This vintage suitcase has been on my list for a redo for years. It was for sale in my shop for a while but I knew no one would buy it in the condition it was in. The problem was the inside had a vey bad musty smell. I tried to get the smell out with dryer sheets, baking soda, and febreeze but to no avail. I was able to get out the original lining fairly easy by tearing and cutting it out. (sorry I didn’t get a pic of that stage) There was wood underneath part of it and it was in good shape. It still had some of the musty smell so I tried putting Kitty litter in it for a while and that worked. (Thanks Pinterest for that idea!) The before pic shows it with the litter in it.
I gathered the materials I would need such as papers to decoupage, ribbon and gel medium. I wanted it to have a music theme. I had some music wrapping paper and vintage sheet music. The liquid leaf paint is for some extra embellishment and for the handle of the suitcase.
A lacy type ribbon was hot glued at the bottom of the suitcase. At the top I hung a piece of twine and put mini clothespins on it before putting the wide burlap ribbon around the edges. I thought it would be nice to be able to hang pictures and the original key from it.
I put a copy of vintage sheet music, “Jambalaya” by Hank Williams at the bottom of the suitcase. To make it look more vintage and match the rest of the suitcase I tore the edges and put distress stain and then used Mod Podge Antique Matte over it.
I put 2 coats of the gel medium and 1 coat of the mod podge antique matte to seal it. The bottom pic shows it in my shop on top of a suitcase holder. Notice in these pics the handles. I did paint it with Liquid Leaf Florentine Gold and added some streaks here and there in the inside of the suitcase. I left the outside of the suitcase original except for the handle.
Ginger's Attic 