Did you know I am a avid thrifter? I seem to find myself roaming the Goodwill or other secondhand shops a couple times a week looking for deals and inspiration. There is something so exciting to me in the thrill of the hunt and the unexpectedness of it all! While hunting lately I found this cute little box. It was under $10 and in great shape...but the winter décor? That had to go. Come along on my quick flip with this little winter box. Be prepared: the magical journey takes us under the sea.
When starting a project, I find that the smaller an item is, the more I want to throw all the things at it! This little beauty will have the new Nautical transfer from Dixie Belle, some Ombre paint and baking molds. Yes baking molds!
Materials
Let's begin! As always, proper prep wins the game. Taking those few extra moments to prepare well will save you lots of headaches later. Start by cleaning both the exterior and interior with White Lightning. Inspect for any damages (there were none) and prepare to have some fun with paint.
Since the theme is under the sea, I choose some beachy colors: Savannah Mist and Stormy Seas. Together, these two colors create a mysterious, stormy base, perfect for the Nautical Life transfers.
To begin, I lay my initial colors down on the box, using a separate brush for each color. After the firs coat has dried I will use my Best Dang Brush to Ombre blend the colors together. This large brush is my go-to tool for blending. I like to keep it damp and pull the colors together on the second coat. It's a simple but effective technique.
See how these two beautiful colors blend together like an ocean wave? It's becoming a fast favorite for me. I love the texture the thick brush gives the paint, and if you choose like-minded colors to work with, like in this case, the blend happens easily.
Next stop: transfers. The paint must be dry to apply your transfers to the item. If you wanted to speed things up a bit you could use a heat gun to help speed the dry time.
The Belles and Whistles Transfers are easy to apply and add an artistic touch to your furniture. Again, keeping with my under the sea theme, I'm using Nautical Life.
To begin, decide where you would like to place it before removing the protective backing paper. Once you are ready to apply the transfer, gently pull back the clear release sheet to separate the transfer from its protective paper. Then, simply gently unroll your transfer.
Taping your transfer down to prevent it from moving while you apply it is a favorite trick of mine. You can gently lift the clear release sheet to check that it has adhered completely.
Working from the outside edge inward, apply pressure to release the transfer.
This Nautical Life transfer has four sheets inside. I cut the images I wanted to use out before applying, leaving the backing paper on. I did not tape my images down, since they are small and I could lay the box flat it was not a problem.
I like to layer my transfers to add depth and personalize my pieces. They can be applied on top of each other or combined with a stencil.
When you have finished applying all the transfer images of your choosing, you can burnish them down with a soft cloth. This removes any air bubbles and confirms they are adhered well to the project. I then used a Satin Clear Coat to protect my work. Using my Blue Sponge, I applied a light layer of clear coat over the transfers and the whole box.
I wanted to add a touch more detail to this project. So, I picked up some baking molds from Michaels Craft store and some Amazing Casting Resin. I used the resin to make some small molds and painted them in Stormy Seas. For a video on how to make molds with resin click here. I used B 7000 glue to adhere the moldings to the box. You can find this glue here.
I used my Best Dang Wax in Black to highlight the edges of the piece and add some drama. I apply my wax with a French Tip Brush and wipe back to leave it sit in the details and corners.
If you're not new around here, you know how much I love to add a little something-something to my pieces - usually with Gilding Wax. For this piece I went with the Copper color. I used a small brush to apply a highlight with Gilding Wax in Copper to the molds and edges. Since Gilding Wax is an oil-based product I always apply it last. There is no need to seal your Gilding Wax.
That's a wrap! So, what do you think? From winter wonderland to an ocean adventure. What a super cute makeover, made easy thanks to the Nautical Life transfer from Dixie Belle. A small project like this keeps me creative, and since I could complete it in a day I'm happy to play with paint.
Thanks for joining me on this painting journey! For a Tik Tok of this project click here.
Melissa
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