Go Go Gadget Makeover!

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Once upon a time, I had this jewelry box in my room. Perhaps due to its hardware and unattractively beat up condition, it was rarely used for jewelry (unless you count old beaded necklaces from 8th grade...).

This weekend, we decided it needed a MAKEOVER (screamed aloud like 16 year old Cher on Clueless). 

Before:

Get that hardware out of here!

Notice the crooked gold hardware and poor condition of the wood? We considered spray painting the entire thing white to fix the hardware problem but ended up thinking we might find some good knobs for it (and knobs are always fun). So, in the interest of knobs, we took off the hardware and sanded down the raised holes from the tiny little golden screws.

Spray paint that thing!

I have a bad habit of spray painting everything white (see step one and step two of my squirrel makeover). I finished up the can of glossy white spray paint I had left over from the squirrel makeover... then ended just up buying a new can to add one more coat. I swear, it's starting to seem like I've always got a partial can of white spray paint laying around, which makes it easier for me to decide to spray paint something because "I already have a can!" But then, mysteriously, I have to go out and buy a new one, anyways. Maybe I should rethink this strategy...

     

Houston, we have water damage.

Post spray painting, there was a fairly obvious problem. Remember how I mentioned this baby was a little beat up? Yeah, that includes some funky looking bubbles right on the top of the box that only became more obvious with glossy white, light reflecting paint.  

What to do, what to do? 

We contemplated this issue for a few days. Brain storming lead to several ideas but nothing we fell in love with. I envisioned a cork board top or gluing down those glass stones you find in flower arrangements and fish bowls. We liked my mom's suggestion of buying drawer paper liner and cutting out the shape of the top of the box... but couldn't find any liners that weren't hideous (I suppose it would make sense that we have lower standards for what goes inside our drawers than what goes outside, right?). 

We came home empty handed and gave up until something caught my eye in the pantry. A thin aluminum serving tray. I really liked the whole cut-out-a-design thing and, because the tray was an old leftover from catering a party, it was extremely thin and seemed like it could be cut with an exacto knife. 

Tracing = tedious and so not-for-me.

First, we taped a sheet of wax paper onto the top of the jewelry box. We used painters tape because I was paranoid about accidentally pulling off some of the spray paint on the box.

We rubbed the flat edge of a pencil tip on the wax paper so that we could ensure we were getting a proper trace.  By using the tip itself, you'd be eyeballing the lines, but doing it this way causes the pencil lead to just follow the natural lines of the edge of the box.

Cutting

Next, we cut the sides off of the aluminum tray so that they weren't in the way while we exacto knifed this thing.

We taped a box to the floor -- then taped the aluminum tray to the box -- and then taped the wax paper on top of the aluminum. I know, it seems tedious, but by doing it this way, we could follow the lines on the wax paper and cut all the way through the aluminum by cutting into the box a bit.

    

Glue

After we worked our cutting magic, we glued this baby down. We coated both the aluminum and the wood in rubber cement (hitting both items with the cement will give you a better hold) and then, after we laid it down and let it sit for a few minutes, we super glued the sides (yes, I super glued my fingers again, just like this time).  For a permanent hold (and optimal fanciness), we hammered a nail into each of the four corners.

Total costs so far: Jewelry Box (free), Aluminum (free), Spray paint ($6, but was hardly used - only for one coat - so should have at least another full project to go).

What's next? You've probably noticed it's got no hardware/knobs/pulls/etc. Yes, you're correct, young Padawan (spell checker wants me to autocorrect that to Palawan - what is that?! Spell check doesn't know padawan? Disappointment).  

Check back later to see how we're using these corks as drawer knobs (and see this project in its final glory).

Farewell... and may the force be with you.