Jewelry Organizer: Vintage Wood Case

There are so many fun creative ways to display and organize jewelry using vintage finds.   Here's one perfect for those of you who do shows.  You can wrap your jewelry in tissue and bring it in the case, then just unwrap and display.

I have a soft spot for vintage suitcases....among many other things.   I bought this wonderful little wooden case a couple of years ago because I LOVED the lining.  I've never been able to part with it because it's been useful for so many things.  It has this funny sloped top so I imagine that maybe it was a briefcase in it's day...or an artist's case. 

With a simple little modification, it became even more useful.  

I added little brass cup hooks along one side of the lid and bottom of the case about an inch apart. Of course, I aged the cup hooks first with a little rust activator.  If you use this product on real brass and let it sit just a few minutes, it will verdigris the brass instantly; while other metals will rust.  

I always spray seal the cup hooks after I've aged them just in case my earrings might have a reaction to the chemical used to age the hooks....because you never know...

Tip:  Pre-drill the holes for the cup hooks just a little so that they will go in easily.  Otherwise, you risk the chance of them breaking off as you try to screw them in...like I haven't done that before!

On a scale from  1 to 10 this project is definitely a 1.  So, no excuses!  Go out there and find something you love and turn it into jewelry storage.

Vintage Stair Spindle Projects Part Deux: Jewelry Trees

Remember these? ... Well, to recap, I chose four with the longest square tops for a little table.  Refer to my last post for instructions.

I had a few more spindles and decided to make one of my top-sellers...jewelry trees.

I went on Etsy and didn't see any jewelry trees like this so I'm thinking they will  be one of my first items to list for sale....I also did not see any jewelry like mine; which is good because that is also something I was hoping would be perfect for my shop.  I'm working on my new Etsy store, AJunkersJournal.  You can find me at www.etsy.com/people/sherrispear for a teaser.   I hope to be open soon.


Back to the project at hand:

1.  Cut the spindle to length leaving a square end if you can because it provides a sturdier base.

2.  I loved the original paint on the spindle so I finished it by lightly sanding and adding a coat of Fiddes Supreme Wax.

3.  For the base, I used a recycled piece of marble that already had a recessed hole in the center.  Sometimes you can find these from an old lamp or trophy.  You can also use something round.  I collect lamps just to deconstruct for projects like this.  I simply pre-drilled a small hole in the bottom of the spindle and used a large screw and washer to attach it to the base from underneath.

4.  The large ring on top is from a deconstructed lamp shade.  I don't like my metal parts to look new so I use rust patina from Modern Masters.   I always seal them with a coat of polyurethane to prevent further deterioration.

5.  In this case, I attached the lamp ring to the spindle using a vintage white porcelain knob that already had a hole in it.  The screw that comes with the knob may or may not be the right length.  This is where the scavenging begins...or continues as the case may be.  Hunting through my shop is half the fun...one of the biggest rewards from this challenge is being able to find everything I need without a trip to the hardware store...but, I like any excuse to run to Habitat For Humanity; you never know what you might find there.

6.  If you've been following me at all you'll have figured out by now that I'm a detail-oriented person.  I don't want to see the cut end of my spindle or be able to really tell that the metal ring is from a lamp.  Also, I like things that spin (or roll, which explains my affinity for casters).  This means I need a transition piece.  Again, I keep a good stock of lamp parts which work well for this type of project.  However, in this case,  I'm using another well-stocked item from my shop...doorknob parts.  This door escutcheon is the perfect compliment to the porcelain knob.

Note:  Not everything looks good with everything...but it's sure to look good with something.  It's really a "try this" and "try that" until it pleases "your" eye.  Always remember...beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  When it's right you'll know it.  Sometimes I'll get halfway through a project and then it sits around until the right part comes into my life...which it always eventually does...(like my husband).  I had to put that in there because until just a few minutes ago he'd never actually read my blog.  As he was reading my profile, at every phrase he would add "like my husband".  It gave us the giggles but I think now it really fit.  :)  And yes, he approved this paragraph and said now he's famous.

7.  Okay, my final note just to help you understand the level of my madness...or as I like to put it..."nothing" wasted.  The "S" hooks and double hooks to the left were actually made from staples I removed while deconstructing an old picket fence.  After a good cleaning and coat of sealer for obvious safety reasons, I bent them into "S" hooks for the jewelry trees; perfect for necklaces.  The double hooks keep a necklace and earring set together.

Once I ran out of staples, I had to come up with another idea for hooks for my trees....but I'll save that for another post...until then, happy hunting.

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