Sew~So To Star~Spangled Apothecary

After several years of painting/distressing/antiquing vintage finds for others, it's nice to have some time to recycle some junque finds for myself lately! This week I scored this cute little sewing notions apothecary at a local thrift shop.

After removing the notions & motifs adorning the drawers with fine grit sandpaper, I applied a thin even basecoat of Vintage color Americana Décor Chalky Finish paint (available at Home Depot and Michael's).

Then I mixed equal parts Cobalt & Admiral Blue acrylic craft paint (.50 cents per bottle, Walmart) for a second coat, followed by a final dry-brush coat of Admiral to darken the color up a bit.

The next day, I used fine grit sandpaper to distress & age just around the edges, followed by wiping a light even coat of oil-based wood stain (Walnut) over the painted surface with a dry cotton rag, allowing a couple of days drying time.

I'm going to use the updated little cabinet to stash the patriotic & military odds & ends I've picked up through the years. 
Have a great week!
~Donna at Red Shed Vintage 

redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014 

Trash Talk Thursday: Media Apothecary

This makeover of mine was featured in the Winter 2012 issue of A Primitive Place Magazine!


This unfinished Pine media storage chest was a $5.00 Goodwill find, with handy removable drawers for storing various media discs.
I like to think of unpainted wood as the primitive décor lover’s canvas; it’s ready to be stained or painted to fit in with your own personal style. I chose a two-toned finish, with red drawers in a black chest.
Using interior flat wall paint, I applied two coats of flat black to the chest and drawer fronts. When dry, I added one coat of flat Candy Apple to the drawer fronts. I used my electric palm sander with fine grit sandpaper to gently distress just the edges & knobs, then rubbed water based wood stain over the entire surface with a cotton rag.
Media storage racks are also great for stashing craft supplies, garden seeds, photographs, fragile ornaments, or small toys in kid’s rooms. redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014

 

Putting Up A Faux Front

Apothecary cabinets provide lots of little drawers for stashing stuff, but here's another way to utilize the space behind a 'cabinet' ~ go faux! Woodcrafters and unfinished wooden furniture stores often carry faux-front appliance covers of various sizes ~ made to look like an apothecary cabinet in the front but open from the back ~ for placing over toaster ovens or other small countertop appliances.
I picked a used one up @ a thrift shop, and decided to give it a more primitive finish.

First, I removed the fake button drawer pulls. Then I sprayed a light base-coat primer of generic flat Black spray paint across the front & sides. Next, I applied a coat of flat latex To Die For Red (Better Homes & Gardens wall paint, Walmart) and allowed proper drying time before lightly sanding the edges with extra fine sandpaper, for a distressed aged look. Last, I rubbed an even coat of Walnut wood stain across the surface with a clean cotton rag. 
After 24 hours drying time, I  drilled larger knob holes to insert the more realistic looking peg pulls (from the unpainted wood crafts section @ Hobby Lobby) adding a dab of wood glue in each hole before twisting the knobs in.
Faux-front cabinets are also great for hiding bathroom supplies, counter clutter, cookbooks, and of course ~ handy kitchen appliances & gadgets you'd rather not leave hanging out. redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014

 

 

 

 

Trash Talk Thursday: A Curiously Cheap Spice Box

An inexpensive alternative to vintage spice boxes is to convert a wooden cassette tape rack into a make-do storage cabinet. An overabundance of these outdated cassette cubbies can be found at thrift stores and yard sales for next to nothing. Add some curiously sturdy peppermint tins as drawers, and you’ve got an inexpensive storage box with compartments for spices or teas!

 

I spray painted this cassette rack and some tin Altoids boxes flat black, then painted the sides using red interior house paint. Never one to throw away old drawer knobs, I happened to have some small metal spice box knobs & used a strong magnet on the inside of each box to hold the knob in place on the outside. The cassette slots are also a great size for organizing crafts supplies, especially rubber stamps & ink pads. © copyright 2011 redshedvintage.com

Check it out! This makeover of mine was featured in the Winter 2011 issue of A Primitive Place Magazine, page 105.

 

Trash Talk Thursday: Mint It in Minutes

Minty shades of green are so cheerful. Whether you like primitives, farmhouse, cottage, shabby chic or whatever your home decor style preference, minty greens always look right at home. Right up there with the color red, shades of jade are some of my favorite colors to work with.
This inexpensive newer apothecary/bathroom cabinet ~ made of white coated particle board ~ was quickly transformed with just 2 quick coats of flat Jadeite wall paint, some fine grit sandpaper, and a hand-rubbed coat of walnut wood stain. copyright 2013 www.redshedvintage.com



Before ~ inexpensive Salvation Army Thrift Store bathroom cabinet find
Here's another minty do-over (photos below) and a link to directions for painting/distressing on: my painting tutorial on youtube ~ which also featured a minty makeover. Have a great week, fellow junquers!

Before