While on vacation, and having a few hours to myself one day, I googled thrift stores in the area, and found a local Salvation Army. After [only] three u-turns, I finally found it. It was a bit disappointing. However, I did pick up this wooden caddy for 99 cents.
When I got it home, I realized it came with its very own dead moth. Ewww! I don't want to know how long it's been hiding in there.
After a thorough cleaning, I painted it in my current go-to color, Behr's Clear Pond, which I had
on hand.
Ahh, it looks better already!
For creative inspiration, I turned to a vintage children's book called "The Bobbsey Twins on Blueberry Island." I fondly remember reading many books in the Bobbsey Twins series in my early reading days.
Using book pages and my stash of paint chips, I began altering the wooden box into a handy desk caddy.
For those of you familiar with my altered art, you know I prefer clean lines. For this project, I'm going to go c-r-a-z-y and try my hand at collage! [My friend, S, will be glad to know I'm using her favorite art technique.]
Paint chips.
Torn pages [eek--don't tell the librarian!].
Twine.
A collaged clothespin on each side--to hold notes.
A vintage measuring tape cut around the 56" mark -- happens to be the year I was born [and, uhh, also my current age, at least for one more week], a stamped image and a rustic metal tag.
A roll of the dice shows another five-six. Cosmic.
Added these metal "legs" to give the caddy some stature.
(Plus, I've had them forever.)
Here are photos of the finished caddy. For now, it will hold markers.