Forgetting the Noise of the World - Clarice Cliff inspired Tea Caddy by Julie Ann

Hello, it's lovely to be back on the Calico Craft Parts blog. I've been working with one of the beautiful and practical Calico Kitchen Caddies and - unusually for me - I'm using this fantastic kit for its obvious purpose! Why not brew up your favourite blend of tea and join me?

After creating my Clarice Ciff inspired doll, who now has a permanent home on my kitchen wall...

... I had to continue the Clarice theme.

 My kitchen is the heart of my home, where - for a moment - everything can stop for a restorative cup of tea. So many tales have mingled with the fragrant steam of Earl Grey, Lapsang Souchong or good old English Breakfast. There I've listened to stories my family and friends shared, or stories I reflected on alone. I wanted to decorate the sides of my caddy to reflect the contentment contained in these moments of sharing a steaming cuppa or the peace of a few quiet sips.

First we have to turn the clock back to assembling! What's great about the caddy is that it's so easy to construct. The lid fits beautifully, but it's simply 2 parts! You just glue the smaller square onto the larger and there is even an engraved square to guide you.

I glued my storage box together first before giving the sides a good coat of black Gesso.

Once this was dry, it was easy to create these lilac panels with their black edges - thanks to the magic of masking tape!

I didn't worry too much if the edges weren't absolutely perfect: a little imperfection adds to the charm of hand-painted pieces!

Once my substrate was ready I could add my art work to each panel, pencilling in my Clarice Cliff inspired designs before adding colour and finally outlining with a size 1 fine liner.

As you can see from this panel, I was inspired by Clarice Cliff's designs, but I also put my own interpretation on her style. Have you ever seen a country cottage that seems to be dreaming in the warm afternoon sun, lulled by the sweet sound of the river flowing by? I used a chalky finish crafting paint, applying layers of translucent over matte to create the impression of painted china.

Who hasn't been reminded of the warmth of the kind and nurturing sun in a cup of tea on a cold winter's morning?

On this panel there's a little reminder of tea ceremonies, taking the time to appreciate  a fragrant drink in beautiful surroundings.

How peaceful to sit on a hillside and listen to the waves in the distance.

The caddies come in different sizes so you can create a matching set and, of course, they would be great for craft-room storage too. You can even request a small hole drilled in the lid for a knob and, if you want a more dimensional look, there are a huge variety of craft parts you can add as embellishments. Thank you so much for taking some time to join me for tea and crafting today. Have a great week filled with creativity and beautiful moments of stillness.
Calico Craft Parts used in this Project
MDF Kitchen Caddy Storage Box Kit (Medium Size)
Word Elements (Blank)