I am a shabby, chippy paint type of girl. I am naturally drawn to old benches, window panes, farm tables and old furniture...the only requirement is that the paint be chippy and shabby. The more layers of paint and the more colors the better....I say the more the merrier. My husband calls it my "scrap wood" and more times then I care to remember, a mover (we are a Navy family) who has not seen the light, has asked my husband, "Sir, are you going to be wanting to move this?"... Of course, he shrugs and shakes his head yes. He doesn't get it but he accepts it.
I know that there are different ways to re-create this look on wood...I've heard a rumor of wax (for wood) but I prefer the good ole' elementary school staple, Rubber Cement. It's fast, easy and cheap and works perfect on chipboard. The Rubber Cement acts as a barrier to the layers of paint applied over it. It peels off easily when done.
I'll start with showing you a couple of projects that I did using this technique, just in case you are not familiar with the chippy paint look. The idea is that we are replicating a well worn piece of wooden furniture that has been repainted many times over. Eventually the paint begins to chip off uncovering all the old layers of paint and color. Kind of a peeling, chippy sort of look.
This is a LAKE Scallop banner that I made. I wanted it to look like a well loved wooden Adirondack chair that has seen it's share of seasons. I used yellow, green, reds, whites and natural chipboard colors.
Here is an 8x8 mini album that I just did recently with Maya Road for Lily Bee Designs as a guest designer.
This is a nice way to add a touch of color and some distressing to your chipboard.
~Supplies~
You will need for any chippy paint project-
Rubber Cement
paint brushes
different colored acrylic paints
Scissors
Sandpaper
Ink
Blending Tool
toothpicks
For this project add-
Pumpkin Coaster Album
Scroll III Rubons- Black
Black and White Gingham Ribbon
Leaf Pins
Orange Paint (I used Delta Terra Cotta)
Black Paint
White or Cream Paint
Ranger Distress Ink- Brown
Black Permanent Fine Point Pen
Stiff Bristled Brush (I use a stenciling Brush)or old toothbrush
Fabri-Tac (fabric glue)
1) Put a little bit of rubber cement on the point of a toothpick. The brush that comes with the Rubber Cement is too broad, we want thinner lines that look more like peeling paint. Put rubber cement on the bare chipboard, just a few spots.
Because the Rubber Cement is really thick and hard to spread delicately, I spin the toothpick as I move it...I just twirl it between my fingers and it makes it easier. (I know this doesn't make sense to your right now, but when you try it you'll see how much easier it is).
2) Apply 1st and 2nd color of paint layer (black and white in this case)in a few random splotches.
3) Apply Rubber Cement over the paint patches. If your TOP color of paint (this case orange) will be a hard color to
cover the bottom colors with (in this case black, white and natural
chipboard) then make sure to cover the entire paint splotch with rubber cement so that you don't have to cover the paint at all with the top color coat. (for instance, if your base color was black, it would be hard to cover if your top coat was a light pink) Let dry for a few minutes.
4) Paint Pumpkin Orange. Do 2 layers of paint, allowing time to dry between coats.
5.) Using your finger (make sure you don't have ink on it) gently rub off rubber cement areas. It should just peel right off. If you can't get an edge, then use your fingernail to scrape it off.
6.) Once all of your Rubber Cement is gone, then distress your edges. I use the blade of my scissors and scrape the edge. It takes way less muscle power then sanding. Then I go back over it with sandpaper and gently buff off the fuzzies and make the edges smooth.
7.) Use a spare box with low edges and set up another paint area. Lay pumpkin towards back of box. Put a squirt of black paint in the front corner of the box. Grab your stiff bristled brush or toothbrush.
8.) TEST this technique first to measure how much your paint splatters....go gentle, better to have not enough, then to have too much paint. Dip just the edge of your brush in the black paint. Gently flick the paint at an angle. Use your index finger to rub the brush just hard enough to splatter paint onto the pumpkin. Try it first in the corner of your box. Don't use too thick of paint, if your paint is old and thick add a little water to thin it out.
9.) Use a new brush (don't mix white and black brushes unless you clean them really well and dry them even better!). Repeat step with white paint. Let dry.
10) Ink edges with Brown Distress Ink (I use a blending tool to achieve a really soft and blended look) and outline edges with black pen.
11) Trace stem onto green paper, cut out adjusting size to fit stem (bottom of stem will be covered by ribbon but make sure that you cut the stem long enough). Adhere to pumpkin using fabric glue.
12.) Cut scroll out of Scroll Rubons. Cut in half, right down the center. Spread slightly out and rub on to Pumpkin. Add small scroll to bottom of stem in between scroll halves.
13.) Adhere black and white gingham bow with fabric glue to base of stem. Thread small pearls onto leaf pins and poke through bow center. I added a button to the pumpkin below because I didn't make my green stem long enough and had to cover up a blank space.
Here is the exact same pumpkin in white with a little bit of Ranger Crackle paint added on the edges and middle. I also added silver glitter polka-dots, a silver crown and hung the Trinket chandelier beads from the bow. Very shabby...if Cinderella had a Fall Pumpkin, this is what it would look like!
Stay tuned for the Fall Pumpkin Banner Tutorial!
~Katie Watson
