I've been looking forward to sharing this project! I painted this little coffin in November but I was too much in the Christmas spirit during December to blog about it. Now that we're in January, I'm ready to leap back into the Halloween topics!
You might remember this mini coffin from my After Halloween Target Haul in 2013.
If you're lucky, you can find these little wooden coffin boxes at craft stores around Halloween. It took me a while to decide what to do with this one. Then, while organizing some jewelry, it occurred to me that it would be nice to have a separate box for some of my smaller Halloween jewelry. Then I remembered the coffin box!
I started by painting the coffin in a metallic purple. This was the same paint I used on some of the little skeletons for our last Witch Party.
I painted a little night scene on the coffin lid with some silver paint.
About this time, it occurred to me that if I painted the inside edges of the coffin doors, they'd probably stick when closed. That, and the bottom of the coffin could stick to the surface under it. Especially on those humid days, painted wood stuff sticks to whatever it's next to.
So after a little searching online, I found out that a polyurethane vanish can seal off painted wood and prevent it from sticking. I was happy to find this polyurethane varnish at a local craft store. I think with a coupon the varnish ended up costing under a dollar. I love this product! It doesn't smell like much of anything. You'd have to try smelling it to notice an odor. It dries clearly and quickly. And it does the job! My little coffin now has a smooth finish and is in no danger of sticking to anything. So I recommend this product to all of you crafters! Americana DuraClear Matte Varnish:
After finding that awesome sealer, I moved on to painting the coffin interior. I decided to go with one of those plush, silky coffin interiors. Perfect for a little vampire. :) I painted that button-tufted look on the inside and sealed it off.
Then my little coffin was ready for some jewelry.
I closed the jewelry box and sat it on a shelf with my Draculaura doll and her little vampire bat.
What better place to set my new coffin box than with a little vampire?
Hey! I wondered what happened to your coffin! The red and purple looks really good! It looks like a very well constructed little coffin. Looks good by your dolls. Your room has a nice decor for the vampire music you sent me - that's a good mood!
ReplyDeleteMatt ~ I'm glad you saw this post, because I'd wanted you to see how this turned out after our discussion. Yeah, the coffin was in process for a while. :) Thank you! I was happy with how the colors turned out. It took me a while to figure out what colors would look coffin-like but still feminine enough to be on a jewelry box on my shelf. The coffin is pretty well constructed! I like the selection of little wood things at local craft stores. I think the wood items are some of the best deals there. I ended up making a hanger for my necklaces with another wood piece I found at a craft store. It was more of a wall plaque that I attached hooks to.
DeleteYeah, the coffin and doll do fit with the vampire mix CD. :) They're a part of that same spooky, but not too threatening kind of theme that I like.
Awe - that's really cute. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteLady M ~ Thank you! :) I had a lot of fun painting this!
DeleteOh my goodness ... that is adorable, Justine! You did a fantastic job on the painted velvet tufting inside. It looks just like real fabric! :)
ReplyDeleteInsomniac's Attic ~ Thanks so much! I was super happy with how the interior turned out. It's one of those times where you say "Hey! This actually turned out the way I imagined it." :) I managed to find a photo of a tufted couch online and looked at that for reference.
DeleteMy daughter would love that. She has some of those dolls, so it would go well with them.
ReplyDeleteAli x
Alison ~ Oh? Which of the Monster High dolls does she have? There are so many cute ones now. I'm glad to see that line of dolls being so successful!
DeleteThat turned out really nice Justine! Didn't realize the interior was painted until I read the blog. You have that artistic eye to know how to get the shading so it looks dimensional like that! Well done!
ReplyDeleteMark ~ Thank you! I was very happy with how the inside turned out. It was one of those times where I had a clear idea of what I wanted it to look like and then was pleased to get that result! I used some of the metallic paint that was on the exterior of the coffin on the buttons and I think that helped add a 3D effect.
DeleteYou paint very well. I really thought the "cushion" was real.
ReplyDeleteMidnyte Reader ~ Thank you. :) I'm glad to hear it! Now I'm thinking about how a person would make an actual tufted cushion for a tiny box like that. I guess with miniature buttons, some tweezers, and a lot of patience. ;)
DeleteNice work there.
ReplyDeleteGatekeeper ~ Thank you! :)
DeleteLove this. What a superfun idea!
ReplyDeleteDeborah ~ Thank you! :) I had a great time with the project. Now I feel like decorating more mini coffins!
DeleteThat is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteJulie ~ Thanks! I'm thinking of decorating a few more.
DeleteWow love the colors. The inside actually looks quilted! :-) and it is perfect with the bat and doll. Awesome!
ReplyDelete--Liz
Hey Elizabeth! Thank you. :) I was super happy with how that coffin interior turned out. It actually looks how I imagined it would! I love the little bat standing on top of the coffin. She looks like she is standing guard with that expression.
ReplyDelete