Hi Jo here, I decided to set myself a real challenge for this project for Artfull Crafts.  I didn't want to use any paper.  No paper? Yes I can do that.  Then what did I find out? Kaisercraft released Base coat this would have been superb for it.  Liz said she would send me some.  But no. I set a goal, so stick to it. Though I do have the paper for another project.    

I started with this stunning little storage cabinet from Kaisercraft.  The more I looked at it, the more I began to think how useful it would be.  I thought of everything in my really organised studio, and picked the one thing that drives me crazy.  My distress inks.  They are never easy to sort through, find the right foam square for the right ink, so you end up with three blacks squares, and no linen coloured ones.  Time to sort that out.

This is a lesson in what NOT to do.
Distress inks, distress cabinet.  You can see where I am going with this can't you.  This is where once again I tell you what not to do.  I am impatient, if you do not know this by now, well, now you do. I wanted it white, like an old girly dresser from days gone by, with all the filigree and handles and well, pretty but distressed.
I thought that it would be a great idea to stencil a wood pattern on to the sides and the front, using modelling paste. I did one side and put it aside to dry.  Hmmm this will take a while. Next day, I realised that it was just going to stick out to far and not look that good, it was a far to high design.  Sand it off, start again.  No!  I am over that idea, three sides to stencil, that will be another week before I can carry on.  Next option paint the project with white paint,  I hunted through my pile of paints and not one white to be found.  We are renovating a house at present, so I grabbed some white paint from there, once again a bad decision.  I allowed that to dry (with a heat gun) of course.  Then I added some crackle medium all over it. No, I know what you are thinking, don't force dry crackle medium, I was a good girl, off to bed, and I let it dry naturally.  Next morning up and on goes the next layer of paint, white again.  Waited for it to start to crack, so I could carry on playing.  Nothing happened.  Hmm that is strange, try again.  I coated it with crackle again, this time  more generously.  Waited, dried, re painted nothing happened.  You can not use house paint with crackle medium, especially good quality house paint. Always order from Artfull crafts paint section, and be patient while it arrives.

That's okay, I will just try something else.  I painted another light coat over the project again, and this time I got my heat gun really close and I made the paint bubble and blister. I know that this is wrong, but it worked.  I distressed my paint this way., but I could have used a Tim Holtz distress paint at this stage.  But I was worried about the house paint I had already used.


Then I used weathered wood distress ink,  I rubbed it all over the project.  Where I had added the crackle medium, it was a little higher, than the rest of the paintwork and so the ink attached to these parts more, and went into the blistered areas.  I wiped it down with a paper towel, and did it again, I dried it off with a heat gun for a few seconds.

Next I tried to find matching door handles, I found two crystal ones for the bottom drawers  Tim Holtz Ideology Accoutrement's. ,  but I just kept coming up with ones of everything for the top cupboards. Next problems was my embellishments, I had silver filigree pieces, gold keys, gold lock and copper door handle.  Alcohol ink solves that problem.  First I added a gold, and then some black.
This was a copper and black handle, as you can see I have toned it right back to match the lock.
Then I had to put it on to the cupboards, off down to the workshop, mum and I worked out how to use dads drill, and three holes later, three yes I drilled one wrong, but you cannot see it.


Next I tied some old gold keys and some ribbon and lace around the handle. Corners inked and on.
Now I am looking at it, really excited because I am going to do something very cool.  I am going to fill my cupboard with inks.  Who forgot to check that the cupboards would actually hold the ink, and you could close the doors.  Well not me, but I am not that worried, that is why I didn't decorate the front, because it isn't actually going to be closed.  Sneak peak. 

  
On the inside of the cupboard I put Velcro strips across, and attached my foam squares for my blending tool.  Then I layered the inks up according to where there foam square was.
And here is is, all set up on my desk and ready to use.  One Kaisercraft storage unit, and soooooooo very useful.  I have added little daubers in one drawer, and teardrop chalk inks in the other.  The blending tools are on top.  Now once again I have a very organised and useful project for in my studio.

So get yourself one of these cupboards and have a play, use the right paint, and or paper.  This would make a great spice jar holder for cooks, or for jewellery people for bead jars, for artists small paints or mediums, for make up for your teens, or get your distress inks sorted (just don't try to close the doors).  Distress stains fit better.  Enjoy.