Rustic Blanket Box

I wanted to pair the Latin Floral transfer with Collard Greens for a rustic/ folk art vibe. The steps below show how I achieved the look!

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Product list:

White Lightning

Sea Spray

Muscadine Wine Chalk Mineral Paint

Collard Greens Chalk Mineral Paint

Latin Floral Transfer

Clear Coat Flat

Best Dang Wax Clear

Best Dang Wax Brown

Best Dang Brush

Synthetic Brush

Dish Sponge

Premium Chip Brush

Here's the 'before' snap of the blanket box. It had some damage to the veneer top but I love its dinky feet so couldn't resist!

The first job was to remove the damaged veneer top. I used a sharp scraper to lift the veneer and remove it. For more stubborn areas, I used a hair dryer to heat the glue which helps the veneer to lift. 

I used my sander to remove the last bits of REALLY stubborn veneer! 

Once the rest of the blanket box had been cleaned with White Lightning and scuff sanded I applied a base coat of Muscadine Wine mixed with some Sea Spray to create some texture. I stippled this on using The Best Dang Brush. This brush is great for covering area quickly as its huge!

Once the Muscadine Wine and Sea Spray base coat was dry, I added washes of Collard Greens. A wash is just pint mixed with water - the more water you add, the more watery and transparent the paint is. I only added a small amount of water to my Collard Greens as I only wanted hints of the Muscadine Wine to show through.

When the Collard Greens was still wet, I started removing some with a piece of shop cloth. I continued with washes of Collard Greens then removing it until I had built up good coverage of the Collard Greens but with areas of Muscadine wine showing through. Building up layers like this adds depth to the colours and adds to the rustic effect I was aiming for.

This very wonky picture shows the effect I was aiming for. You can see the Muscadine Wine peeping through the Collard Greens in some areas.

I added to this look further by distressing the Collard Greens back with a RAD pad sanding sponge to reveal more of the Muscadine Wine in some areas.  

Next its transfer time! I made a template from scrap paper which was the same size as the panel I wanted the transfer to fill. This allowed me to lay the transfer over the template, center and cut out the exact shape I needed to before applying the transfer. I only used a template as I wanted the transfer to be symmetrical and fill the panel area completely. 

Once the transfer was applied, I added a coat of Flat Clear Coat to seal the transfer. I knew I'd be distressing the transfer and I always find it best practise to seal the transfer before distressing as this helps reduce any ripping or lifting of the transfer. 

When the Clear Coat was dry, I distressed the transfer with a RAD pad sanding sponge. Top Tip! Go gently when distressing transfer! Although they are usually very tough, they can equally be delicate!

Next I applied a coat of Best Dang Wax with a dish sponge over the entire piece including the transfer. I often use dish sponges to apply wax especially over large, flat areas as I find it gives a really good, consistent streak free finish. 

I then applied some Best Dang Wax in brown with a Premium Chip Brush over the piece. Collard Greens and brown wax go together so well! The brown wax adds extra richness and depth to the colour. Once I had the desired amount of brown wax on my piece, I buffed the wax after around 15-20 of letting it dry. This removes excess, works the wax into the paint and leaves a beautiful sheen. 

I staged this with some old books, a vintage chair from my children's bedroom and some house plants (of course!). Hope you like the vibe I've created with this one!

Con x