I'm excited to share that I've recently become a Brand Ambassador for Saltwash®, an easy to use base coat formula which gives a layered and textured effect when mixed with any brand or type of paint. This is kind of big for me because I've generally shied away from endorsements BUT I like and use this product so often since being introduced to it at my friend Nancy's shop Sea Rose Cottage, making it a natural fit.
After agreeing to collaborate, I was sent a complete tray project kit. All I needed was paint and inspiration!
Which I found at this farm stand, mentioned in a previous post.
I rounded up stencils, paint, glue, and my usual go-tos: wax paper to protect my work area; paper plates as paint palettes; craft sticks as stirrers; various types of glue; and a hot cup of coffee!
For this project I wanted to begin with a white base so a day earlier I spray-painted the tray and handles white but this step is optional.
Taking my inspiration from the strawberries sign, I knew I wanted my Saltwash® base coat to be a muddy coffee brown.
I started by using up an off-white sample of house paint and mixed in brown and black until it was the color I wanted; then I blended it well and began to add-in the Saltwash® powder.
At the Saltwash® website they have the ratios all worked out but I tend to pour and mix by-eye until the paint is like brownie batter.
What makes using Saltwash® so fun is that you are aiming for a weathered and worn result that is anything but perfect so just spread that batter on without fear. I aim for a relatively even application paying special attention to the corners and sides, which are my favorite spots to sand-down later. Once this step is done and thoroughly dried, follow with a coat or two of paint, sans Saltwash®. I used white house paint that I applied with a paint pad. Allow to dry well and then sand to reveal the batter layer below. The sanding part may take some experimentation on your part -- start by sanding lightly and decide how much base coat you wish to reveal.
While waiting for the paint to dry I practiced using the stencils so that when the tray's surface was ready, so was I!
The final step was decoupaging the handles with a printed paper napkin to add pattern and charm.
And then of course, capturing the result in photos, starting with this one taken by the talented Tim Marshall.
And this one I snapped at my own dining room table.
I have other projects -- large and small -- that I'll be sure to share soon.
Find Saltwash where I did at Sea Rose Cottage online or at the shop in Bristol, Rhode Island
or order online at https://shop.ilovesaltwash.com/collections/retail and use the special discount code: tinkered for 10% off.
As always, thanks for visiting!
xo
elyse
