Monday 8 November 2010

The Hutch of Many Colours!

I started my Xmas Hutch a couple of weeks ago as I couldn't wait to get started. It has however been an unexpectedly strange journey!


Building the hutch itself was fine - no problems there.


Then the instructions tell you to do a coat of white acrylics in varying thicknesses and then wallpaper the back of the hutch. Again no problems!

Then the instructions say to coat it with Tom Holtz Distress Crackle paint in Antique linen. The paint looked cream on the internet so all seemed well........ that is until I used it!

I was then left with a mustard yellow hutch! Hmmm not the look I was hoping for!

I thought that maybe when I added the 'dirty varnish' that is suggested to 'age' the piece it would turn out ok..... but that was not to be the case.
So, unhappy with the finish I went back to the Internet and picked what looked like a light cream paint in the same make. It arrived a few days later it even looked cream in the pot. Was it cream???? NO it was green!


Here is a close up just to prove it!

This was no good at all. I wanted white - yes an old worn out dirty looking white - but WHITE non the less! So it was back to drawing board, and a lot of sand paper later and yet another pot of paint........
HOORAY it's WHITE!


This is exactly the look that was called for! I am so glad that I persevered, it was well worth it. Now for the xmas decorations and of course a little bit of sparkle!

4 comments:

Tantie said...

Claire
What a pain to have to go through all that to get what you really wanted. Well worth all the effort though. So glad I just used what I had on hand. Now you can start the fun part. Can't wait to see your results.
Tantie/gsolfot

Norma Bennett said...

How frustrating - I definately think you should take/send copies of these pics to the website where you bought the paint - they should want to 'make good' because this post of yours is bad publicity they won't want.

Does Tim Holtz have their own website - if so I'd send to them as well, along with the batch number if there is one on the paint label - it's always possible that it's a faulty batch.

Although the green colour is a disaster I'm really impressed with the way it's crackled!

Joey's Dream Garden said...

It's good that you've shared your 'disaster' (that's a bit OTT but you know what I mean) so other folks are forewarned. It was worth redoing as it looks fab now, I love the crackled effect! Hey can you do that on paper and card? I'm getting little ideas popping into my head! :D
hugs
Joey xx

The Pin Factory said...

Tantie - I know I should have just followed your instructions instead of buying the suggested paint! And yes the next bit is most definitely the fun part!

Norma - The crackling worked a treat it was just the colour taht I had issue with! I wasn't going to post photos of the 'wrong paints' but decided that maybe it would help others out who were doing the same kit.

Joey - I decided that I should ne honest about the process instead of just doing 'ta daa' here is the finished hutch! I bet you could come up with some wonderful things with this crackled paint - maybe some props for next weeks craft fair table???