~vintage shoe shine box ~ now painted

Something my mother purchased when I was in high school about 47 years ago was a shoe shine box.  I kept it when she passed away 8 years ago.  

Alas, I didn't take a before photo but I found these on line and the first one is very similar to the one I've had all these years.  They run from $65 - $120 on line.

 Here's another with the same design as mine but it's poorly painted. I don't know what it sold for but it's dated fro 1920!

I had trouble when I first painted it.  I used a crackle medium over white paint and topped it with a tan.  But when I went to sand the top layer started to peel off.  It may be because of all the rain we are having and it wasn't completely dry over night. 

This area I painted the opposite - tan on the bottom with white on the top.  This worked ~ so it may have been the type of paint I was using.  I don't know what it was because it was a bunch of old painted I had mixed together and stored in a glass jar. 

I Mod Podge some foam board and stuck on some fabric.  I also Mod Podged over the fabric.  

This goes inside. 

There are 3 tries on this small item ~ not my norm.  But the distressing and crackle that did materialize made it look old after all. 

It's now a cute conversation piece.