Keeping it.... ummmm... REAL.

Have you ever done a craft that no matter what you tried it just wasn't working for you?

Yeah.

I had one of those days.

Two days, actually.

Yesterday.

And today.

I wasted almost two full days on a project that 

I will probably throw in the burn pile.

Really.

See, I found this really cool old wooden thing.

I don't know what it is.

I'm thinking it was a gate.

Ya know...  Before they made swinging ones?

That fit into a gap in a barn stall?

Yeah.

I think that's what it is.

Scott's not here, so I can't ask him.

Anyway...

Here it is:

I found it inside the walls of the barn, when we pulled off the old wood 

to install the insulation and plywood.

And I thought...

This would make a really neat sign.

Like, a welcome sign for my studio.

So, I spent an hour scrubbing off 

a hundred years worth of dried manure and cobwebs.

Waited patiently for it to dry.  

(Okay, I put a fan on it.)

Sanded it a little bit.

while getting my DIY Network fix (at least the afternoon wasn't completely wasted.)

I gave it a wash with ASCP "Pure White".

And then attempted to make the cow parsley like Annie Sloan makes in her book.  

Ya know...  with the torn cereal box strips?

Yeah.

Not as easy as she makes it sound.

Then I hand painted on the word welcome.

And went outside...

Didn't have time to do anything with it because we had YSF Football sign ups and I volunteered to man the check out, so I left it.

Brought it in this morning and thought maybe it just needed a little contrast of darker paint here and there.  

Maybe a little bow...

Yep.

Stared at it.

Took it back inside.

Painted over the horrible hand painted welcome.

Thought I'd try the freezer paper transfer for the first time a'la 

Karin at Art is Beauty.
(click link above to see her awesomeness)

Yeah.

Not as easy as she makes it look either.

(I now have a new profound respect for the stuff she turns out.)

Painted over the wax paper transfer.

Google burlap bows.

Take it outside for the third time.

Yeah.

Stare at it again...  With loathing.

Left it there.

Uploaded the pictures.

Tweaked.

Pic-Monkeyed the death out of it.

Still couldn't make it look good.

Needed a blog post for today.

So, here ya go.

I'm going to take a nap now.  :P

Have a great weekend, y'all.  

I think we're going to have s'mores tonight.  ;)

XO,