Summer vacation plans are set in place by now, which means it's time to give your luggage a once-over and make sure it is as ready for the trip as you are.

This is what I did recently, and although my suitcases were in decent shape, they just looked so boring. Traveling is about letting loose and relaxing, so why not add that bouncy energy to your wheelie wares? It doesn't mean you have to go all funkadelic on your bags, but you at least could take a rubber stamp to them. If you have a red suitcase, imagine how cute shiny white polka dots would look all over it? Or maybe the names of your favorite cities around the world.

If you want to give this idea a try, but don't want to touch your pristine designer set, visit a local thrift store and pick up a small carry-on bag for those little excursions. This is also a wonderful project for kids to take on to help burn off pre-trip excitement.

for this project, I ditched my usual acrylic craft paints and tried out a set from Liquitex - you kn ow, those paintsi n the cool, clear tubes?



In a word, I'd describe them as spectacular! Thick, creamy, excellent coverage. Every so often I like to break out of my routine, even if it just trying new paint colors or brands. These worked great on the fabric suitcase, and you can't see it good in the photo, but before I added the varnish, I covered the painted designs with a thin coat of Tulip Crystal Icycle 3D Fashion Paint.

Here is a crafty chica secret: If you want to add a layer of sparkles to your paint projects - Tulips "Crystal" line does the trick. I usually use Icycle, which dries clear, but if you use other shades, it will dry with just a hint of color - plus the sparkles, of course. You just squeeze sone out and rub it (or brush) it on over the painted surface. Argh, it kills me to give up these little tricks, but oh well, if it works for you and makes you happy - it makes me happy too. Besides, there are lots of other Crystal crafty secrets in my bag of tricks, but I'll share those another time...

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS


***
STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR

* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: wearable art