Hat Box Make Over.

We were looking for a reasonably priced wine barrel. We learned there was no such thing. We resigned ourselves to the fact that we’ll  have to spend at least $100 just to have a wine barrel for the ceremony. *sigh* We’ll use it after the ceremony for a rain barrel, but I was hoping to find one for maybe half that. In the process of looking for a wine barrel we found a great antique store where we found this little gem of a hat box. 

Doesn’t really fit into the burlap and lace theme huh?  My bright idea was to bring it home, drench it in Gesso and then paint it a chocolate brown and use it as a favor box.  This is what the lid looked like after 5 layers of Gesso, 1 layer of white colored paint and 1 layer of cream colored paint.

You can still see the plaid through all that paint too can’t ya?

So I scrapped that idea (who has the time for who knows how many more coats of paint right?)  I measured the top of the box to the bottom (7inches)  added 2 inch for a total height of 9 inches. Then I measured all the way around the box  and added 1/2 inch for a total of  41 inches. I cut a piece of burlap 41’’ x 7’’. I hot glued one edge of burlap to the box leaving an inch above the top of the box and an inch hanging below the bottom of the box.

Once I got all around the box I overlapped my seams a bit for a cleaner look and hot glued it down. I chose to overlap because it’s hard to butt burlap up against each other.

Now you have a funky looking box with too much fabric hanging off the top and bottom of it. Every few inches or so I cut the burlap almost down to the top edge of the box (on top and bottom) making little burlap flaps. Fold the burlap flaps down into the opening of the box and down onto the bottom of the box and hot glue it for a round look.  Here’s a picture of the inside of the box with the cut burlap flaps glued down.

 

Then I measured out 41inches of lace, cut it and carefully hot glued it to the top edge of the hat box.

I feel like it needs more, but it’s beyond me as to what else it needs. Maybe I’ll paint the word ‘Favors’ on it so that guest know to take one? Maybe I’ll paint “Favors, Take One'” on it instead.  Can you tell I’m undecided? Me too. It’ll come to me. I have this on my sewing desk now so that it will stay in the forefront of my mind. Hopefully something will jump out at me and I’ll find that last finishing touch for it before too long.

~Jess