I had originally thought of just using some dark walnut gel stain to darken the painting. After looking at a nice saltbox board painting that I have, I decided to paint the edges of this board black. The board had a nice top edge, which just gave a hint of black to the front. This paint really made the top stand out.
I then took my stain and generously applied it all over the painting. I wiped it off, and re-applied as needed until I achieved the look I wanted. I tried to leave extra stain around the edges, to help blend in with the black paint. This simple process really updated the look of this "expensive" piece! Now to decide where to hang it. I might even take a few trips to other thrift stores to see what I can find this weekend.
While I had my stain out, I decided to make over a set of stacking boxes from the 1980's. I had found these at a craft show, and they came tied with raffia (the boxes are glued together). I don't have a photo of before, but it was flat craft paint. I stained the boxes and it darkened them up. I think it makes them look a bit richer. I wish I could afford the antique Shaker boxes, but this will do for now. :)
I'll be looking for primitive garland to go on a couple shelves with pegs. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please let me know. I also would like some small keyhole baskets (one can't be more than 4" tall) for the same shelves. Maybe one of the larger craft fairs later this season will have some ideas.
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