Union Jack-inspired Glory Box

A couple of weeks ago, I saw Miss Mustard Seed's Union Jack Dresser and loved it, and knew I had to have a go at my own Union Jack project.  And I had just the victim...

Except it hasn't looked like that for about 9 months or so, since I had upcycled it already, into this...

I thought it turned out ok, but it turns out no-one else did - it never sold, despite me almost giving it away!  I have to admit though, it was cuter before I did the wax job on it - the paint really soaked up the wax** the instant they met and for the life of me I couldn't get it to blend it any better.  So it sat and it sat.  The thing was, I knew if I redid it, I'd have to sand all that wax off...not fun.
**(edited to add, after that disaster, I learnt to use clear wax first!)

But Miss Mustard Seed and her Union Jack dresser got me inspired, so yesterday I sanded and sanded and sanded, then primed it with Zinsser BIN which would stick to the surface even if some wax residue remained.

Today I got to work, painting it with two coats of a blue that I already had on hand.  Once that was barely dry I pinched my son's white coloured pencil and a ruler...

I found the centre along the width and length of the top, and made myself a cross shape, then did the diagonals and went from there.

Here is my little mate putting the finishing touches on her Princess Mirror project.  You can see in the background that the top of the glory box is now painted.  The camera battery went flat on me for the main painting part!

So, here it is.  Yes, it is wonky, lol.  The smaller stripes on the top left and bottom right are correct (ish!) but the other two don't have the right end part on them near the centre of the flag...despite all my great looking pencil lines, I couldn't get them to fit right with the correct angle on the end.  That is why I called it a Union Jack-inspired Glory Box and not a Union Jack Glory Box.  So there.  LOL.

Here it is after I distressed it, once again when the paint was barely dry.  I was impatient today :)

I knew that the grey I had originally painted this would work in my favour my nicely peeping through and complimenting the red white and blue of the 'flag'.

Here it is, all finished, with some glaze to add some grunge to it, and then finished with an all over application of neutral wax which has given it a beautiful sheen.

I left the inside of the box grey from when I painted it the first time.

I love how the hinges turned out...super grungy!  (That must be my new favourite word today)

I wonder if anyone will like it enough to buy it this time?

Showing it off at Miss Mustard Seed's party

Raven Glory Box

This one took a while to get finished, but finally, it is.  Here is where we started:

As I said when I previously posted about it, it is a much plainer style that what I am usually drawn to, but I had been given some very cool knobs that I knew would look great on this (wouldn't be hard to improve on the originals, though!) and I wanted to do something grey and I knew this was the piece for that.

These knobs came all the way from India...thanks again Tracey!

After I painted it in Resene Raven, and lightly distressed it, I decided to add a bit of 'grunge factor' to it by rubbing a dark oak wax over it.

I painted the inside but didn't wax it so you can see the contrast in colour.  The lid has a neat stay on it so it stays up by itself.  I think it would make a great coffee table or toy box, or just extra storage...

I am showing this off at

xx Karen

Glory box, so far...

Another project I am part-way through, that I wanted to show the progress on.  Here is the 'before':

This is made of mahogany and quite a retro style, much plainer than the things that I am normally drawn to, but I could see this looking gorgeous with some paint-and-new-handle-magic...was I right?

My lovely friend Tracey bought these gorgeous porcelain knobs for me in India...not just these ones, but a selection of designs and colours - I was blown away by her kindness and the efforts involved in getting these to me!

Thanks again, Tracey!

The main part of the box still needs another coat, and the lid needs painting (in the same grey - I love that colour!)  I have painted the inside grey as well.  The lid has a cool little hinge thing that holds it up and stops it slamming, very handy...could be a great toybox!  I must say, painting with a darker colour is so much easier than painting with white or cream...I find I need a minimum of 4 top coats to get a coverage I am happy with (and that is using top quality paints)...but with a colour, 2 coats and we are all good!

But I do love white furniture....

xx Karen