Friday, November 12, 2010

Suitcases...Ugly Ducklings to Swans!

Early summer I picked up one of those old fashoined blue Monarch suitcases at the GW...
and would you believe,
 just days before I decided if I'd see one I'd pick it up -
to paint, of course!
ooh-la!
It was DIRTY!
CRUNGY!
DRAB!
But lots of potential!

 My MIL had one like this -
it went with her everywhere she traveled
and was a handy foot prop as well...ah, memories!

Then in September,
 I picked another larger size at a thrift shop when my sisters spent a week in Lancaster.

(i believe they thought i was crazy a little loony walking out the door with this atrocity!)

But...i had a plan!

 I hand brushed the smaller one -
and spray painted the bigger one...
RUST-OLEUM
HEIRLOOM WHITE
How I love thee!
Girls, get yourself a spray gun and do the spray thing,
it's...
faster!
easier!
prettier!
AND...
suitcases take FA-EVA! to dry -
it's definitly not a rush job!

TA-DA!
Aren't they bea-u-ti-ful?!
LOVE, LOVE!
and...
I discovered the loveliness of sheet music!
 I know I'm a tad late in the game and it's all over blogland,
but it's
 timeless!
classic!
gaw-ge-ous!
They're perfect...perfect! for storage!
Here they are -
placed on top of my fivedollarbargain buffet!
I'm needing another one to store the stuff that's underneath -
but i've got a plan for that, too!

 The before... 
and another close up of the before and after...



...blessedness!

ox

linking up to:
Strut Your Stuff

20 comments:

Erin said...

Love the case, and love how everything looks!

Cindy said...

I love your newly painted suitcases. I have seen that done over at Sarah's Beach Cottage, but I have never done it. I look at mine wondering what they would look like. I should just do it! I love your little cottage, it is SO pretty!
Hugs, Cindy

Anonymous said...

Great suitcases! The sheet music you use, do you get it from a book or print it from your computer?

Passionate for White said...

Where do you buy Heirloom white? I checked my local Lowe's and they don't carry it.

Mimy said...

Love the suitcase idea!! Very nice!

Shelly said...

Nice suitcases! I just bought a lovely old one too, but hadn't thot about painting it. Maybe one day, but right now it is actually nice enough to stay as it is although I'll have to work with fitting that old blue color into a room in my house. But storage and photo shoots is exactly what I had in mind for it.

Blue Ridge Altered Art said...

What a difference paint makes. Great idea and I love the sheet music tops. ~~Sherry~~~

Joyce - Quilted Nest said...

These look amazing - great job!

Kim @ A Brush of Whimsy said...

Wow! This is sooo cute! I love the music sheets added on top!

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

These are really cute. The music looks great on top. Love them stacked up too. I really love the piece they are sitting on :)

Donna said...

Oh my gosh! Your suitcases are amazing! I would never have thought to spray paint them! So funny, I posted today about a tray that I used Heirloom white on and vintage sheet music! Guess great minds think alike:)

Funky Junk Interiors said...

Heaven. I must be in heaven. What a gorgeous room!

And boy those suitcases are something else. Spectacular. Love the sheet music touch. :)

Swoon!
Donna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Terry said...

OMG - so beautiful and clean looking! I have one suitcase sitting in the garage just waiting to find one more! I love how yours turned out! I'm your newest follower because I love your style of decorating!

Rebecca said...

I love that piece of furniture!!!!!! I wish I could find one of those!

Barbara Jean said...

love it!!! No primer? Just paint right on there??

got an old ugly (i Mean ready to be transformed) small case like yours.
Paint can here I come! oooh. Maybe in black though, for the new French/Victorian room at the store.

blessings
barbara jean

PS thanks for hosting, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

Esther, they are gorgeous! Probably a good thing that your sisters could not see the potential in them that you did (no chance for competition). ;)

Everytime I see that amazing $5.00 bargain of yours, I gasp. Oh how I would love to be blessed with such a bargain.

Thanks for linking to my party. I look forward to seeing your wonderful makeover projects.

Blessings,
Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com

Meredith from A Mother Seeking said...

I just bought 3 small suitcases for a project like this. So gorgeous. I just found your blog and it's GORGEOUS. I love your projects and will be back... a lot!

~ Meredith From A Mother Seeking Come find me on my blog, A Mother Seeking...

ZoBe and Me said...

Love this! What a great way to display old luggage. Ideas rolling

ZoBe and Me said...

Ps it's Jessica!

Sew a Fine Seam said...

I would love to know the details on how you did the suitcases too. Do you have a post that has a tutorial? What kind of paint? how you did the sheet music? I came over from my sister's blog adelightfulglow.com she linked to you today in her post!

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