in place using Mod Podge. I also finished the  whole thing with a coat of Mod Podge.

I really like the effect and I want to take the theme a bit further and use the same paper to make little boxes and other things to put into the hutch. I think it will make a nice display for perfume and soaps.

Leeks and spring onions without clay.

Leeks out of paper tape !

Three colors of papertape. The kind you use for flower making.  This stuff sticks to itself when you handle it because of the warmth of your hands.

Start with white at the bottom of the leek. Roll tape around a pin.

When you feel the leek is thick enough tear off white tape. Never cut the tape or you will get a seam in your leek.

 Next go for the light green part of the leek. Tear the green  tape ( no cutting if you do not want a seam in your leeks ) and wrap round the top of the white part tapering the light green tape to make the leek longer.

Repeat till you are happy with the length and size.

Repeat the whole thing with the dark green tape for the top part.

 The finished roll of tape for your leek. You can cut it to length now.

Snip the dark end with scissors to create the leaves. If you like you can  add a little bit of brown  paint to the bottom to suggest mud or even some thin threads to suggest roots.

 A spring onion really is a sort of mini leek so you can make them using the same technique just making it thinner and smaller.

 And last but not least you can even cut the leeks into rings like the real stuff.

TIP : the tape is sticky after you handled it . I like to paint my leeks with a thin coat of Mod Podge Matt to stop them feeling just a bit sticky.

Make some sweet smelling assecoires

Some fragant items to  cheer up your house. All made with real potpourri.

Wreaths, sachets, a box, a basket, pomander  and even a topiary 

Let's make a pie. !

So yummie hot from the oven on a cold day.

Ingredients : 1 bowl, a button or something that fits the top of the bowl .  Get one that looks like half a ball. Decorative Edging is a nice extra.  If you don't have it you can add some braid for a similar result.

My button is alreay painted with brown acrylics. Not done to neatly for it will be covered later.

Glue button on top of the bowl .  I added a few paper leaves and some no hole beads for decoration.

Painted the top of the pie with light brown glass paint . Does not that make all the difference ?

All finished !

Pretty envelope in any scale

 To make a pretty envelope in any scale from larger than life to a very tiny mini  is easier than you think.


To start with you need 4 circles of paper. They need to be the same size. Pic 1.

Fold each circle in half  . Pic 2

Check  photo 3  and 4 for how to place your folded circles for the next step.

You want to create a square ( photo5) with the upper flaps of the circles  pointing upwards.

Glue the 4 circles for the bottom square together. The top flaps will be the upper part of your envelope.

Fold them so they overlap  to close the envelope. You can add some glue or a sticker to keep it closed.

Pretty decoupaged boxes

I was clearing out some drawers and found a little folder with tons of mini printies leftover from when I did the decoupaged dress form.

I also had bought two very cheap metal pill boxes  at a dollar store  and  them being on my table together was the inspiration for doing this little project.

You can  use any size of box for this project so it will work in many different scales. The box can be metal like mine or wood or even cardboard.

You will need Mod Podge to glue down the paper printies  and for the final coat of varnish. I actually did two coats on my boxes.

Printies are very easy to find on Pinterest ; just try mini printables.  For the box on the left I used vintage perfume labels and the other one has pictures of Paris as a theme. I just printed them as small as my printer would allow me to print them. Ordinary printer paper will be fine.

I did cover both the outside and the inside of my boxes because I did not like the shiny metal. But that is totally up to you. If you want to open and close the boxes do not cover the hinges with your decoupage and make sure you also do not cover up the clasp.

I am going to use my boxes as storage boxes but they will also make great gift boxes or even suitcases with a handle hadded.

Have yourself a mini little christmas

To all the visitors of my blog :  Merry Christmas