DIY

Story & photos by Emily Olson

The stark months between the winter holidays and spring are often overlooked for seasonal decorating. This year cheer up your space with fresh color by bringing the outdoors inside. Nature is always a sure bet and simple evergreen clippings are a perfect choice. Natural elements go hand-in-hand with mason jars in a rustic wood box. Creating your own box from pallet wood is inexpensive, easy and fun! This piece will also transition seamlessly from season to season. Warm weather is around the corner and you can replace the winter greenery with tulips, daffodils or lilac branches.

Pallets are plentiful but finding one that has an aged appearance and is in good enough condition to use is a challenge. Fortunately, the simple aging technique used here can completely transform new pallet wood.

SUPPLIES

*This project uses the wider 5.5” boards that are typically on the end of a pallet. Narrower boards are used on the rest of the pallet and they will work here, but the larger board is better scaled to a quart mason jar.

• 2 pallet boards cut to 17 inches • 2 pallet boards cut to 6 inches • 1 pallet board cut in length and width to 4.5 x 17 inches • 2 drawer pulls • 4 quart mason jars • Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator • Tan paint (anything water-based)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut boards to size and save a scrap piece for experimenting with the faux finish.

2. “Aging” the wood prior to assembly makes the process much easier. First, “paint” on the weathered wood accelerator and let it dry completely. It will be a very dark brown until it dries to a cooler gray tone. Apply to the scrap piece too.

3. A “dry brush” technique can brighten the wood and give it a sunbleached look. Mix tan paint with water at a 50:50 ratio. Start with a tablespoon of each. Tan will give plenty of contrast against the newly aged wood. Using white will make the contrast too artificial. To “dry brush” dip the tip of a chip brush into the watered-down paint. Blot on a paper towel or old cloth to remove nearly all of the paint (think “dry”). Apply in a light sweeping motion going with the wood grain on all sides of the boards.

Practice on the scrap piece first until you get used to the pressure of the brush strokes and the amount of paint to have on the brush.

4. Attach the drawer pulls to the end pieces.

5. Use a brad nailer or small nails to construct the outside of the box first, then add the bottom board on the inside. Wood glue is not necessary as long as the box will not be used to carry heavy items. n Let Pork be Your Passport Garlic Sriracha Pork Stir Fry

© 2020-21 National Pork Board, Des Moines, Iowa USA. This message funded by America’s Pork Checkoff Program.

SELECTED SIGNATURE SERIES® WINDOW TREATMENTS*

*Offer not valid with any other offers. Offer good at time of initial estimate only. Offer good at participating franchises only. Each franchise independently owned and operated. Budget Blinds is a registered trademark of Budget Blinds, Inc. and a Home Franchise Concepts brand. Offer valid through 03/31/2021. SFW