Trusty Rust

 This is not a new process.  I have seen it in several places, but I have been using it for years.  I realized that I call myself a Rust Goddess, but rarely do I show you why.  I post plenty of distressed painting projects and vintage finds, but few of my trusty rusty crusty projects.

Here is a quiet little milking stool.  Used as a riser for a vignette on the mantel.  Not realizing it was about to get rustified!

This is not an exact process.  It is not a neat process.  It is not a process with strict rules.  Feel free to read and then jump off in another direction.

 A quick coat of my sample Vaspar Blue Rain paint.

Note that I did not go for full coverage.

You can see the scars and warts on the top showing through.

That's okay because I am about to add more -
many more!

 Where did this come from?  It is a once dear garden friend.  She held thyme and mint on the back porch, but has been overcome with rust.  I can no longer trust her bottom for plants.  

BUT she is still very useful.

I carefully scrape the rust from her as I need to complete a project.

For this stool I needed about a handful.

I dumped the collected rust onto the stool's top.

Now you have a choice - do it when the paint is wet or do it when the paint is dry.

I had to go answer the phone so my paint was dry.

Then I take a fine steel wool, fine sanding sponge, or a paper towel (whatever is handy but not too rough - I have used a pair of torn tights!) and rub that rust into the surface.

I did this on the top and the legs.

Wipe off the excess rust - you can save it for the next project in a baggie.

I lightly sanded with a fine grit for extra distressing. 

 Here is a shot of the top.  The rust has become one with the painted top giving it that great rusty patina.











You knew didn't you?

The next step involved getting a couple of images from the Graphics Fairy.  

The bee in the laurel wreath and a French label.

I used reverse transfer Mod Podge again. 

 I waited a couple of hours for the Mod Podge to dry.

You can see that the image on the right has been wet to begin the peeling process.

I am not going through the whole direction thing, but you can read about reverse Mod Podge transfer here.

Now this is something new to me.  I am loving that dipped in the paint look I have been seeing for a few months and decided these little turned legs needed that treatment.

I painted with a blue craft paint the bottom section of each leg.

After they dried, I sanded to distress them.

Remember this little stool should look as if it has been sitting for so long, it rusted. 

Rusty Rene' sits for an official portrait.  

Actually after looking at this photo, I noticed something was missing.

I forgot to wax that poor rusty thing.

Back to the work area for a coat of Minwax Finishing Paste.

That's better.  Rusty Rene' looks much better waxed.

Rusty Rene' looks as though he has sat in a French barn for years and years.

Except that the address is not for milk, but maybe the stool was a premium for buying something at that French address.

I am sure there is a story in Rusty Rene's past.

Just look at him!



In other news, I am still decluttering my house of craft supplies and other sundry things.  At the moment I am allowing Chucks, the cats and the dogs to remain as long as they stay out of my way.  It is a hard to decide which treasure stays and which goes.  I just saved seven unusually-shaped brown paper bags and I am now rethinking that decision.  Maybe I can justify them if I categorize them as possible gift wrap.  HMMMM . . .

See y'all!




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