Saved From The Burn Pile

One of the really fun appliqués we introduced last year was our Bird Appliqué (CT2). When we first found it in an antique store, I really thought of it as a country piece. Yet for some reason, we never quite found the right piece of furniture for it.

This bombe chest had taken up residence in my barn. It was a sad little piece covered in faux croc naugahyde. I hate naugahyde. All the edges of the nauga’s were peeling up and it need a lot of work.  For years, it failed to call to me and give me some clues on what to do with it.

One day I finally started to peel off the nauga’s humm… talk about the ugly phase.

Without the fake croc there was only press board underneath. It was so bad I considered, and mentioned to my husband, that it might have to move to the burn pile.  He took me to heart and actually threw it out but I managed to rescue it once again before the flames took hold.

Finally, last fall I was playing around with Wood Icing and a thought started to take hold. About damm time… Made by my friend and fellow Efex stockist Rose Wilde Wood Icing is an acrylic textura paste with the consistency of peanut butter. This may be spread with a spatula or trowel  or even a damp paint brush. From there design to your hearts content. Push it through a stencil, or lace, make it into faux wood, patch holes, make something look old and rustic the possiblities are endless.

My first step was to cover the entire thing with Wood Icing. While the Wood Icing was still wet I dragged a wood graining tool across the entire piece. Now it was starting to chat.

For the first color, I covered the wood icing in black glaze from General Finishes. Then for the chest and the birds (oh yes there was a point to that opening sentence) I choose Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® in Florence with a black wax. The top is done in GF black glaze mixed with a little (tiny) hint of bronze pearl effects then a topcoat finish. And the drawers.

Well they are the piece de resistance. Because the style of the chest is oriental and I wanted something different. The birds are cut to fit the drawers and done in layers of GF Pearl Effects bronze and copper. To tie it all together the top  edge is done in the same color as the birds.

In the end it was a fun piece to finis Whew…. glad I saved it from the burn pile.