Antique Christmas Box (Pt 1) – Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

I LOVE a good old antique box or chest! I’ve painted quite a few over the years. Here are a few examples:

(If you’d like to see some more, you can head to the little “Search” tool on the right and type in “chest” or “box”.)

I bought this old tool box with a bunch of other items that a friend was getting rid of. This is the way it arrived – well worn, and has probably stored tools for years in its lifetime.

The first thing I needed to do was to sand the outside of the box, I went to my best tool cabinet and took out the sheets of sandpaper that I had that were perfect for this task and then I began the tedious job of sanding back, I got a little excited to uncover a bit of history! The box had belonged to the owner’s father or grandfather, a Mr. Lewis. Here in the pictures below, you can just make out some old painted lettering on the top of the box, including a name and address.The words we can make out are:

(1st initials unclear) LEWIS

LINVILLE

BRISBANE VALLEY LINEIt’s not really clear under the words “Brisbane Valley Line”, but I’ve tried a little research and this was a railway line back in the day, that travelled out west of Queensland. Here’s one link I found: Brisbane Valley HeritageSo I’m assuming it may have even been one of the railway tool boxes that used to sit in the front engine room of the train, as I’ve seen some similar on historical trains at the Ipswich Railway Museum.

So now is the time all you history buffs are going to freak out at me for what I’m about to do next – paint the box!

NOOOOoo! I hear you yell. Well, it has sat in my house for the longest time, and I’ve admired it’s historical-ness and chippy paint, but today … I NEEDED to paint something…

I’m talking, rough week, too much going on in my life, taxes due, changing accounting systems, teenage kids and more that I don’t care to discuss right now – and I hadn’t picked up a brush for a LONG time, or done anything creative just for myself. So after another long battle with the books and new systems – I was O.V.E.R. IT. Give me a paintbrush already …And so I mixed up some Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in the colour, Linen … THIS, my friends is therapy in itself. Get that little mixer frother thing going and blending those equal parts milk paint powder and water till its thick and creamy, and you’ve just about got all your worries beaten out right there! Just be careful not to over mix and make yourself a latté! Too much froth is not a great thing.

For this project I used approx. 1/4 cup MMSMP & 1/4 cup water for the outside of the box.

MMSMP Linen after one coat

MMSMP Linen after two coats

Ahhh, I’m feeling better already! I sanded the edges for a distressed, aged appearance.

After a quick survey on my Facebook page – you know, the kind of survey where you ask people what colour to paint the insides, but really you’ve already made up your mind? Ha ha. Well, I thought I’d made up my mind to paint the inside either Eulalie’s Sky or Luckett’s Green, but a few comments suggested Tricycle red, which wasn’t on my list of possibilities … until “Amy” mentioned that it would look Christmassy if I used red.

Now there’s a thought – a Christmas Box! How cute! So it seems I CAN be persuaded!

Stay tuned for the final reveal of my Christmas Box in my upcoming blog posts. If you haven’t subscribed already, you can do so on the right at the top of this page, or fill in the pop up box that should appear as you read this blog.

Meanwhile I’ll leave you a sneak peak of some of the shots I was taking today …

I added these cute cup pull handles – you can purchase them for $6 each, from my website in the product section HERE. I know it’s only the 1st of November, but I’m really getting in the Christmas mood. My husband’s family is coming all the way from the USA to stay with us this Christmas, and I can’t wait to spend time with them!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas ….

(Stay tuned for Part 2)