A Nice Little Travel Palette...

Hello All!

Tonight I made myself the cutest little travel palette for my purse. I had been using a tin gift card box from Michaels but the top wasn't attached so their wasn't a way to mix my colors without putting something down. I had a very thin (5 inch x 5 inch) metal CD case I bought at Sam Flax (sorry, I don't see it offered on their website) I thought would be perfect for this. I had been storing my handmade stamps in it. 

Here is how I set this up...

Step #1

First, I prepared the lid to make a palette area to mix paint. I cleaned the lid with rubbing alcohol and used painter's tape to tape off the edges so I would get a nice sharp paint line. 

Step #2

Then I used some white acrylic paint and paint the inside of the lid.  All I had was an expensive tube of Golden. I usually have some regular acrylic white paint hanging around, but not today! Only the best for my little box. 

Step #3

I had to figure out something to do while I waited for the paint to dry!

Step #4 

I labeled my little 1/2 pans I bought from Daniel Smith and filled them with paint. Okay...for you paint nuts, here are the colors I chose:

Holbein Ivory Black

Daniel Smith Lunar Black

Daniel Smith Sepia (a fave!)

Holbein Burnt Umber

Holbein Peacock Blue (a fave!)

Holbein Ultramarine Blue Deep 

Holbein Terra Verde

Daniel Smith Hooker's Green

Holbein Antique Spring Green

Windsor Newton Quinacridone Gold (new fave!)

Holbein Yellow Ochre

Holbein Permanent Yellow

Holbein Antique Orange

Holbein Vermilion Hue

Holbein Crimson Lake

Holbein Opera

Holbein Titanium White

Step #5

I ran to Michael's with my 50% off coupon and bought a new brush and some magnet sheets with adhesive backing. I used Glue Dots in my last box but if the paints are left in the hot car in Georgia, the glue gets loose and the pans move around. I wanted to maintain the flexibility of changing out my pans but I want them to STAY PUT. We'll have to see if the magnets will work. I attached the magnets to the bottom of the pans and stuck them to the metal box.

Step #6

Note to the family: Buy me some beautiful travel brushes! Don't wait for my birthday...show me some love NOW! Binders in Atlanta has a beautiful set of travel brushes available for purchase in a display case right by the front door. Don't wait!

...

Well, since my plea didn't work I had to saw off the end of the beautiful new brush I bought so it would fit in the box. I put painter's tape on the brush to protect the paint and used my handy Dremel to saw that sucker off! (Note here: I probably could have used the money I spent on the Dremel a couple of months ago to buy the travel brushes but the thought didn't occur to me at the time). I dipped the end of the brush into some acrylic paint and hopefully the paint won't chip.

Step #7

I painted a little reference card to include inside the box. On the card I always put my phone number so if I leave my paints (sketchbox, shoes, coat, etc) in a rental car again, the Enterprise guys will call me to come get them. (Yes, this happens all the time.)

Ta Da...

A little travel palette all my own!