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Thursday 5 July 2012

A Fun Little Paint Project

I sent my daughter, Farm Girl, a pic of a planter with a cute saying on it.  She has six kids and I thought she could relate to the sentiment.  She sent an e-mail back saying, "Make me one!".  When she only had two kids, she used to write long, newsy e-mails.  Now, I'm lucky to get one line!

This is what I came up with. ~



I've looked everywhere to find who did the original!  I thought I had it pinned but no luck.  If anyone knows who's work this is, let me know and I'll be sure they get credit.

Here's the inspiration. ~


I thought I would make a box and then I realized I had no idea how to do such a thing.  Plan B was to find a planter and add the text.

Then, I stumbled on this box made of some sort of composite stuff at my local Salvation Army for $1. ~


It even came with a fat, old cat in it!  He just has to try out every box that comes into this house. ~


This struck me as perfect to hold gardening hand tools!  A planter is really just an idle threat.  A tool box means business!  My mom raised six kids and she NEVER made idle threats.  If she said she'd throw your toys in the garbage if you didn't pick them up, that's exactly what she did!  No amount of crying or pleading made her back down, once she'd said a thing.

I asked Farm Girl if she wanted a craft done to look like weathered wood, aged paint or barn boards and she said, "Any or all of the above."  Okay, lets throw it all at this box!

I start with some Martha Stewart sample paint pots. ~


Then, I drew some lines on with permanent marker. ~


I washed a light taupe on the whole thing, added a crackle medium and gave it a light coat of white on top of that.  To make the crackle stand out a bit more, I dry brushed a light brown on top of it all. A little rub-on of a wheelbarrow makes a cute touch. ~


This is a good sized and very sturdy box and will hold everything she needs to take out to the garden. ~


Since Amish Girl and her sister are already working in the garden, it may be the other four that need to worry about being unruly! ~ 


My eldest granddaughter lives to ride horses, so maybe we'll call her National Velvet.  She'd like that!

Feel free to awwww over these sweeties!  

This week I'm joining the party at:
Open House Link Party
Wildly Original Round Up Party




36 comments:

  1. That is awesome! (and funny!) Great S.A. score. I so stink at stenciling and yours turned out great! I'm guessing your daughter loves it! Cute grandkids too!

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  2. Great job Maureen! She'll love it! And best of all, it's made with love. I really like the crackle medium...I bought some awhile ago and haven't used it yet so you're inspiring me once again! xo wendy

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  3. your box is precious! you did a great job with it!

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  4. Looks great Maureen, I love the aged paint look with the crackle finish and the faux board lines.
    You're daughter's gonna love it - not sure the weeders will !

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  5. Ha ha! That is so cute and it looks like you have some adorable "weed picker" help! You did an adorable job on the sign, Maureen!

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  6. I appreciate you for participating in Potpourri Friday!

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  7. Very cute idea. I love how you painted it.

    Dee

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  8. LOve the box. You are so creative at combining different paint techniques and, of course, you are the queen of the thrift store find!! And those two cuties - awwwwww!

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  9. Very sweet box and I love the shot with the kitty. Such a great project with the paint techniques. love the idea of the weeders....how clever.

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  10. I'm visiting after finding you at Wildly Original Round Up. This quote caught my eye. I love this, and to find out about your daughter and grandchildren was a little bonus read. Thanks for sharing it.

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  11. That's some nice cracklin' Maureen. Nice finish.

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  12. such a cute idea - and you executed it beautifully!

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  13. OH!!! I LOVE it!! What a fun thing that is! My Uncle used to sit propped up on the fence (with his tie and flannel shirt on) and read us poetry aloud whilst my cousins and I weeded his garden. He would pause in his reading only to point out a weed or two he had missed- xo Diana

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  14. a wonderful gift! unless you are the weeder, perhaps.

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  15. I love that quote! Nice job on the planter! Funny, I hated weeding when I was a kid. I weed every day now - just go out with my coffee in the morning and walk the garden for weeds!

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  16. OK.... I'm pinning this. I am so making one as a message to my kids and my grand kids!

    ~Bliss~

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  17. How great your box is, I love it and so much fun too! Great gift, wow! Your grandgirls are adorable! I have a couple of them I adore, they're so cute! Thank you for your lovely comment on my salmon recipe!
    FABBY

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  18. I love this box! Gramma inspiration! You always have such wonderful projects, ideas, & makeovers on your blog which just makes visiting that much more fun. I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. You can check out all the info on my blog. Congratulations!

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  19. Hi Maureen, great project and great makeover of a simple box. Thanks for joining Hot Fun in the Summer blog party. Hope to see you next week, and thanks for remembering to put the link in your blog back to our party. Have a great weekend.

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  20. Fabulous job Maureen! I want one too!!!! Although, no more little children running around that I can rope into weeding!!

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  21. Gaggle, I love this soooo much!!! xo

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  22. Hi Maureen, What a cute project! I bet your daughter loved it. Thanks for sharing this at the Open House Party.

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  23. maybe unruly kitties can weed. Cute project! Mica at the Child's Paper

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  24. I've never seen that saying but one I like is, "Unattended children will be given a puppy and a cappuccino." She is going to love it.

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  25. This project turned out wonderfully! And I love all the names you have chosen. I know my family gets a kick out of their blog names. Ann

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  26. Great job ! "Farm girl" will love it !

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  27. What a cute saying - seems perfect for your daughter's family with 6 potential weed pullers. ;) I'm sure she loved it, even though the kids may not care for it so much. hee hee

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  28. Love Love how your box turned out and totally love the saying too! Found you via link party and am now a new follower!

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  29. This is so funny! I must've been unruly as a kid- I remember picking lots of weeds. lol! Featuring you on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/iGottaCreate

    Thanks so much for linking up at I Gotta Create!
    <3 Christina

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  30. Lol! That is so cute!! Thank you for sharing. Visiting from Primp. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-5.html Wishing you a grand evening. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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  31. I know them moms who mean business. It's never idle threat, ever. Grounded is grounded. What its suppose to mean. Haha...
    Love your transformation Maureen...did you hand paint the letters or stenciled? Looks fabulous. I have a white crate that needs some lettering love.

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  32. Wow you did a wonderful job on this !
    Francine

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  33. Adorable! Love it! Reminds me of when I was little. If we complained that we were bored, we had to weed the garden or pick rocks out of the yard! lol! Beautiful job, Maureen!

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  34. You're a STAR tonight over at I Gotta Create! Thanks so much for linking up. Love the humor!!
    <3 Christina

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  35. I love that sign! So cute! Would you please come and share at Totally Transformed Tuesday? I know my readers would love to see it! Hope to see you there. Peggy :-)

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  36. great finish on the box, and the saying is too cute--like your girls:)

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