Van Gogh footstool- Hippie Christmas #1

Month one of the ''hippie Christmas" project, and we have our first graduate.

This was the first treasure I saw, but I had just gotten off work, was overwhelmed by the selection and there were a zillion people loading and unloading on Wilson street, so I drove on by. Luckily, later that afternoon when I was in full salvage mode, he was waiting patiently for me.

Sure I could give it a pedestrian paint job, but when I was eyeing over the loot, I couldn't help but notice a potential marriage of two cast-offs.

This Van Gogh "Vase of Roses" was picked up over on Jennifer street with my mom the next day. A favorite of dorm room decorating, I thought that if I manipulate it, it could take on a fresh new look.

The slatted planks on this footstool were equal in size, so I decided to dissect the poster. Using a sharp Exacto knife, I cut the poster in 5 equal strips and placed them on the slats.

JACK-POT. The image was still recognizable, but just tweaked a bit.

Now that I had the top figured out, I had to tackle the base. Although it appeared to be bare wood, a thin layer of varnish was still coating the stool. Using a medium grit sandpaper, I went WITH the grain of the wood, till it felt nice and smooth. To even out any divots, I finished with a fine grit sandpaper.

Now for the color. Trying something new, I picked out a water based stain for the base. Did you know you can tint stain? Yep, just like paint, Minwax carries a rainbow of colors that you can tint to any of their quart stains. I choose Island water.

You might need to be a little open to your results on the first try. Different woods can really absorb differently, so my advice is to apply a coat, sit for 30-60 seconds, then with a rag dampened with a little stain, wipe off. Always applying and wiping WITH the grain of the wood. You can always add another coat if it is not as dark as you like.

I cannot stress enough how prepping the surface before you stain is important. Here is a patch that I must have missed in the sanding. See how the stain does not adhere. If this happens, just re-sand and re-apply the stain.

The stain alone looked just a little flat, so after the stain had dried, I took two different shades of green and gave the wood some highlights and low lights. Applying with a dry brush, I used light, feathering strokes to give the piece some depth. The result....a marine-like hue with a texture that mimics the brush strokes in the print.

Now, to marry the two. Using a wide foam brush, I applied Mod Podge, or any other easy spreading craft glue, to each plank and carefully applied a strip. Start at one end and use either a bone folder or a credit card and guide the strip of paper onto the glued surface. Poster print is quite thick, so I didn't have too many issues with bubbles.

Giving it plenty of time to dry, preferably overnight, I then used the same process of brushing on the Mod Podge to seal in the image and to add to the footstools durability.

See what is possible with things that others throw away. Van Gogh... more like a Van dough! You would pay big bucks for a stool like this in a boutique. Instead, with a little imagination, time and supplies you have created a designer look of your own, all while saving the planet from more trash.