If you follow me on Instagram you already got a sneak peek at the stash I used to make this fun Spring Garden Tool Holder. This Canadian Prairie Girl needed a little Spring in her life because I'm so done with Winter.
I apologize for being M.I.A. last week for Frugal Decor Tuesday. It was one of those weeks where I jumped out of bed Monday morning, eager to start all the projects in my head and before I finished my first coffee, the day went to hell in a hand basket. Monday snowballed into a series of crappy events that unfolded every day of the entire week.
I'll watch my blog comments disappear one-by-one right before my eyes and I'll report the problem and get it fixed.
More than 30 blog posts can be deleted and I'll find a way to retrieve them.
Phone to report a series of unpleasant events and I'll find a way to get them resolved.
But you mess with my Keurig Coffee Machine and it'll get ugly...real ugly.
Especially during a week from hell and very little sleep.
Ahem, back to the Spring Garden Tool Holder and the supplies I used to make it...
...and WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED.
I removed all the labels and border from a sheet of Avery labels. Next, I printed each of the graphics (one-by-one) using my Inkjet Printer (this won't work on a laser printer) onto the shiny side (where the labels used to be).
Starting with the word BLOOM, I carefully placed the ink side of the sheet onto the wood and rubbed the back of a spoon over the sheet to lift the ink from the paper onto the wood. I repeated this process for WHERE YOU and then ARE PLANTED.
Using an artist's brush and Americana Acrylic Paint in the color Tomato Red, I painted over the word BLOOM. I added a shadow line using a Black Fine Point Sharpie Marker.
Now like I said at the top of this post, Spring has not sprung here yet so I filled the galvanized bucket with...
I'll fill them with beautiful real blooms in late May, when the risk of heavy frost is finally over. If you like my Spring Garden Tool Holder please share it with a friend and/or save it on Pinterest.
*affiliate links are included to help you find some of the products I used to make this project.
Spring Garden Tool Holder
Joining Pallet Wood Together
So to make my sign, I used the last remaining battered pieces of pallet wood from my stash and joined them together with a Kreg Pocket Hole Jig.Aging Wood
Next, to give the boards more character I grabbed the plastic container of Aging Solution that has been brewing in the workshop for several weeks. I call this brew Giggle Juice because the effect of this stuff on wood makes me giggle and this is the link for the Wood Aging Solution Recipe.
I simply applied it using super fine #0000 steel wool and wiped the excess off with a paper towel.
You can see the difference between the stained and unstained wood in the picture below. When it dries all the nail holes and imperfections in the wood pop.
How To Get The Look Of Galvanized Metal
Now I had to figure out how to get the same galvanized look of the mini bucket onto the metal watering can hooks. This is the original finish which isn't bad but I wanted the two metal finishes to be unified.
The first thing I did was brushed Modern Masters Matte Metallic Silver Paint (it's what I had on hand) over the entire surface.
After it dried I lightly burnished it with the Aging Solution soaked steel wool and wiped off the excess with a paper towel.
Then with an artist brush, I flicked spots of Folk Art acrylic paint in the color Wicker White to get the appearance of white rust that you see on galvanized metal.
After it dried I applied Paris Grey chalk paint on all the raised bits and dry brushed some over the metallic silver paint, and a little on the galvanized bucket as well.
Once dry, I lightly sanded again with #0000 steel wool to basically blend it all together. It's not a perfect match to the mini bucket but pretty darn close.
After it dried I lightly burnished it with the Aging Solution soaked steel wool and wiped off the excess with a paper towel.
Then with an artist brush, I flicked spots of Folk Art acrylic paint in the color Wicker White to get the appearance of white rust that you see on galvanized metal.
After it dried I applied Paris Grey chalk paint on all the raised bits and dry brushed some over the metallic silver paint, and a little on the galvanized bucket as well.
Once dry, I lightly sanded again with #0000 steel wool to basically blend it all together. It's not a perfect match to the mini bucket but pretty darn close.
Applying Ink directly onto wood
In PicMonkey, I created the Bloom Where You Are Planted graphic. To get the words long enough for my board I had to make two mirrored (reverse print) jpeg images. You can download BLOOM
...and WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED.
Starting with the word BLOOM, I carefully placed the ink side of the sheet onto the wood and rubbed the back of a spoon over the sheet to lift the ink from the paper onto the wood. I repeated this process for WHERE YOU and then ARE PLANTED.
Using an artist's brush and Americana Acrylic Paint in the color Tomato Red, I painted over the word BLOOM. I added a shadow line using a Black Fine Point Sharpie Marker.
Assembling The Sign
I attached the Faux Galvanized Watering Can Hooks and iron Vintage Garden Faucet Hook onto the pallet wood using 1 1/2-inch brown screws. On the back of the sign, I attached two D-Ring hooks to hang it.Now like I said at the top of this post, Spring has not sprung here yet so I filled the galvanized bucket with...
faux
fake
not even close to the real thing
Pansies and hung them from the iron faucet for the finishing touches to my fun Spring Garden Tool Holder.I'll fill them with beautiful real blooms in late May, when the risk of heavy frost is finally over. If you like my Spring Garden Tool Holder please share it with a friend and/or save it on Pinterest.
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