Songs about Rainbows - Wendy's Tag Crate

Tag Crate

 

I don't think I got all of the 'home decor' or should I say...'craft room decor' out of my system from a couple of months ago, which is how this easy project came about. I had this very plain crate and thought it would look wonderful, decorated up and used as a holder for some inspiration tags. I wanted it sitting on my craft table, filled with tags that I could look at and find inspiration. I really adore how this turned out and it does look fabulous sitting on my desk with some beautiful tags in it that I had recently purchased from our own lovely Art Craft and Journals Creative Team Member. 

I am going to be using the 'Wishes' 12x12 sheet of paper from Magical Forest Collection. This is like a dusty pink background with some bluey/grey stars on it. It is such a pretty colour and I think it will look great on my crate. I cut some strips for the sides of the crate and these measured at 1.8cm x 17.5cm. I also wanted the paper covering the ends of the crate so I laid the crate on some photocopy paper and drew the shape of the side of the crate. I did trim this shape down slightly so I knew it would be a perfect fit on the ends.

I gave the crate a good covering of gesso, inside and out. This also acts as a sealer as well as a good base to add my coloured paint on. You really don't need to paint the whole crate because most of it will be covered with paper but I prefer to paint all of it.

When the gesso had dried, I painted the crate with the Dina Wakley Acrylic paint 'Marine'. I found that this colour matched perfectly with the colour of the stars on the 'Wishes' paper.

When the Marine Acrylic Paint was dry, I gave the whole crate a slight sand with sandpaper. I wanted to distress the look slightly so it looked aged. It worked great and I just love that look.

Then it was just a matter of gluing the precut strips of the 'Willow' pattern paper to the side strips and at the ends. So simple! I did ink the paper edges with a vintage ink to make them pop a little.

I wanted to add a small decoration hanging from the handle. At first I thought a small tag but decided to jazz it up and make it a heart shaped hanger.

I drew a heart shape on some scrap cardboard and covered each side with the same 'Willow' paper from Magical Forest. I then cut out one of the sayings from the 'Always' 12x12 sheet and glued it on to one side of the heart...'HAPPINESS LIVES INSIDE THE SMALLEST MOMENTS'....a beautiful saying!

I tied my heart on the crate handle with some string.

I love the distressed look of my Tag Crate ! Now to fill it with inspirational tags!

You can pick up some some very useful and undecorated items from our Kmart here in Australia, so why not pop in and have a look. Then, you can pop over to Aunty Vera Scrap and Craft and grab some of the gorgeous papers she has in stock especially this Magical Forest Collection by Crate Paper, which is on discount for August.

You can watch my process below:

You all have a great day!

Wendy xox