Friday, October 22, 2010

DIY II and a mystery box....!

Inspired by the success and your comments of my first DIY, as well as the fun I got out of it, I am embarking on my second DIY project! Some of you may recall my mentioning an old wooden trunk my mom unearthed from her attic and brought over during Navratri. It had some really really old mud dolls, including a Dasavatara set. But the box excited me more than the dolls! Its wooden, about 60 years old, a bit scratched, dinged and dented, it has some paint marks, a really old metal latch...and definitely showing its age! How many homes it has lived in? How many dolls has it transported back and forth? How many Golus has its contents decorated? It excites me just thinking about it.....and anything that has lived in our family for that long deserves to live on forever! But it needs a bit of a makeover.

 I have been contemplating decoupaging it. I have never dc'ed before, but from what I have read about it, it seems fairly straightforward. My mom who is always collecting arts and crafts materials for projects, just happens to have some of that glue needed for dc'ing! I want to give it a sort of rustic, tribal, villagey look, so last weekend I bought this Madhubani painting which I am thinking of decoupaging on the top. The trunk measures 26" x 16", the painting is a bit smaller. So before doing that, I will sand and scrape the box and give it a border of black paint. Then glue the painting on top.
I got some wood paint in colors to complement the painting....
 .....with which I am going to borrow some ideas from this tribal motif on Matsya's blog (from their trip to Kutch last month), and paint the 4 sides.
 I am not going for a refined, sophisticated look here. I want it to be loud, colorful and vibrant, like those storage trunks we see being used in rural India! So wish me luck....am hoping to start this weekend with the sanding!

Speaking of boxes, here is another 100 year old box that my mom handed down to me a few years ago. It has my great grandmother's name on it- RAJAM - and it has remained locked for the past 50-60 years ever since she passed away! Its sort of heavy and feels like it definitely has something in it and I am told my great grandma used it to keep some money. Anyway, I had a locksmith come by a couple of days ago to look at it and he has promised to come back Sunday with all the appropriate keys needed to try and open it!

 I wonder what I will find inside? Secret compartments? Jewellry? Letters? Photographs? Maybe nothing??? I'll let you know......

15 comments:

brinda nilesh said...

cant wait!!
to see how the trunk will turn out ....and for the box to be opened!!
lots of luck!:)

GB said...

Oooooh treasure boxes!! I love it. How did you refrain from opening it all these years.........I would have ripped it open faster than a six year old at a birthday party!

LOVE your DIY idea, can't wait to see you work some magic on that box!!

rk said...

I love decoupage art and can't wait to see what you come up with! The dings and marks on the box only add to the vintage charm. You know how people deliberately create distressed look like that by banging on them, yours is already in that state :) You may not even see them however since you are covering it up.

My Dream Canvas said...

Love your treasures and can't wait to see the results of the first and the contents of the second:-)

PreeOccupied said...

You got me curious. Open it uppppppppppp. Now.

Anonymous said...

India India India,

My beloved second country. I travel to your magical country each year.

Your blog is a magical and sensual pearl, and I would like to welcome to my Wabi & Sabi blog in Sweden!

Agneta

Sound Horn Please said...

Oh how wonderful! I can't wait too see what's inside! And what a super idea! OK too many exclamations marks- I'm really gushing :) I'm sure there is an antique key lying forgotten somewhere in your parents' home...

Unknown said...

All agog with curiosity and excitement to see the revived trunk and what the RAJSM trunk contains!

Unknown said...

Can't wait to see the finished chest...lots of luck! And that 100 year old chest has me imagining like a child...please please open it!

Unknown said...

Please do let us know how did you feel right before and after the trunk is opened up. It has to be a historical moment in your life as the trunk belongs to you Grandmother. :) It is a trunk full of her memories and belongings. Cherish it!

Bhargavi said...

Oh wow !!! this is so exciting .. and i am waiting for your pics after decoupage !

Rekha said...

Can;t wait to see how ur trunk turns out, also curious to see the contents of the unopened box..

Sharon said...

Oooh...i love the mystery and the suspense!:) can't wait for the updates on both those boxes!

Unknown said...

OMG...open the box quickly...:-)))and finesh the decoupe jaldi...:-)

Anonymous said...

Now I know how pretty the box looked... but you've made it look gorgeous.. gorgeous!! Gosh! you are super woman!!