Ikea Glass into Ye Olde Pimp Chalice (SOOO many pics) UPDATE: I made ikeahacker!

[TheMistressT]

This is The ManFlesh's main xmas present.  It took something like 10 hours over a couple weeks, plus all kinds of time ruminating  and hunting up supplies.  I'm so pleased with how it turned out I'm about to bust!  If he doesn't like it, I'll be kind of crushed.  I'm pretty sure he will, though. 

Front:


This was probably the most complicated project I've done outside of building a house about 10 years ago.  All the decoration is on the outside of the bowl or the bottom of the foot.  First I gilded it with faux gold leaf, then I sealed that with spray lacquer. I made the crests and other decorations using digital collage and decoupaged them onto the sealed gold leaf. After that I coated all the gold leaf surfaces plus a little extra with 2 layers of resin.  It was my first time using resin and that was fun and anxiety inducing!  Finally I glued on the rhinestones.


Back:


Bottom:

Those are the "artisan's initials" there.  Ahem.

This is a pretty accurate representation of how the inside GLOWS in the light.


Close up of the crest

That's the digital collage using all kinds of clip art that I altered every piece of before added it.  That was the single most time consuming part - about 5 hours.  I'm sure a better photoshopper could've done it quicker. It's full of things that represent his personality and life.

A view of the rhinestones that shows how the gold glows

If I could do it over, I'd use higher quality rhinestones, but these I had on hand.  They hide the ridge where the resin and glass meet at the bottom of the bowl.

I couldn't just hand it to him and I wanted to kind of go with the style-theme of it being aristocratic and old so put together this box.  Originally I wanted to find a wooden chest to alter or something, but I've been snowed in for days and had to make do with what I have in the house.  I'm pleased with how it turned out and feel great about not having to buy anything or drive around burning fuel.

An old Harry & David fruit gift box covered with purple and gold paper.  Purple is his favorite color & a royal color and the gold ties in with the chalice itself - plus it's gold!  I had bought the gold paper the circle is made from thinking I would use it for the decoupage, but didn't. 



I printed the crest onto shrink plastic for printers and attached it.


And finally made a purple velvet pillow to hold the chalice safely in the box.  I got lucky; the velvet matches the paper on the box really well!




This project made it to ikeahacker!
http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2008/12/post-christmas-hacks.html

[Quinkes]

How could he not just love it, amazing!!

[TheMistressT]

How could he not just love it, amazing!!

Thank you! It's so ridiculous and custom, I think he will.  But I always get last minute gift anxiety. 

[Kerallyn]

does the resin coating make it safe to actually drink from, or is it decorative only?  I've given painted decorated glasses as gifts before but I've always kept the decoration to the lower half of the glass so it never comes in contact with lips...

[PetStoreGirl]

That's so neat I like that! oh and I saw a resemblance with that cup with out an decor and the goblet from Indiana Jones! Now It rocks even harder!

[MrsBowles]

Golly T,
I'm truly choked up just thinking about what happens when inspiration, creativity, talent, and love, in the largest sense, all converge with our desire to connect with another human being...this is a masterpiece and I can only imagine how amazing you must feel about accomplishing this. Congratulations!

I hope all of your Christmas plans with that lucky man work out the way you dream they will...weather be damned.
Be safe and well.
 

[TheMistressT]

does the resin coating make it safe to actually drink from, or is it decorative only?  I've given painted decorated glasses as gifts before but I've always kept the decoration to the lower half of the glass so it never comes in contact with lips...

I should be safe to drink from, yes. I believe this is how John Derian's decoupage glasses are done - I've been wanted to do something like his for a few years and now I know why the glasses are so expensive... doing the resin is a long and attentive process!  I'm not talking about his Target line.  It's not submersible or dishwasher safe.  If anything were harmed by drinking from it, it would be the chalice... being new to resin there are some flaws and there may be some places where stuff could get under it.

[TheMistressT]

Golly T,
I'm truly choked up just thinking about what happens when inspiration, creativity, talent, and love, in the largest sense, all converge with our desire to connect with another human being...this is a masterpiece and I can only imagine how amazing you must feel about accomplishing this. Congratulations!

I hope all of your Christmas plans with that lucky man work out the way you dream they will...weather be damned.
Be safe and well.
 

Well, now you're choking me up!  I do feel pretty accomplished, but am holding back a little until I know he likes it or let's me believe he likes it. 

Thank you so much for your encouragement and support!  A dear friend with 4-wheel drive, chains and a youth spent in a place that generally gets snow offered to taxi  me to his house today!  I was going to take the bus, but this means I can more safely transport the Chalice!  Have a wonderful holiday, MrsBowles!

[TheMistressT]

That's so neat I like that! oh and I saw a resemblance with that cup with out an decor and the goblet from Indiana Jones! Now It rocks even harder!

I didn't even think of that!  Thanks!

[charmingflaws]

AH IT IS SO AWESOME!!!!!

Way to go. There is no way that anyone would not like it. I hope that someday someone loves me enough to make me a gold foil pimp cup.