Wooden Spool Crate

Recently, I've been infatuated with old wooden crates: furniture made of them, kitchen storage, shelves, vintage labels as art. I've also been really loving wooden spools and the vintage thread labels (like these in pretty still lifes). This gave me an idea for storage solutions in the new craft area...

A trip to Michael's, however, proved successful in some ways and not in others. They didn't have the pre-made wooden crates that I found on the Michael's website last week and which prompted the field trip in the first place, so I bought various pieces of the thin plywood they did have. I only bought enough for one box—just in case my assembled crate didn't look the way I wanted it to. But, turns out I may need to run back for another set of plywood for the next crate.

I bought 3 1 foot square pieces about 1/16" thick (two sides, bottom) and 3 long thin "slats" that I cut in half (two sides). Then a lot of wood glue, some acrylic paint in "espresso" and a little water—all set to add my labels. Here's the sketch and blank canvas I started with; designed the label in Illustrator.

 

I brushed the labels with Mod Podge Matte and then sanded them down and painted them with a watered-down brown acrylic for an old, worn look. I really like the grungy, found-in-the-barn feel its got going.