A Custom Made Sewing Box No More!

*FYI: There are massive amounts of pics in this post...just thought I would warn you!

So I picked up this adorable little sewing box from a local consignment store here in Walnut Creek a couple of weeks back that I though was just adorable.  I didn't know (and really still don't) know exactly what I am going to use it for, but like so many other things (haha), I KNEW that it had to come home with me!

It even has a cute little ledge inside!  Probably for knitting needles...but it looks like a great chalk ledge to me!  so I guess that means I am trying my hand again with the chalkboard paint!

 

  

The night I bought it I happened to be babysitting little Miss Skye, so she helped me sand it while we watched a Care Bears movie...

 

She was such a good helper!

So I painted the box a soft off-white color that was very sweet.  But it had that I-just-got-spray-painted look about it, so I thought I would try my hand at distressing it.  After all, this is a vintage hand made piece that should look a little worn...

So now for the chalkboard paint!  I wanted to do a little design, so I drew a little pattern on some Frogtape.

and then I did a quick blast of spray paint on them to ensure that the chalkboard paint line would be clean when I removed the tape...

Then I painted 3 coats of chalkboard paint within my stencil...

(that lamp you see in the background is the first customer piece I will be doing...I will post on that soon!)

and when I pulled off the tape the line was definitely clean...but the tape actually pulled up some of the white paint under it!  Not what I was expecting!

I was a little disappointed, but I wasn't crazy about how smooth and perfect the chalkboard stencil came out anyways.  so I thought I would try distressing it to match the rest of the box...I mean what is the harm in that right?

I actually like this a lot better!  It looks so much more authentic...not like somebody took this old antique box, spray painted it and then slapped on some chalkboard paint!  What do you guys think?

So I started by putting all of my remotes in it...and until I can think of another use for it, I guess that is where they will stay.  I have been thinking about listing it on Etsy, but I might be a little heartbroken if somebody actually buys it from me..haha...I don't really want to see it go!

and I found this adorable mini chalkboard eraser at the Lakeshore Learning center this weekend (and who doesn't love things that come in a mini size right?) and it fits perfectly on my little ledge!

it was like that ledge was built to house a couple pieces of chalk and this little eraser!