Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to welcome you to my latest creative endeavour – the Summery Seaside Bottle Project. This project is rather special, it not only showcasing a beautiful transformation but also capturing the essence of summer in its vibrant colours and playful textures. I’ll walk you through each step, from applying Crackling Enamel to pre-painting the WoodUbend Mouldings and Trims. So, let’s dive in and create something magical!
Step 1: Crackling Gel
To kick off, I chose a lovely glass bottle to act as a canvas for my seaside masterpiece. I began by applying a coat of Posh Chalk Crackling Gel. With a small paint brush, I evenly distributed the gel across the entire surface of the bottle, making sure to leave the neck untouched (I had a different plan in mind for that area).
Once I’d applied enough Crackling Gel to my bottles, with a Posh Chalk Stencil Brush I stippled the freshly applied coat. This soft, dabbing motion allowed me to create random patterns, ensuring the cracks wouldn’t simply follow the direction of the brushstrokes when dry. The irregular pattern enhances the organic look I wanted, reminiscent of the natural textures you might find in a seaside environment.
As I finished this first step I set the bottle aside, allowing the crackling gel to dry naturally. It can take a little time, but patience is key in creative endeavours.
Step 2: Pre-Painting the Applique and Trim
With the crackling gel on the bottle drying, it was time to turn to the embellishments that elevate this creative endeavour – the WoodUbend appliques and trims. For this project, I selected applique WUB2134 and trim TR716.
I started with the appliques. To ensure the Posh Chalk Red Alizarin Metallic Paste would adhere correctly, I spritzed the surface of both WUB2134s with water. Making the appliques’ surface slightly damp not only reduces the amount of paste needed – it ensures the paste gets into all the nooks and crannies, especially when you use a Posh Chalk Mouldings Brush, like I did.
Once painted, I moved on to the trim. The first step was to warm the TR716 with a heat gun. This made the trim malleable and flexible, and so easier to work with. After warming the coil of trim, I unfurled some of it and spritzed the exposed section with water – much like I did with the applique.
Next, I covered this dampened section with Posh Chalk Brown Van Dyke Metallic Paste, using the same Mouldings Brush. Following the same principles, I made sure all areas of the trim were coated before warming it again with the heat gun. This dual action, drying and reheating, allowed me to easily coil it back to its original shape. I repeated the process, section by section, until I’d completely pre-painted the trim and was left with a coil ready for application later on.
Step 3: Crackling Enamel
By this time, my crackling gel had dried beautifully, setting the stage for the next step – applying the Posh Chalk Crackling Enamel. For this, I took a few scoops of Crackling Enamel and decanted them into some handy pots. Now was the time to add some colour!
I added two drops of Posh Chalk Royal Indigo Colour Kick to one pot and two drops of Posh Chalk Aegean Ocean Colour Kick to the other. Using a small spatula, I thoroughly stirred each pot until the colours were completely blended into the crackling enamel. What I love about using Colour Kicks is the vibrancy and depth they add to the base.
With my colours mixed, I grabbed my Posh Chalk Smooth & Blend Brush and began the exciting part – applying the crackling enamel to the bottle. Starting from the base of the bottle, I used sweeping motions to layer the indigo and ocean colours on top of the crackling gel. The best part was that these two beautiful hues mixed a little while still wet, creating a stunning array of shades that evoked images of ocean waves.
After covering the entire surface of the bottle with the colour mixtures, I used a heat gun from a safe distance to dry the enamel. We recommend allowing our Posh Chalk Crackling products to dry naturally when possible but we needed to continue. Watching the colours come to life is exhilarating, and I couldn’t wait to see the final effect.
Step 4: Attach the Appliques
Now it was time to attach the appliques. Once again, I warmed both of my painted WUB2134s to make them pliable. After ensuring they were thoroughly warmed, I applied WoodUglue to the back of them with a small paintbrush. Spreading the glue evenly helped make sure they would adhere properly to the bottle.
With the glue applied, I gently wrapped both appliques around the bottle. To secure them in place, I heated them once more and pressed down firmly, checking every part was perfectly adhered.
Step 5: Highlights & Shading
To accentuate the lovely cracks that formed during the drying process, I decided to use Posh Chalk Snow White Patina. With a small paintbrush, I carefully applied the patina to the surface of the bottle, concentrating on the cracks to bring them to life.
As I went, I wiped off excess patina with a paper towel, revealing just enough of the underlying colours while also emphasising the cracks that had formed. This technique added a subtle highlight that really enhanced the bottle’s visual appeal without overpowering the charming, summery hues I had already created.
Moving on, I turned my attention to adding depth to the appliques with Posh Chalk Dark Brown Patina. Using a similar approach I covered the entire surface of both appliques, applying the patina and then wiping away the excess with a paper towel. This created a more understated shading effect that emphasised the details of the appliques while keeping the overall look cohesive.
Step 6: Attach the Trim
Finally, it was time to apply the beautifully painted trim around the neck of the bottle. I started by applying a layer of WoodUglue around the neck, ensuring every part was covered as I wanted to avoid unglued sections along the trim.
After this, I warmed my pre-painted TR716 trim again until it was fully malleable. I coiled the trim around the neck, working meticulously to align it and pressing firmly as I wrapped for a perfect adhesion.
Once the trim was secured, I took a wet paintbrush and removed excess glue that had squeezed out during the process, thus ensuring a clean finish. Finally, I heated the trim once more in situ, with the heat gun, and pressed down firmly to make sure everything was firmly sealed in place.
Conclusion
After all the hard work and attention to detail, I was finally ready to admire the result of my creative endeavour! The vibrant colours, the beautiful crackled texture, and the intricate appliques and trim truly captured the feel of a bright, sunny day by the sea.
I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out! I feel it beautifully conveys the summery, seaside vibe I was hoping for – and it could now serve as a perfect decor piece or a thoughtful gift for someone special.
Share your thoughts or let me know if you’re encouraged to start an item of your own. Thanks for joining me today – and I look forward to seeing you next time!
Products Used:
- Posh Chalk Crackling Gel
- Posh Chalk Crackling Enamel
- Posh Chalk Red Alizarin Metallic Paste
- Posh Chalk Royal Indigo Colour Kick
- Posh Chalk Aegean Ocean Colour Kick
- Posh Chalk Stencil Brush
- Posh Chalk Mouldings Brush
- Posh Chalk Brown Van Dyke Metallic Paste
- Posh Chalk Smooth & Blend Brush
- Posh Chalk Snow White Patina
- Posh Chalk Dark Brown Patina
- WoodUglue
- WUB2134
- TR716
If you’d like to see the creative transformation project in video format, it will be live on our YouTube Channel Wednesday 14th August at 8pm BST.
P.S If my blogs do inspire you, and you get round to trying some of these techniques and products, I would love to see them in the Creations community we have. There are over 25,000 members who post daily. You’ll also find lots of creators in there who have posted some wonderful projects. It’s an inspiring group with lots going on. You can join here, and best of all it’s free!
You can find all these products, except for Magic Paint, on our website https://woodubend.com/shop/
To watch the whole crafting process above, click on the links below:
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