Provence Crate

Remember when I showed you the things I loved at Sweet Salvage?  One of the things that I really wanted was this crate.

Also that day we picked up a Country Register that had an ad for the Arizona Lavender Festival that was going on that weekend and the next.

Oh, how I wanted to go!

I didn't even know Arizona HAD a Lavender Festival!

But, unfortunately, it was not to be.  I am planning to go next year, though!  This was the 9th Lavender Festival so there should be a 10th, right?

Sooooooo, when the Lowe's ad came on Sunday and they had lavender plants on sale, I decided if I couldn't go to the Lavender Festival, I'd just have to have the Lavender Festival come to me!

We had already replaced one plant in the back yard with a lavender plant and there are a couple more that need to be replaced, so why not buy more lavender?  It seems to thrive in the desert.

I had already been working on a Provence Crate and thought lavender would look great in it.

One of the crates I had was already painted white and even though the inspiration crate wasn't white, this one was a better size than the others I have.

First I found a font I liked and printed it out.

Using graphite paper and a mechanical pencil, I transferred Provence onto the crate.

The crate was already dinged a bit and that was fine with me.  On one side I painted the Provence on using black acrylic paint and a couple of different paint brushes.  Since the print wasn't all that large, it was difficult to get into the fine parts of the letters.  On the second side, I decided to use a black Sharpie pen.  Guess what!  It was much easier and.........

once the crate was sanded and a little antiquing applied, you cannot tell the difference!

In fact, the Sharpie was easier to do and gave better coverage.  I even had to fill in a couple of places on the paint side with the pen as the paint came off in a clump when I sanded.  Yay for Sharpie pens!

My crate is smaller and my hat is a bit different, but I like the effect.  What do you think?

The covered patio was too shaded this morning so moved to the outer patio.

It was beautiful outside.

This hat hasn't been to Provence, but it's been to Puerto Rico.  Does that count?

Do you feel like you are at the Lavender Festival?

Now I need to start deep watering the places these plants and the 3rd plant will go.  The ground is rock hard right now!

My computer screen says it is 102 degrees right now.

Hope life is a bowl of cherries for you today!

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois