Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Upcycled Box and Last Design Team Project for MMM

Well what a journey this has been. April will be my last month at Mixed Media Mojo as a DT member. The team has been wonderful and I will miss you all! For my last DT project it was all about our April Challenge to Upcycle/Recycle and the Twist is to use a flower. We also have some new DT members joining MMM, please check out their blogs and send them some love.

This box started out life as a pretty blue with some Stenciling on the side and a sentiment. 

Pretty right? Well it was being thrown away and I asked if I could have it. I knew I could make it more my style and put so many die cuts in it! 

I started by painting it in black acrylic paint. One of the drawers was sagging so I fixed the little runner thing that helps slide out the drawer. Easy peasy! 

I knew I wanted to use a paper set I just got-Tattered Times! So many lovely papers to choose from! 
I applied my gear paper with TomBow Multi and left the center bare. I added some script paper to the front of the drawers and to add some interest I used the leftover papers from the top of the box for the middle section of each drawer. 
I edged all papers used with black Archival Ink. 

Now for the more fun part! I grabbed some chipboard gears from my stash (love me some CE chippies!) and die cut some gears as well. I then layered all the gears to my liking, took a picture so I would remember what went where, and then started making my gears look different. 

I used embossing powder, rusting powder, inks, sprays, mists, and Rub-n-buff on the different layers of gears. Each layer was treated differently and I do enjoy the final result. This chest will be my storage drawers for most of my Steampunk items! 

The finals results of the gears. 

I do hope you can join in and recycle/upcycle! Enjoy your crafting! Carpe Diem! ~Niki

This project will be share with the following: 

Altered Eclectics-Anything Goes HERE

Rhedds Creative Spirit-Anything Goes HERE



30 comments:

  1. Wow this is amazing Niki, I love how you gave this a new lease of life, and with such style!!! I love the steampunk, vintage look you've given it. Gorgeous xx

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    1. Baby blue just isn't my style ya know? Steampunk, grunge all the way! Thanks bunches Georgie! Hugz to you muffin!

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  2. Holy shnikes!!!! Niki this is one super steamy steampunk box!!! Love the gears and fancy papers!!! What a fantastic transformation !!! BRAVO!!!

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    1. Hahah! You make me laugh Samra! The Tattered Times paper set is one that any Steampunker should have access to. It is awesome and I will use every single paper, not just a couple.

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  3. OMG, Niki, this is fantastic! I love your style so much and this piece of art is beyond the reality! You are super talented!
    Hugs :)
    Branka xxx

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    1. You are super super talented muffin! I couldn't let this piece end up in the trash right? What's a girl to do but give it a makeover. Hugz!

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  4. Holy Hannah!! I'm over the moon for this one Doc! Wowsers, love the papers, love the amazing textures and rustic effects you achieved on your gears and they are laid out so perfectly! Such a fantastic upcycle project! PINNED! hugs :)

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    1. So glad you like the gears there dear muffin! It is a process to rust things you know? Teehee! Pinned you say? I don't think I have ever had anything on my blog pinned. Awesome sauce! Hugz to you Bubbles! ~Doc

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  5. Wonderful makeover of your storage box Niki, love all those wonderful rusty gears and bits and bobs! I'll miss you at Mixed Media Mojo as I am sure they will too, thanks for all the ways you inspired us.

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    1. Oh thank you dear Deb. I may be leaving MMM but will definitely see you around blog land and in other challenges. Hugz to you muffin!

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  6. This is amazing! I want one! Love your process and a throw away saved!! Thanks for sharing with us at Dragons Lair Designs Challenge this month! ~Nanette, DT~

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    1. Thank you Nan. One persons trash is another's Steampunk inspired stash box. I do have to say that I didn't enter the Dragons Lair challenge though. I have looked over there now and plan on entering next time. The you for letting me know about it. Hugz! ~Niki

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  7. Totally loving the altered gears! And a cool box for storage now. Sweet! p.s. The mini is finally finished and posted. Hugs

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    1. Awesome sauce Nan! Headed over now to see it. Thanks for the kind words!

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  8. Super transformation, Punkin! I love that paper, and all your rusted gears...I think this amazing box will look great in your new craft room! Hugs!

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    1. Thank you Sara! I just can't wait to get my art room done and finished. The big project of building my own desk is taking longer than I thought it would. See yah soon muffin! Hugz!

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  9. This is sttuning, Niki! Love the great design.
    Mar x

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  10. What a lovely transformation from what is WAS to what it is NOW! Love your alteration here. Thanks for sharing this with us at Rhedd's Creative Spirit this month. Good Luck, Rupa, DT.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Rupa! I join in each month (mostly) at Rhedds! Love the openness of the challenges. This box just needed some TLC.

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  11. Gorgeous! Love this! And I can't believe the stuff people would just throw away... It normally makes for the best altered projects. Thank you for entering your project at Rhedd’s Creative Spirit. Sammy-x

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    1. Thank you Sammy and I couldn't agree more. From "trash" to treasure right? Lol

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  12. Beautiful project. Love all of your details. Very special project. Thank you for joining us at Altered Eclectics this month. Hope to see your art work back here again soon. Judy DT

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    1. Why thanks bunches Judy! I try to play along every month with Rhedds. Awesome sauce! ~Niki

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  13. OMG - what a transformation! Absolutely gorgeous!
    best wishes, Irmgard

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