Before and After.....

Amazing what a little T.L.C can do to a VINTAGE item on a rainy day huh??   Amazing "Before & After" on an old, VERY old wooden chest that I have owned (and used) for about 10+ years.  This little beauty, rugged as it WAS came from the father of a family friend.  Bless his heart for his typewritten labeling (now very brittle over the many years,  and his inventive "nail" drawer pulls, but I could see potential in this treasure as soon as I laid eyes on it......too bad it took me so many years to actually get around to DOING it!!!  ha.   I got all my customers orders filled and figured it was finally time to make something for ME to keep.    

I used patterned paper from a few of my FAVORITE companies. Seven Gypsies, Tim Holtz (thanks Pam, for the paper!!)  and a little Graphic 45.   (gotta LOVE that text paper on the side huh??)   Adding some text paper is always a good thing!!    And the final "altered" touch is the drawer pulls (numbers) taken off of a vintage adding machine (money order machine?) !!!  Thanks Kris and Bejes for that find!!  less than $1 for the entire machine at a garage sale!!!   and I have lots of other numbers leftover (even some in RED) , so you may see them appear in this blog from time to time.  :)   

Now, what will I use this little chest for??  well, to hold my ever growing collection of alterable items and embellishments, of course.  One can never have enough little cubby holes and drawers to hold them all!!!!   

I hope you enjoy the "before & after" images as much as  I have loved creating it, and looking back at all the memories it took to FINALLY make it.  

Leave a comment, take my NEW poll, or simply pass the word of my blog on to others!!!    and most of all, thanks for stopping by to see what's new..........

An inch of thanks!!!

Inchies, altered (of course).   I made these little darlings to present, attached to a corsage, to our faithful organists in the church we attend.  This Sunday, they will be recognized for their musical talents and God given gifts.  

What is in YOUR attic????

What do you do with all your childhood memories from clubs / sports / accomplishments???  of couse, call Simply Altered and have a personalized cigar box created to proudly display them.  What good are they doing sitting in a drawer or in the attic?    I got this request from a customer, for her adult daughter, who has possibly long forgotten being awarded these pins.  In the midst of simplifying her home, she came across these, and of course did not have the heart to toss them!!!   It was a challenge to work with basically two colors + black as I tend to make more eclectic boxes with lots of colors and patterns, but this one was much different!!  I do like the way it turned out and hopefully the recipient will too.