Crafty DIY: How to paint a romantic basket

I finally came around to update this basket! I’ve had this basket for years: I love the shape and the wicker, but the oil stains always bothered me so much, even if they hid under a doily or a cloth.

So, I decided to update my cute little basket/tray, and my inspiration came from a mixture of “shabby chic,” French romantic,” “vintage romantic,” and floral prints by Laura Ashley & Cath Kidston.

The tools I needed were:

• Wicker tray/basket
• Acrylic paints in pastels and cool hues
• White glue (or varnish) to seal the work. You can of course use Mod Podge to seal the work
• Brushes
• Water to clean the brushes in between colors

So, what I did was basically the following:

• I wiped the basket clean with a wet cloth
• Applied a coat or more of white acrylic paint, and I deliberately made an imperfect job,  hoping to achieve a “shabby chic” effect
• Painted little rosettes with pink and white acrylic paints, and I used a vintage green for the leaves
• Once the paint was dry, I sealed the work surface with white wood glue.

And that’s it, basically.

I’m planning to post a tutorial soon on how to paint those lovely rosettes. It’s a mind-blowing-ly simple technique, you’ll feel like a master of arts when you get the hang of it.

Ok, folks, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Cheers

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This post participated in this link party:

Tip Jinkie :: Homemade Projects – Linky party – 14/8/2012

Craft show: Table Display & Handpainted Pencils

I’m not in the mood for words. So, today, I leave you with a few pictures from yesterday’s craft show.

Just a little note about these hand-painted pencils… I adore them. They almost sold out yesterday at the Shigh Ead Craft show. I made the pencil holder (display unit) in the pic above by upcycling a Pringles can.

And finally a general view of the table. You can see some of the new items I have been working on: Fridge magnets/towel holders, notepads, “My Inspiration” notebooks & journals, in addition to jewelry (rings, bracelets, and earrings) and jewelry trees..

That’s it for now, Take care,

Karboojeh