Supplies Available at Designaholic Studio:
Wood Key Holder Burgundy Allegro Acrylic Paint
Ivory Allegro Acrylic Paint Wax Candle
Cream Florals Napkin Decoupage Glue
Craft Paint Brush Glazing Medium
Matte Varnish Round Sponge Brush
Other Supplies:
Rough sandpaper or sanding block Paper Towel
Hi everyone!
I’ve been very busy ordering new product for DS so I haven’t been actively creative a bit BUT I am back with a very beautiful (if I do say so myself) key holder. I am absolutely going to use this piece somewhere in my home. I may not even use it for keys so if someone can share a different use, I would love to see it!
I started this project by giving the wood a quick sand to smooth out the surface. Then, I painted the whole surface with Burgundy. I applied 2 coats to get solid coverage. Once that was dry, I used my wax candle and completely covered the surface (edges too) with wax. The next step was to paint over the Burgundy and the wax with Ivory. I started with two coats. Although it is harder to take back the top layer of paint (sand off the top layer to create a weathered look) when there are more than two coats, I wasn’t happy with the coverage, so I did a light third coat. The third coat is certainly optional. Just a note: I put toothpicks in the small hook holes as I painted the Ivory because I found that the holes were filling up with paint and disappearing. Now I was read to apply the napkins. I have found that if you are careful, you can tear around the edges of the napkin piece that you want to use. I do not separate the napkin (napkins come with 2 or 3 ply’s – you remove the ply’s that don’t have the image before applying the design to your surface) until I am ready to use it. The beautiful napkin that I used on this piece gave me so many options that I had a hard time choosing what part of the napkin to use. I tore out several sections and just placed them here and there on the holder until I got an arrangement that I liked THEN I separated the layers. This napkin was 3-ply so two layers had to come off before applying. The method that I used to apply the napkin pieces is different from what I do for smaller pieces. I will be posting about the method I use for smaller pieces soon. If you want to know about this method ASAP, send us a message and we’ll break it down for you! That being said, you can really use any method that you are most comfortable with.
I let everything dry nicely. Next, I used a piece of rough sandpaper to take back the Ivory paint allowing the Burgundy to show through here and there. You may be wondering why you applied a layer of wax-crazy right? Well, the wax protects the Burgundy paint, keeping it from scraping off along with the Ivory. Sand as little or as much as you like. Be careful though – don’t get too carried away like I’ve done on occasion or you won’t have any Ivory left. Once I was happy with the amount of Burgundy showing through, I applied one coat of Glazing Medium and let it dry. TIP: Glazing Medium protects your work when you want to add shading or stamping that for any reason, you may wish to remove. This is the stage for some light shading with Burgundy. Pick a small space on the outside of the rose, wet your paint brush and tap it on some paper towel (you don’t want it super wet) brush on some water (just enough to wet the surface) in your chosen space, pick up a little Burgundy paint and place it where the water is, going lightly up to the edge of the flower. Using your round sponge brush, pounce out the colour, lightening it and extending it out. Do the same thing across the top and bottom (around the edges) of the wood piece. You have Glazing Medium on your work, so if your shading is too dark or extending too far, remove it quickly with a damp paper towel and try again.
Dry completely and apply one coat of Matte Varnish. Let that dry. Glue your metal embellishment to the top and screw in your hooks. DONE! You have just created a beautiful place for your keys to come to rest.
Off to my next project, wishing you a fun crafting day and leaving you with my mantra, “Try it, you’ll love it”.
