We were commissioned to design, create, build and hand paint
a large “treasure” chest to hold wedding cards at a customer’s reception. We were provided with all the details, from
size, floral design and colors and we went to work creating a stunning
masterpiece. Take a look and see how we
went about the process.
The very first part of the chest to be built was the
top. My husband began by cutting strips
of poplar wood and strategically angled each individual one and pieced them together
to form the curved lid.
He then created the frame that surrounds the lid, and sanded
it to an ultra smooth finish. In the
meantime, while he was creating his magic, I had been working on the design
that the customer requested. She sent
pictures of her invitations and reply cards, and I incorporated the pattern
into the completed design for the lid...
...and then the border for the sides of the box. Shown here is just the front, but the design
continues around the entire box, surrounding all four sides.
Once
the pattern is in place, it's ready to be carefully traced onto the chest with
graphite paper and a stylus. I then
worked on the colors according to the customer's preferences and emailed
pictures of painted samples for her approval.
She chose bright color variations of purple, orange and pink.
Here is the completed lid...
The expertly crafted chest was then protected with four
coats of polyurethane and this is the final, finished chest ready for the
customer's wedding.
With pride, we share the customer's comments:
" I received the chest in perfect condition and absolutely
love everything about it! The design is even more beautiful than pictures could
do justice, and the craftsmanship is impeccable. Truly, I am so beyond
impressed with the work you and your husband have done. I can see how much you
love what you do, because it shows in your creations.
