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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Vintage Suitcases

 
Today I want to talk about the charm of using vintage suitcases for storage.  This great stack to the right belongs to my friend Wendy ...
 

These stacks and groupings belong to my friend Tami.


Tami uses suitcases decoratively, while hiding stored items. To the right she has them stacked on the ledge in her entry and living room.

This is the stack in my family room.  I bought them all for resale, but somehow it never happened, they just looked so right on top of the pie safe that houses our TV.


Its getting harder and harder to find nice suitcases, because they have become so popular.  So sometimes you have to go second best.  I wanted to show you this old 8 track tape case.  Fortunately the dividers just lifted out, which left just the inside of the lid looking too

funky for my taste.  The cute Lucite handle was also a charming addition.  I decided to cover the inside of the lid to make it a bit more fun than funky.  I started by cutting up an old map as shown.  Once the map was trimmed and retrimmed to fit inside the lid,

I decoupaged it in place.  I found this nice old post card of the Eiffel Tower on Graphics Fairy, and then using some red polka dot scrapbook paper, I formed a border, and some pennants spelling 'Paris'.  Some washi tape acted as the 'string' to 'hold' the banner, and voila!!
 
 

I now have an adorable case for storing whatever I want ... and look how cute the little suitcase looks sitting on the shelf in front of my window!!  It really looks like a small train case.  Of course I love the pop of red!!  Thanks for coming by to take a look!

8 comments:

  1. It's interesting to me how one of those vintage suitcases isn't so impressive by itself, but a nice stack of them is WOW! And I like the makeover you did on the 8 track tape box. Cute!!

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  2. I love old suitcases! I made a bunch into shelves for my home, and they are one of my favorite things.

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  3. I'd forgotten about old suitcases for decorative storage. There's a couple cases kicking around here that I need to put to good use! Thanks for the inspiration. Love that 8-track case!

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  4. I love the idea of storing seasonal items in old suitcases. Love yours on top of the pie safe. Thanks for sharing, liz

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  5. I love these ideas and these suitcases. We have a vintage storage turnk that we use to store our firewood inside.

    Cynthia

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    1. What a great idea, might have to give it a try!

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  6. Happy Friday, Pollyanna. I love seeing how vintage luggage is used. I recently purchased a set of turquoise suitcases, and they are sitting pretty in a corner of the room. After reading how you dolled up your Paris-theme piece, I am now heading over to embellish one of mine. Hope you can come by and see my fabulous find at http://altered-artworks.blogspot.com/2012/10/swapping-and-biking-day-away_1.html

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  7. I love vintage suitcases Pollyanna. I have a stack of three neutral colored ones in the bonus room and a aqua one in my sewing room. I also have a case very similar to your new red one. Mine had old 45 records in it. Love what you did inside. So, so cute! Thinking I should do something similar. Thanks for sharing it with Share Your Cup.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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