Altered Cigar Box

There is a relatively new and fabulous challenge blog called Creative Carte Blanche and I have entered for the first time with my altered cigar box.  It is the first box I have altered and everything went wrong but I got there in the end!  The post is a bit photo heavy of the finished box but I only took one of the process, sorry!

Here is the finished box, I took the photo's outside as the indoor ones were terrible.  These are not brilliant but hopefully you get the idea!

I should have taken a photo of the box as it started.  It was wooden with stickers on it. First I painted the whole box inside and out with Gesso.  My idea was to paint it in several different colours of paint then add stencilling, texture paste etc. but I had a mishap! I put some lilac and green paint on a tile then went to add the Picked Raspberry Distress Paint but when I took the lid off and tipped it up, I forgot it was more liquid than the other make of paint I was using and emptied most of the pot everywhere!  Luckily I was working on a tan mat.  The only thing to do was paint the whole box pink with cut and dry foam to use it up.

Then I had a pink box inside and out and no clue what to do with it!  I shut the door on my craft room and left it till the next day.

So!  To continue!  I still didn't know what to do so went through all my patterned paper to see if any inspiration came - none!  Shut the door and sulked!   Went back later and looked again and found a very old set of papers designed by Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen and found two patterns that went together really well and included a gorgeous bird and flower image with a matching pink! Yahoo!  Cut all the pieces to fit leaving a border of the lovely pink (which I was happy with now)  and adhered with matt Modge Podge.  There were a couple of bubbles when it was dry, another lesson learned but nothing I could do!  The frame on the front is a cardboard frame from my stash which I painted to match and glued to the front then added beads in the corners and a couple of Tim Holtz Chit Chat Stickers.  Also added beads to the corners of the lid and to the centres of the flowers and the birds eye.  Then added the gorgeous butterflies to the sides, my lovely friend Anne sent them to me the other day and they are perfect!

Next I was going to Modge Podge over again but decided to go with Crafter's Companion Spray and Shine.  Now bear in mind, my head was addled and I was pretty exhausted by now (CFS/ME only lets me play for so long) and I should have stopped, but no!  I decided to carry on with the spraying! Didn't read the can, just went for it, the sides and the inside (thank goodness left the top).  Shut the craft room door and left it.  Next day went to check and nooooooooooo!  Some was shiny, some not and the front especially was covered with rough textured patches of nastiness!  Big trauma!  Box ruined!  Hubby looked and said nothing would fix it and read the can!  I had sprayed too much and too close - silly me!  I did the top, following the instructions, perfect!  The sides and the back were not too bad but the front was terrible! I nearly threw it in the bin! I could'nt think of anything to do!  Then I thought 'beads' - so I covered the front with beads! Yay! rescued and luckily I like the effect!

I am pleased with how it has turned out in the end but what a learning curve!

Here are some more pictures:

I am entering this into the challenge over at Creative Carte Blanche - April Adventure, Think Outside the Box!

Please pop over and look at all the other awesome boxes!

Thank you so much for visiting me, I really appreciate it!  Have a wonderful weekend and take care.
Luv Chris xxx