personalized storage tray

Happy Sunday!

Today I went to the local art store to pick up some supplies for my most recent charcoal portrait set. I have an ArtBin that I throw all my charcoal and supplies in, and over the past two weeks, I've discovered that the method of trying to store charcoal, pencils, erasers, and blending stumps in sandwich baggies isn't exactly the best method (or the cleanest).

So, I picked up this gem (okay, well it's similar to this). 

 It has pull-apart tabs that let you decide which compartments should be bigger or smaller! Awesome, right?
Looking at its pure clear top, I decided it needed some personalization...

First start with two bottles of nailpolish: A main color and an accent glitter.

I used

American Apparel's Meteor Showers

Essie's Lacquered Up

I really love bold red because it makes me happy to see a bright pop of color in a dreary studio classroom as you're digging through your bag to get your drawing apparatus. Gold glitter is a warm sparkle that compliments the red nicely. Also, I am just a huge sucker for gold glitter.

First, (gently!) brush your name onto the top of the lid. It's okay if it's not perfect, especially if you're going for the crazy-artist-painter look. If you do make drips or smears, just dab at the mistake with a little bit of nail polish remover (preferably acetone-free) on a cotton swab.

Take the time to layer on a few coats so the color pops out nicely. It also prevents chipping later on.

Then, using your glittery accent nail polish, brush a "halo" of glitter around the outside of your name. You should do this step after your nail polish name dries. Otherwise, you could smear it. If you're super patient, wait 24 hours for the polish to set.
If you're impatient like me, go for it - but be careful.

Gently daub the glitter around (below name) to get an even layer.
Swiping it (see above my name) creates clumpiness that you might not want.

After that, let your nailpolish dry completely. Here, I also took another glittery swipe along some of the red letters for some accentuation. You don't have to do this. I just really like gold glitter on red.

And it's done! It's easy, cheap, and you'll have something personalized to store all of your pens, pencils, supplies, or whatever your heart desires!