Serving Tray Makeover

So there was this old serving tray lying around the house. It had been gifted long back by some relative and though I hated its tacky looks right from the beginning, my mother refused to part with it. Sentimental reasons and all that mushy nonsense! It lay around in our shelves for years, getting used occasionally.

Till finally last weekend I gave it a much-deserved makeover. See the transformation yourself.... now the tray sports a Poppy theme, and looks (hopefully) more elegant.... at least to my eyes. 

I have used combined techniques of decoupaging, layering and sketching - using a photograph clicked by me and some newspapers - to give it the present look.



 

 

The last picture shows you a close-up of the tray surface, where decoupage and paint come together on a background of newspapers treated with gesso. I finished the tray with a generous layer of sealer so it could take spills and occasional washing.

Hope this post encourages you to try making over any such unused items lying around the house, giving them a fresh lease of life just in time for Diwali. Now tell me, which version of my tray do you like better -  the Before or the After?

Warli Bottles

I have been on a Warli bottle-making spree this last month, with some pending orders and some random pieces for my own stock.

Warli motifs are always great fun to work with. Even though they require a lot of precision, with their stick figures looking blotchy if the contours do not come out well. But Warli motifs are familiar territory for me now since I have done so many bottles with these designs.

Yet every time I make sure to introduce some new motif into each bottle - for my own creative satisfaction more than anything else. No wonder they are some of my hottest selling items! Want to gift one this festive season? Write to me at creativerumblings@gmail.com and set the ball rolling.

Tiger Lilies

A unique-shaped four-sided bottle deserves a special design. The reason why tiger lilies seemed the perfect flower to bloom across this beauty. Let the pictures do the talking....



Not only do the flowers look gorgeous, the bottle looks beautiful as a lamp when you toss in fairy lights. But pity I don't have a picture to show you the bottle in its lighted glory.

One of my personal favourites.... and still available. Go on, indulge yourself this festive season! :)