Buffalo Checked sleigh and star with Christmas tree sign
A messy story
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A few years back, I worked for a themed environment artist. In the job description that day, we were to paint various boxes that were set on a parade float platform, to resemble a lit up village.
The technique we were to use was super loose and dare I say… messy.
While my partner in crime danced her way through her village, I appeared to be making a mess of mine. How was it that I saw candle lit cottage windows on her side and mudpie madness on mine?!
Obviously I did not have the sloppy technique down!
I remember going home super frustrated that night, feeling like a massive failure. Hours on that float, only to return and try again the next day. Ugh. I didn’t even want to go back!
But I did return the next day, and failed a few more times.
Suddenly, I stopped. I took a better look… “Oh my gosh, did I actually just DO IT?”
I did. There sat one lonely piccaso-like house among the other sloppy joes. I still don’t know to this day how I was able to do one and not the others, however when Dan oversaw the work, he said it was just fine!
“Don’t worry about it! No one will see the details from the road! That’s not what this kind of painting is.”
I wasn’t sure if it was still good or not, but of course, he was right. On parade day, no one really knew my mudpie houses from the Picasso ones.
To this day, I struggle with less than perfection. Which leads to this messy turned happy project today…
The intended perfect sleigh project
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Morphing back to this week, I had this child’s wooden sleigh in my stash. In fact, I just used it for THIS pillow shoot.
However, I’m adding a dash of Buffalo Check to my Christmas decor this year, so I decided this sleigh needed a new look to reflect that.
And here’s what (happily!) happened next…
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Buffalo Checked sleigh and star with
Christmas tree sign
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Supplies I used:
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An antique wooden sleigh
Fusion’s Coal Black and Fort York Red paint
Find a local Fusion merchant HERE
Buffalo Check stencil from HERE
You Cut Tree stencil from HERE
How-to:
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1. Paint your sleigh red, or lightly sand a pre-painted surfaces to provide grip for the new paint.
2. Tape Buffalo Check in place, then stencil where desired.
Video – how to Buffalo Check
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Click above to learn how to stencil with Buffalo Check for exceptional results every time!
Stenciling the sleigh
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The sleigh was a pretty nice red already! But I did sand it down a little with a palm sander to rough up some edges and dull down the shiny finish a little.
Then I carefully held the Buffalo Check stencil in place here and there, and ‘attempted’ to stencil the red rails with Coal Black.
Only… I messed up. I had too much paint on the brush and the lines bled.
I tried some more, and the stencil went crooked.
As you can imagine, I wasn’t all that excited to take pictures of a mess!
So I had a choice… I could repaint the entire thing and start over like brand new, or turn it into a sloppy joe mudpie Picasso.
What did I have to lose?
A charming messy technique!
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Sloppy on purpose is NOT for the faint of heart, but it is fun!
Kinda like, someone back in the day attempted to paint this pattern by hand…
But hang on… I promise it only gets better from here.
Adding wax for easy distressing
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3. Rub the Beeswax block against any surfaces you’d like to distress.
4. Paint over the Beeswax.
5. Once paint is dry to the touch, sand to distress as desired.
After the sleigh was painted, I decided to darken up the rails from red to black for a little more definition.
However, because I desired to have a chippy layered look, I rubbed Beeswax along all the rail edges first so I had the ability to sand away the black.
How the Beeswax block works
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Fusion has a super bonding strength once cured, so the Beeswax gives you the ability to easily distress after the fact.
The wax block creates a resist between paint coats so if you sand wherever you waxed, it’ll lift the paint right up.
It’s fun creating layered techniques with it! See how the rails turned out below.
Find the Beeswax blocks HERE
Buffalo Checking the star
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Next up, this little wooden star you’ve seen on THIS You Cut Tree sign from last winter also needed an update.
Buffalo Check stencil is from HERE
6. Coat out the star with Fort York Red.
7. Once dry, place Buffalo Check on top of the star, then stencil with Coal Black.
How cute did this little star turn out?!
Learn how to make this You Cut Tree Farm sign from HERE
Attaching the star
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The star was attached to the You Cut Tree shaped sign I made last Christmas with one screw. Perfect!
Adding evergreen branches
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Then the You Cut Christmas tree sign was positioned inside the sleigh, which was then filled with some firewood, a small saw, faux cranberry garland and evergreen branches fresh off the curb.
It’s looking super rustically cute already!
Check out those chippy rails! The Beeswax did a fabulous job.
And then it was time to take some shots… ready to see how cute this Buffalo Checked sleigh and star with Christmas tree sign turned out?
The finished sleigh with tree sign!
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Here is the Buffalo Checked sleigh and star with Christmas tree sign beside the front door! What a quaint and festive greeting this turned out to be!
A few rustic red barn boards were placed behind the sleight to chime in with that beautiful red!
However, since it turned out so adorable, I later moved it into my living room!
In which I found myself asking…
… what mess?
You just can’t do decorating wrong when rustic is intended, don’t you agree?
Moral of this story:
Coming from a perfectionist here… it’s hard to let go and not show our very best online all the time. However maybe someone needs to see or hear about ‘your happier mess’… and quite possibly, it may unknowingly turn into your own version of an imperfectly perfect Buffalo Checked sleigh and star with Christmas tree sign of your own…
Wouldn’t you agree?
What do you think of the messy look? Are you generally a perfectionist type too?
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Learn how to make the You Cut Tree sign HERE
Shop for the Buffalo Check stencil HERE
So cute, Donna. I had one of those sleds for my children, brings back memories. I REALLY get the attention to detail thing. REALLY. ?
Haha, oh I’d bet!
I think I’d push myself over the edge if I took woodworking to a true pro level. I bow down to you Julie. If two chunks of wood can stay together for the duration of my photo shoot, I’m in! 😀 I guess I am learning to let go here and there after all…
Life is so interesting with each of our stories reflecting on our own passions. I love watching over your work. Thank-you for the beautiful eye candy you always pump out! It’s very inspiring.
You are too kind, Donna! I have driven myself “over the edge,” and fight to accept imperfection. I think making distressed and rustic items helps a bit.
Still waiting for you to travel east … all the way to PEI. You would love it here (in the summer).
Merry Christmas ?
I love it, Donna! If I saw this in a store I would have purchased it immediately. It has a charming, cottage-esque, feel to it.
I definitely have perfectionist qualities but in the past few years I’ve discovered the creative side of rustic. I love the freedom of just going in and letting it,organically, become something that surprises me.
This would be fun just about anywhere but I could see it on a front porch or in front of a barn. How pretty!
Thank-you Kim, and for that beautiful visual of a front porch or barn. In my dream of dreams, that’s what I keep seeing too…
I agree with your phrase, ‘creative side of rustic’. It’s a very loose interpretation to anything else that’s out there, so forgiving, so imperfectly perfect, with a well-used, well-loved feel. There cannot be enough of it in my own home! Every new finish I want to break down to weather-worn. You truly get it.
Donna, “imperfectly perfect”, exactly!
It gives also me a sense of history, like there are stories attached to the item and I don’t want to *erase* them but maybe add to them.
The porch and barn? Yeah,in my dream of dream as well. I get starry-eyed just thinking of my art barn. If I ever attain that dream, this is exactly what I will be putting outside my barn the very first winter!
I’ve even saved it to my Pinterest board. 😉
Looks like a masterpiece to me, I just love this look so much! You nailed it.
Thank-you Sandy! I’ve edited my post after some mulling over things… just where my heart sits today.
My snowshoes are being moved around the living room upmteen times over. I smile when I hear your words, “Feel free to sell the extras if you want.” Are you kidding me? I need 5 more sets now! haha ADORE THEM ALL.
I just love your talent, gifts and perseverance. You have amazing strength and vision ???????
Super cute!! Here’s to more messy!
Love it. Perfect is boring. This looks used and loved. Nothing better than loved and lived in.
Super cute! What size are your boards for the you cut tree farm tree sign? Thanks
Hi Kelly! My apologies for not having measured the boards! I used 3.5 deep pallet boards and started the YOU board at approximately 8″ long, then did all the other boards slightly longer to form the shape of a tree.
I’ve edited the most with that info now. Thank-you!
You inspired me to use a sled I have that’s just like it. But it’s in original condition so I think I’ll wax it to preserve it!