I picked up this old lidded storage box recently at an auction. I love the inset panels but overall it's a little too primitive for my taste. I knew I wanted to do something to it but couldn't put my finger on what.
I love the original writing on it (Clawson & Wilson was a wholesale dry goods store in Cleveland in the early 1900's) but it wasn't crisp enough to leave as is and be decorative.
So inspired by the writing on the box and the recent Jeanne d' Arc magazine I went to my folder of magazine tears (do you have one of these?) and pulled out one of my favorites. This photo is from Caroline Verschoor's country home near Leesburg, Virginia, which was featured in the May 2007 issue of Country Home. I have always loved this chair.
I see them everywhere but I can never find the right feed sack now matter how many hours I spend searching auctions or online. You know the ones...fantastic graphics, fonts and colors (without farm animals) but you won't have to give up an arm, leg or your first born to bring it home? So I decided to make my own. I took a piece of scrap linen and cut it to fit the inset panel of the box. Then I penciled on the letters taking liberty to drop a few so that it fit the square. Then I filled them in with a black Sharpie. Next time I think I will use a gray or brown to better mimic the fading of the ink on the aged feedsack. Then I sprayed the inset panel with adhesive and pressed the fabric in place with my hands, lifting and smoothing as necessary.
After a coat of paint I like to call "a little coffee in your cream ma'am?" a new life has begun!
I was going to take this into the store to sell it, but.........I like the way it looks at the end of our sofa. What is inspiring you right now?
I love the original writing on it (Clawson & Wilson was a wholesale dry goods store in Cleveland in the early 1900's) but it wasn't crisp enough to leave as is and be decorative.
So inspired by the writing on the box and the recent Jeanne d' Arc magazine I went to my folder of magazine tears (do you have one of these?) and pulled out one of my favorites. This photo is from Caroline Verschoor's country home near Leesburg, Virginia, which was featured in the May 2007 issue of Country Home. I have always loved this chair.
I see them everywhere but I can never find the right feed sack now matter how many hours I spend searching auctions or online. You know the ones...fantastic graphics, fonts and colors (without farm animals) but you won't have to give up an arm, leg or your first born to bring it home? So I decided to make my own. I took a piece of scrap linen and cut it to fit the inset panel of the box. Then I penciled on the letters taking liberty to drop a few so that it fit the square. Then I filled them in with a black Sharpie. Next time I think I will use a gray or brown to better mimic the fading of the ink on the aged feedsack. Then I sprayed the inset panel with adhesive and pressed the fabric in place with my hands, lifting and smoothing as necessary.
After a coat of paint I like to call "a little coffee in your cream ma'am?" a new life has begun!
I was going to take this into the store to sell it, but.........I like the way it looks at the end of our sofa. What is inspiring you right now?
