Old Church Filing Cabinet gets Glorified with Decopauge!

I was excited to have the opportunity to obtain an old filing cabinet from a local church. For many years it served faithfully holding the Sunday School rolls from each class. It had seen better days and suffered from some dents and bangs. Nobody seemed to want it, so I was the blessed girl to load it up in the Cherry Cherry Bang Bang (my little red car) and tote it home. There is something very therapeutic for me in giving something old and battered a new life.

 
I have a favorite tool. I never lose it. It is my fingernail. I used it to scratch off all the high-tech labels on each of the drawers. I decided NOT to paint the cabinet, as paint would have highlighted every "wrinkle" so to speak. It needed some major concealer with good coverage.

 
So, I decided to decopauge. I love to decopauge and it was the perfect "makeup" for my well-worn cabinet. I began to gather my supplies.

• four or five different fabrics
• Mod Podge (check out Modge Podge Rocks blog for other project ideas)
• paintbrush
• paper plate (I pour my glue on the plate and then dip brush)
• small jar of water (to dilute glue if necessary)
• a little miscellaneous trim for some rough edges
• scissors
•  iced tea and Peppermint Patties for sustenance and optimal concentration

I used one large piece of fabric for the top of the cabinet. I added several coats of Mod Podge to make sure it was sealed properly as I knew I would be setting lots of stuff on the top. This was very easy and went quickly.

 

Then came decopauging the drawers.

Oh the drawers!!! 

27 drawers.

Twenty seven drawers.

20 + 3 + 4 = 27 drawers.

I mixed, matched, and Mod Podged. For hours I snipped, slapped on and situated, scrap after scrap of fabric onto each and every one of the 27 individual drawers until they were covered in fabric fabulosity. Here is the filing cabinet making her debut in my Craft Cottage!  

I just love how it turned out. I think it looks something out of the Cath Kidston Store. Or, perhaps, Mary Engelbreit could be storing some of her cheery cherry artwork in a red polka-dot drawer? I am linking up to It's a Very Cherry World for REDnesday.  I think Sue will enjoy this Show and Tell.

Here is a side view where I have some wonky trim placement. No, no. Let me call it "handmade charm". I don't know what happened. Maybe I was one Peppermint Patty short in the concentration department after dealing with all those drawers, but I can live with the imperfection.

 

I wanted to be finished at this point, but throughout my childhood I heard, "if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right." So, I completed the back...even though NOBODY will ever see it, I will know it is looking good on the backside too. I admit I rushed through it willy nilly, so don't look too close.

 

At a recent Sunday School garage sale we were raising money for missions. My good friend, Nancy, was like a Queen Bee, buzzing around "staging" our merchandise to show it at its best and get it sold. So, I pulled a "Nancy" and decided to do some "staging" of my filing cabinet. The cherries, you saw earlier, in the glass bowl came from the aforementioned garage sale. I bought the cherries to replace one missing cherry on my red polka dot shoes. They were quite the bargain for 50 cents, as they repaired my shoes and are now serving double decorative duty on the cabinet.

Next, a 99 cent Goodwill old metal colander filled with some of my vintage hankies placed on the top of the jazzed up filing cabinet.

 
Pink roses are at home most anywhere...

 

Bob, my neat, orderly, Windex-lovin', all-the-world-should-be-chrome-and-glass-with-abstract-modern-art, wonderful, husband informed me he had been concerned about me when he saw me glueing fabric to an old filing cabinet. Here is our conversation when he saw the completed project.

~~~~~~~~~~

Bob (shocked): Wow! That looks really good honey!

Me: I know! *

Bob (surprised): You're supposed to say thank you when someone compliments you.

Me: I will thank you tomorrow. Right now I'm basking in the afterglow of a craft project that exceeded my expectations.

Bob (looking at the cabinet again): Honestly, it looks great!

Me: I know!

~~~~~~~~~

*note: I've had many many craft disasters, failures, malfunctions, so I promise I'm not being pompous. I'm just so happy with my filing cabinet! Please join me in my afterglow. Oh, and the pictures that are hanging above the filing cabinet are for sale in my Etsy Shop!

 

Hooking up to some great blogs parties. Visit them for some inspirational creative ideas for your home and the upcoming holidays.

 

Comments

[Jackson Gaydosh]

Oh, you did the decoupage very well, and that indicates your love for art! Instead of paints, you used gift wrappers and wallpapers to give your cabinet a new look! But be wary of liquids that may pe put above the cabinet. That is great artistry, indeed!

[Gloria]

I'll never look at a filing cabinet the same way again!!

[Patti]

Hi Melony! I did a smaller version of your cabinet over my break - because of the inspiration I found by your fabulous cabinet! Please stop by and see it! Hugs, Patti

[Rosemary]

Just found your blog and I am in LOVE with that filing cabinet! What a clever idea to cover it!! So darn cute!!!

[SueLovesCherries]

Oh, man, that is so totally cool! What a fabulous idea; and so much hard work, too! I never knew you could decoupage fabric.

[Becky]

Oh it is patchwork perfect! Thanks for linking up to Beyond the Picket Fence.

[One Heart]

I am speechless at that cabinet. GORGEOUS! What an amazing job. I am glad you shared it with us. Happy REDnesday!

[Carol @ Old Glory Cottage]

Oh my goodness, it looks spectacular, and I never would have thought to decoupage it! Paint would have been fine, but this is magnificent. It's not good to be jealous, but I really really am!
Happy REDnesday!
Carol

[LaVoice]

I was going along with each step, but certainly did not expect the outcome. You are a very talented and creative lady. It is truly unique and probably one of a kind. Great job.

[Gail@FaithfulnessFarm]

Very, very darling! You are a clever chickie :)

Blessings!
Gail

[Sally]

What a fun redo!

Happy Rednesday,
Sally

[Sherrie]

You did great!! Really!! But you already knew that. Good for you.

[Leslie]

Fantastic job~! I love the colors and that you rescued this cool piece.

[Stephanie Lynn]

Hi Melony, Love what you did to this piece. So unique and a one of a kind! I featured this today. Stop by and grab a featured button if you like. Thanks so much for linking to The Sunday Showcase. I greatly appreciate it. Hope you enjoy your week! ~ Stephanie Lynn

[Mary]

OMGOSH!! I LOVE IT!!! My husband picked up an old metal architects cabinet. I love the cabinet, but it is metal and grey...I didn't know what to do...till now...Your cabinet looks fantastic...I want to do this to mine.

[doni]

Awesome! I have two small black file cabinets that were begging me for a makeover tonight when I finished painting my office. Can I ask, how much mod podge did that take?? Do you need to topcoat it with something after it is done? Thanks for sharing, I love it!

[malia]

this is pure genius! think how much stuff you can put in there too! i'm your newest follower and would love for you to consider checking my blog out. also i co-host "A Crafty Soiree" on Thursdays... would love to see this linked up!

[kathy T]

Wow this is so cute -How perfect for your craft room -your posting is very humorous too :-)

[Patti]

Hi Melony! I am so happy to see YOU! I have really missed your blog pages and your wonderful ideas.
I just bought a smaller version of the file cabinet you show yesterday! What a coink-a-dink! I am at my daughters house and showed her what you did - she said, OH MOM... YOu have do that to your cabinet! Hmmmm - did you use paper or fabric? It looks like fabric to me. Oh - it's so cute!

[Jan]

Oh WOW!!!! That is absolutely wonderful! Love, love, love it! Which Mod Podge did you use?

[Biljana Pantelic Adzaga]

Wow! Great makeover, it looks fantastic:))
Hugs, Biljana

[Haley Davis]

Oh wow! You did a really amazing job! I just looked at your Craft Cottage . . . I am so envious!! I totally want one called a Scrap Shack! LOL

[georgiapeachez]

THAT was a monumental project! It turned out beautifully, great job :->
xo, suzy

[Kathy]

This turned out 110% over the top PERFECT! I love every single thing about it and I am right there with you on the theraputic value of rescueing something old and unwanted and turning it into something stunning that everyone wants! I know I woant one!

[Stefanie]

VERY nice! I may have to move my old filing cabinet in from the garage and give it a make over. I love it!