Altered candy boxes for Valentines Day

Last week, I played hooky from stuff that needed done and did some fun things.  Actually, I did that more than once… Sugarwings and I had a couple of afternoons together and another day, I snuck out to see the matinee of Les Mis. 

Nose to the grindstone this week, for sure!

I enjoyed having a day to make something just because it was pretty and i wanted to do it.   Some of these are in the Boutique now, but I've waited so long to get them there, that Valentine's Day is fast approaching!

These two are both topped with chalk board paint and decked out in my best Vintage Pretties. Each is a new wooden box, made to look old.

But this one is an old box, foofed up to look better.

 You can see, it started with a lot of what I call "fussy" decor on it.  And a plastic rose??? No thank you.

My first step in the redo was to pull off the plastic rose, then some of the lace and ribbon that I didn't care for.

I added a bead of glue all around the newly naked edge to replace the cheapo lace with something much better.  The Good Stuff.

Ahhhh, feeling better already, with some deep, dark, old velvet.

Next, a layer of good lace, and a row of ruffled chocolate ribbon over that.

Instead of taking the whole box apart in pieces, to get the lace rimmed existing red ruffle out, I simply trimmed off the cheap looking lace and left the rough edges of the red ribbon to show. Next, I took a dark brown ink pad and rubbed it along the outside lip of the bottom edge.

Some netting from an old crinoline, and more chocolate ruffles were added to the top.  Then a whole bouquet of tiny velvet sprigs and leaves, topped with a wonderful old rose.  To that, I tied some espresso velvet ribbon and more of the soft lace.

At the top, some milk chocolate velvet ribbon.

Layers and layers of loveliness. All my favorite things piled on top of each other!