Lil' Sport

My grandson, Joseph, just got a "big boy" bed.  In fact, he got an entirely new bedroom set and a new room!  We had to make room for his little brother, Nicholas, who will be arriving in April.

Well, Joseph is having some difficulty climbing up in to his new bed.  So, Grammy to the rescue!  I made him this trunk/stool to help out.

The theme of his new room is sports and the color of his new furniture is walnut.  

Here is how I did it.  

Supplies:

1 Wood trunk with a flat top (I picked mine up at Joann's)
2 different types of stains and finishes.  (I used a satin finish and then one with more of a gloss to it)
4 different sports themed wood cut outs (I got the largest ones that Joann's offered)
1 large paint pen (I used white so it would show up well on the dark wood)
A hot glue gun
Rubber Gloves
Paper Towels
Plastic to protect your surface

This is after one coat of the "Restor-A-Finish" in Dark Oak.  It's a nice color, but no shine.  I like to use this first to sort of prime the wood.  The wood absorbs a lot the first coat and this stuff is very fluid.  You want to saturate your paper towel with is in a small spot.  Rub in the direction of the grain of the wood!!!  This is very important.  If you accidentally go against the grain, immediately go back and go with the grain or you will have odd streaks of stain.

This is after one coat of the "Wood-Sheen"  Rubbing Oil Stain and Finish in Walnut.  I think you can get an idea of the difference in the color and see a little bit of the shine.  This is a thicker and gloppier product.  You sort of squirt it on top of the paper towel and squish it around until it absorbs.  I think it's because it has wax in it.  But what a nice finish!

Next I used my hot glue gun to attach the sports balls.  I started on the right with the soccer ball.  That was the flat one, so it was the easiest, and most logical, place to start.  Then I added the basket ball, but I only put hot glue on the edges that would actually make contact with something.  You will have to eyeball this.

Next I added my grandson's name using the paint pen.  I placed a clear ruler on top to use as a guide.  This style of font is called "Tinker Toys" and I have used it for decades.  It's just upper case letters printed and then little circles on the ends of them. The O presents somewhat of an issue so I put it at the top.  The bottom of the O is a little thick because I misjudged where to bring it down to.  Oh well, it looks pretty good.  

Final product:

I think he's going to love it!!!  Plus he can put some treasures in it!