Crates of Fun

Now that it's getting cooler I wanted something for our living room to keep blankets in.

I've had an old ugly crate sitting in the garage for awhile so I decided to use that.

It was pretty ugly. The paint was speckled and runny and an ugly brown color. I think my husband got it at a garage sale and it was full of hardware and stuff. See photo #1.

I wanted it to look like a weathered old crate. You've seen them. Old, stained, gray and weathered...

That's what I wanted.

So I raided my paint stash.

I used the items in photo #2. Glaze mix and some random left over paint to get the gray color. I didn't need very much, filling half that little dixie cup was plenty. I put in about a teaspoon of the white and about half a teaspoon of the black with maybe 1/4 c. of glaze. Then I brushed it on.

It dried with a gritty rough texture so I brushed some polocrylic over it (see photo 3.) I would have liked to spray it with clear spray paint, but I was fresh out.

Then I rubbed it with the "Distress Ink" ink pad (photo 4), which I got at a craft store in the scrapbook section.

One more coat of Polycrylic and done!

I just know my kids will fold up the blankets and put it back just like this each time.

Just wishful thinking?

Yes.

But at least I have a picture so I can prove that it once looked this nice and neat. 

Here it is in it's new home in my living room corner.

Yes that soccer ball is standard living room decor in our house. *wink*

Thanks - RM