Wine Crate Planter

Decorate a plain wine crate to fill with topiaries, flowers, utensils, napkins, condiments, etc. Figure A Figure B Figure C

small wine crate
wood filler
sandpaper
paint in 2 or more colors
paintbrush
stencil
stencil brush
earth-toned pigment
varnish
tissue paper

Steps:

1. Use wood filler to cover any writing on the crate and to smooth it off (figure A).
2. After about 30 minutes when it's dry, sand lightly until smooth.
3. Apply two coats of paint, allowing dry time between them.
4. When the crate is dry, lay the stencil down and hold it firmly.
5. Use a stencil brush and lightly tap the second color of paint onto the stencil (figure B), allowing some of the base color below to show through for depth .
6. Wrap the stencil around the ends of the box if desired.
7. Create a random pattern and use two contrasting colors if desired.
8. When the stencil paint has dried, brush a glaze mixture of earth-toned paint pigment with varnish (four varnish to one part pigment) (figure C).
9. Use tissue paper to blot the glaze to add texture and depth of color.