What is it about old boxes (like this vintage silverware box) that makes me an absolute sucker every single time?
I simply cannot pass one up!
I see them in thrift shops often and they rarely show any wear!
They are a great size and can be used for so many things!
I mean HEY! If I can recycle something and keep it out of a landfill, that's good enough for me. I'm on it!
Watch this process on YouTube!
Check out this week's video here.
https://youtu.be/-XS_jO_xNno
I found this box in perfect condition at my local Goodwill store. I LOVE these types of treasure finds. You never know what you'll come across!
I usually pull the inside lining out and clean up the inside to hold other things such as jewelry, makeup, art supplies, keys, sunglasses, etc.
But this one has this gorgeous lime green color inside, and since I'm currently obsessed with this color, I chose to keep it!
Time to create!
My mission was to complete this upcycle in less than an hour (and I did it on LIVE broadcast) just to prove that simple and fast can also be beautiful!
With simple and fast on the itinerary, I chose a SINGLE color of paint (a shocker, I know!), a dark wax for shading, and a decor wax for accenting.
After a thorough cleaning of the wood with White Lightning, I painted with a single coat of Antebellum Blue.
I love this blue, as it has a hint of teal in it, which really helped it lean into the lime green of the inside lining of the Vintage Silverware Box.
I used a heat gun to force it dry (since I am on the "under one-hour time clock").
A single coat of Satin Top Coat was applied to lock in the blue and set up the surface for dark wax. Again, I dried it with the heat gun.
Using Best Dang Wax in Black, I heavily applied this to the carvings across the front of the box.
I then used a baby wipe to wipe off the excess black wax which exposed the blue paint on the high points of the carvings, leaving the dark wax down in the crevices. This really brings this box to life!
Time is ticking!
With a well-worn brush and a very light hand, I applied dark shadows using the same wax on the corners and around the edges on the top of the box. This gives it a slightly aged look which I always love! The wax will cure on its own and does not require a top coat.
During the LIVE broadcast, a viewer (and friend of mine) suggested I add a décor wax called Cactus. It's something I rarely use! It's a gorgeous iridescent color that is a bit magical when you apply it. She felt it would help to pull in the lime from the inside. So at her request, I added the Cactus wax, and was like WHAT???? It is soooooo pretty! I really love what it did for the carved area and I really need to find more ways to use this product!!
Final touches
With time still to spare, I had another viewer recommend using the Moroccan Stencil on the top. She felt it would be a nice addition and work well with the carvings on the front. So I obliged and gave it a go! Truthfully, I was really unsure, so I wanted to keep the stencil subtle. I mixed a small amount of Coffee Bean into the Antebellum Blue just to deepen the blue so the stencil would be what we call a "tone-on-tone". I used the Best Dang Wax brush (my favorite brush to stencil with) to apply the newly mixed deeper blue color. This took maybe 5-7 minutes at the most!
When I asked the viewers if they preferred it with or without the stenciled top, most chose it WITH the stencil. I'm not surprised, since my audience tends to be a "MORE IS MORE" kinda group! Personally? I think I liked it better without it, but I will leave it! LOL!
So there we go! Another tossed aside box given a new lease on life!
I plan to keep this one for myself!
Maybe next time you see an old box, you will imagine what it could be with just a little love and attention!
Here are some other projects to try out if you loved this one!
Products used:
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