Thrift Store Upcycle with Topflight Stamps!

Hello and happy Monday! Once upon a time I stumbled across this vintage microscope kit in the bulk bins at the thrift store. It was far from complete but it did have the actual microscope and some of the original parts. It was cheap and in a fairly rough and incomplete state – a perfect candidate for an art project!

The case itself was in pretty good shape.

Inside!

I cut pieces of heavy watercolor paper to fit over the original cardboard inserts. They were kind of beat up so they needed covering. I also wanted to be able to stamp and stencil on the inside surfaces! The base color is a combination of Squeezed Lemonade and Antique Linen Distress Oxide Sprays and then I mostly used Prism inks, a new line of inks Topflight Stamps is now carrying for the stamping and stenciling.

Details:

I thought the Katzelkraft Monsters Stamp Set looked like little microscopic beasties so they were perfect to stamp and fussy cut for embellishing this project.

The kit originally came with two books. I replicated the cover of one using design software and then stamped one of the Monsters stamps onto it.

The second side:

Those little monsters crack me up! I love working with the Katzelkraft stamps.

Thanks for stopping by! Below is a list of supplies I used. Be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps blog for more inspiration. There is always something fun to see there.

Topflight Stamps Products:
Katzelkraft - Monsters
PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott 24 stamp set
Stamperia - Corrugated Cardboard
Stamperia, Antonis Tzanidakis stencil - KSAT05
Visible Image Stencil - Collision
Prism inks - Apple Green, Peacock Green, Smoked Paprika
Blender tool
watercolors

Other:
Archival Ink - Jet Black, Coffee
Distress Oxide Spray Stains - Antique Linen, Squeezed Lemonade
Distress Ink - Dried Marigold, Barn Door
foam tape

Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! (My husband also thanks you!) If you shop at Topflight Stamps, use my coupon code LISAHOEL for 10% off your order.