maureenthomasdesigns.com blog

Before the rains began on Friday I headed out to take a few photos of the fall garden. Seems the unusual weather this year (extra long, rainy spring and relatively mild summer) contributed to some beautiful autumn foliage. The old Bartlett trees that are scattered among the surrounding properties are brilliant orange, the oaks are turning lovely subtle russet, and the barberries are a beautiful deep red. The rains brought down lots of leaves so I’m happy that I captured some of the colors first.

Maureen

Anxiously awaiting some fall color in the garden. We’ve had a few sprinkles and gorgeous autumn-like weather. Looking forward to a chill in the air and falling leaves! Here’s what’s going in in my garden these days. I particularly like the sunflower petals which are perfect inspiration for a layered Ikat Skinner blend cane…

Maureen

I wanted to tone down the wood of my “Outside the Box” box. The finished piece may be prone to scratching so I didn’t want to fuss with paint. I found a great solution on an internet site called Extreme Restoration about the restoration of old clocks. Here’s an earth-friendly recipe suggested for “aging” new wood:

Start with clean wood and try not to handle the wood with other than clean hands throughout the staining process. I ended up with a few visible fingerprints on my piece; however, they are in an area that ultimately won’t be visible so not earth-shattering. A test piece would be a great idea to help you know how many vinegar layers to lay down to get the effect you want.

Pull apart some 0000 steel wool, place the pieces in a lidded glass jar, and add enough white vinegar to cover, plus an inch or so. Set aside to react for 24-48 hours. I expected the vinegar to change to a rusty color, but it didn’t.

Brew some strong tea to get as dark a brew as possible and allow to cool. Paint the wood with the tea (I used a sponge brush) and allow to dry. My plywood/MDF didn’t change color much from the tea, but the point is to get a layer of tannic acid on the surface of the wood.

Once dry, paint the wood with the vinegar solution. Try not to handle the wood while wet as fingerprints may be left. Now, wait for the magic to happen! Overlapping the vinegar can result in darker areas so refer to your test piece. If the result is darker than you’d like you can try sanding lightly.

My project turned a beautiful blue/gray/green. Different woods will obviously react differently. I’m very pleased with my “aged” wood and I will definitely keep this technique in my bag of tricks!

Maureen