Cigar Box...Girlyfied!!!

My husband is a cigar smoker...did I ever tell you that?  He's not just a cigar smoker; he's kind of a connoisseur of cigars. He has a whole man cave decorated (or maybe that's dedicated) to cigars. He's got all kinds of cigar bands in glass containers, cigar bands decoupaged on a side table, cigar boxes on all the walls, and posters of cigars. We're often looking for interesting cigar boxes when we go into the cigar store.

So not long ago my sister at The Concrete Cottage posted about a basket she stores her cords in by her bed. I steal all kinds of ideas from her. She's so talented...in a wonderful, drive your sister jealously insane kind of way...and I get so much of my decorating inspiration from her living room and blog. (I'm not sure if you're jealous of me right now or just feeling sorry for me...). So when she posted about her basket it made me think of a problem I keep having with my cords. I plug the phone in every night on my night stand but the cords never stay in place. The cats like to chew on them given the chance, so I needed a solution.  A basket didn't suit my needs; I wanted something that would sit on the night stand and hold them all in place but protected. 

Back to the cigar store...while looking at boxes for my husband I suddenly saw a solution to my problems. A cigar box. There was one that was just the right size so we scooped it up and took it home. I had my husband cut notched in one edge for the cords to my phone and my blue tooth. They ended up on the wrong side (my fault cause I changed its location on the night stand) so he added two on the other side. Fortunately this isn't an issue...and I'll tell you why later. 

Of course I didn't want just a cigar box sitting on my night stand without it being girlyfied first and I had the perfect color to fix it. 

 

I started with Plaster Paint in Jewel and painted two coats over the whole thing except the bottom. When that was dry I used Cece Caldwell's Simply White to dry brush and bring out detail. I wanted to make it match the paper I planned to decoupage inside.  Then I took Maison Blanche's Wrought Iron and painted the little hinges and closure. I added just a bit more Simply White dry brushing then distressed it a bit with sand paper. I finished it off with Maison Blanche Clear Antique Wax (the only wax I use even though I use several different chalk/clay paints) and a good buffing then decoupaged torn paper to the bottom.  I let it all dry and now it totally fits my personality and needs!!!

Oh, I almost forgot to explain the notching...we go visit family in Kansas quite often and when we do I always fight with my cords there.  Now I will just wrap everything up in my box for transport and no matter where the plug ins are at my parent's house the box will still work...make sense???

 

Now it matches my walls, fills a need and looks pretty!  Thanks, Sis, for being my inspiration once again, and for one more treasure!!!

Jennifer

Ok...side note...Jeannine, I know how you like the pictures bigger.  Well, I posted this originally on my app and used InstaFrame to edit my photos.  When I make the pictures large here on my computer they are WAY TO FUZZY...so you have to look at little bitty pics.  SORRY!!!