I was inspired by this fashion spread in Nylon to repaint an old Samsonite suitcase like a watermelon...
***updated "before" shots***
as you can see, the inside was very ugly and it smelled too!
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I used Krylon spray paints for the pink & green parts, and just basic acrylic paint for the white, light pink & light green lines, and also the black watermelon seeds. When I was done, I sprayed the whole thing with matte sealer.
(here's a little tip: instead of hand painting each watermelon seed, I made seed templates with black construction paper. I then used these to perfect seed placements, traced with a pencil and then filled in the seeds with a small paintbrush and the black acrylic paint)
I tore out the (very gross) lining and relined it with some stretchy pink gingham I had. I used a spray adhesive to make the gingham stick. Although it was useful while placing the gingham, it didn't work very well in the long run. As you can see, in many places it is no longer adhered at all. If I were to do this again, I'd try to find a more heavy duty spray adhesive.
But! At the top I hot-glued a matching hot pink ribbon trim... I really like this part, as it serves dual duty: making sure the lining doesn't come out and cleaning up the edges from where I ripped the old lining out.
I put the suitcase to good use on a trip I took recently (to the ooh's and aah's of some Continental employees and a few little girls who were on my flight), and was curious to see how it would hold up to the conveyor belts and airplane ride. It's pretty nicked up, and smudged with black in places, but the way I see it, suitcases are made to be used!
as an advocate of traveling in style (i hate the whole pajama look on airplanes... i usually wear a lightweight dress if it's summer and some slip on flats and i'm just as comfortable) let me just say it was a delight traveling with this little watermelon suitcase. yes, it was heavy and I had to lug it by hand, but it was the easiest suitcase to spot coming down the conveyor belt
