Project-A-Week 1

Whew! Getting the details and the structure of a new venture going is time consuming! But I didn't want to be so consumed with the business end, that I neglected the actual meat of why I am doing this. And that is, to create, to experiment, practice my craft, and do what I love! So I have set aside time each week to make a project per week no matter what. This is actually my second project I've worked on for this blog. The pictures aren't the greatest because I'm using my cellphone due to my SLR being out of commission at the moment. And also, I'm not finished with it yet, but I wanted to share my process so far. I took this idea from another blog The Rustic Pig and just wanted to experiment with it and maybe add some of my own touches to it.

Here it is so far...

 

I took a drawer that I found at the Habitat for Humanity store for $5...

Some table legs from Lowes for about $3 a piece...

Stained them with this stuff in Ebony...

I painted the drawer in Annie Sloan's Old White chalkpaint and distressed it a little with sandpaper. Chalk paint is great because you don't have to do much prep work, it is very easy to distress, and it is non-toxic. They actually sell some of the ingredients for it in health food stores, which you can eat! Then I applied her clear wax to seal it. I then applied the antiqueing wax in some places to give an aged look. When the table legs were dry, I drilled holes the size of the screws on the legs into the bottom of the drawer and screwed them in!

Disclaimer: to my one reader (which is probably my mom!), at this moment, while this blog is in embryonic stage when few people know about it yet, if I mention a product, I wasn't paid to mention it. I really do like it and use it! Just so that's clear... hi, Mom! ;)
 

The next thing I need to do is add this to the front...

I am tossing around using this amazing patina antiquing finish to paint it. You paint it with the copper paint that it comes with, and then after that gets tacky, you coat it with the patina green antiquing solution that is also included and it causes the copper paint to oxidize like you see on old pennies and the statue of liberty. I got this at Hobby Lobby...

In case you can't read it, due to my wonderful quality cellphone pic, it is produced by Sophisticated Finishes and it is the Patina Antiquing Set. I found it last year when I did a ceramic bust of myself and used it as a cold finish instead of using a glaze that had to be fired. You can use it on almost anything... plastic, wood, ceramic, metal, cardboard, canvas, glass, plaster, ANYTHING!

{the bust i covered with it. i loved it so much, i wanted to do my whole house in it!}

 

And then for the center of the drawer, I am thinking of doing a decopage of print material or something to signify what it will be used for, which is to display hand-made pillows in my studio. I found an unexpected use for it, though! ...

 

 

Thank you, my one blog follower at this point, for reading this. I can't wait to share the rest of the story and what I've learned about this piece. Stay tuned!