It was pretty beat up and very rusted....
The inside still had some of the original herringbone paper, but it was torn and shredded, as well as slightly moldy. It had some nice dents and dings on it, but basically it was sound and sturdy....
Not many people would even give this little chest a second glance, but that's exactly the kind of thing that we pounce on. Because it's so easy for me to see past the ugly and imagine what I can do with it.
I couldn't wait to get started on it. First I washed it and let it sit outside in my shed for a few days to air out. Then I gave the outside a quick sanding to remove as much of the rust as possible and I tore out as much of the inside paper as I could. Then I dry brushed a layer of white paint over the entire box, including the black metal edging and the original hardware...
After that I added a layer of blue paint, again, dry brushing it on here and there until I got the coverage that I liked. Once it was dry I took a sanding block and distressed the entire chest, including the metal edging and the hardware....
Next I took my stencils and added one of my favorite quotes. I think it pairs well with the map theme you'll see in a minute...
Next I brushed a thin layer of white paint on the inside. Why? I don't know, just because....
Last week at another estate sale we had picked up an old book of maps, so I leafed through it until I found some ocean maps that I liked. I cut them down to size to fit inside the chest and then secured them with a couple of layers of Mod Podge.....
I wanted to darken and antique the paint on the outside of the box so I pulled out some wood stain and my Finishing Wax. I brushed on a thin layer of the stain and immediately wiped it off.
If you look at the next picture you can see the difference - the top half of the box has been stained and the bottom half hasn't. Which color do you like better? I prefer the stained antique look, so the entire box got a coat of stain.
I was really happy with the way it turned out....
It's a great size -
17 3/4" long
9" wide
9" high
It will make a cute keepsake or a wonderful gift. If anyone is interested, it's for sale here.
I had such a good time re-purposing this chest. They really are a labor of love, you know?
