Using My MMSMP Hand Painted Stencils

I'm so excited to share this furniture makeover with all of you because it's the first time I used Miss Mustard Seed's Hand Painted Stencils!

This cute little chest was purchased at my last auction visit. The wood had a cherry stain and it was very glossy and smooth. The original feet were wobbly and unstable, so I took them off and replaced them with 4 inch turned bun feet from Home Depot. Check out my Instagram feed for a quick video of the process. I was quite happy with how easy it was to install them, and they look like they've been there forever.

This piece sat in my office for quite a long time. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it. Inspiration finally struck and I decided to go with a soft gray. After 3 coats, I gently distressed the edges, and sealed it with Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Wax.

The piece was all done and I stood back to admire it.

Cricket. Cricket. Cricket.

As I looked at it, it became clear that the piece was,

well...

BORING!

It was essentially a gray box on feet. Now I had been looking for a project to use my new Miss Mustard Seed Hand Painted stencils on, and this was the perfect canvas.

These stencils will officially be launched a little later on in January, but for now, I can give you a taste. What's cool about these is that they are Marian's actual brush strokes! When you stencil with them, they look really authentic. If you follow her blog, you know she likes to do a lot of freehand painting on the fronts of her pieces. I don't have that kind of raw talent, so these stencils are an easy way to achieve the same look. For my little gray chest, I picked the design that is second in from the right in the photo below. It was the perfect size for this piece.

The official name for this pattern is "Nancy". Marian named each stencil pattern after a special woman in her life. How sweet is that?

After taping my "Nancy" stencil down with painter's tape, I stippled the full pattern in the middle of the 3 long drawers and did smaller flourishes around the knobs on the top.

See that authentic look I was talking about?

Now if I hadn't told you these were stenciled, would you believe they were painted freehand? I sure would, but I won't labor under false pretenses.

Here's those adorable replacement bun feet I referred to earlier. Aren't they a perfect fit? I chose not to distress them because they are made of pine. If I sanded the paint back, the wood underneath would be a different color than the body, which would look silly. (I'm also thinking about how glad I am that I ran the vacuum for this photo shoot!)

Staging this piece was a simple endeavor. I mounted a basket on the wall just above the chest and flanked it with two wooden candlesticks that I painted in Coco Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan. I thought the softness of the colors worked well together.

I feel relaxed just looking at it, don't you?

This chest is REALLY heavy, believe it or not. All of the components are solid wood (and heavy at that). There's another special feature inside the drawers on the left side.

Each one has a number carved into it. Aren't they adorable? This number has a matching partner on the inside of the dresser body. That way, you know which drawer goes into which slot. How fun is that? It's also convenient because if you get them out of order, they don't fit properly.

If you want to try your hand at these stencils, visit the MMS Milk Paint website to find the retailer that is closest to your home. If there's no one close to you, use the contact page to inquire about online purchases!

This chest is currently for sale. Please contact me at eighthundredfurniture@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing and are local to Downingtown, PA.