STEP 1 – CLEAN YOUR WOODEN SURFACE
Before beginning, clean your raw, wooden surface of any dust, grime or dirt.
STEP 2 – APPLY BETTER WITH AGE
Apply Amy Howard at Home© Better with Age™ solution with a natural sea wool sponge.
STEP 3 – DRY TIME
Allow solution approximately 10 minutes dry time before applying next step.
STEP 4 – MIX YOUR GESSO
While initial dry time is passing, mix 1 part Amy Howard at Home© Gesso with 1 part water in separate container and stir until mixture is smooth and free of any lumps.
STEP 5 – APPLY YOUR GESSO
Using an Amy Howard at Home© china bristle brush, apply a full and consistent coat of Gesso over your dry surface.
STEP 6 – ALLOW GESSO TO DRY
Allow Gesso to dry for approximately 30 to 45 minutes or until completely cured.
STEP 7 – MIX YOUR MILK PAINT
While dry time is passing, mix 1 part Amy Howard at Home© Toscana Milk Paint™ with 1 part water in a separate container.
STEP 8 – STIR UNTIL SMOOTH
Stir until plaster is smooth and free of any lumps. Consistency should compare to a thin pancake batter.
Pro Tip:
Try mixing your powder solutions with a blender or straining with a cheesecloth for an ultra smooth consistency.
STEP 9 – APPLY MILK PAINT
Using an Amy Howard at Home© china bristle brush, apply a full and consistent coat of Toscana Milk Paint™ over your dry surface.
STEP 10 – ALLOW MILK PAINT TO DRY
Allow Toscana Milk Paint™ to dry for approximately 30 to 45 minutes or until completely cured.
STEP 11 – SATURATE YOUR BRUSH
Using a clean Amy Howard at Home© china bristle brush, lightly saturate the tips of brush with the Amy Howard at Home© Antiquing Glaze™.
STEP 12 – APPLY THE ANTIQUING GLAZE
Apply the Antiquing Glaze™ with feathery strokes to create authentic and natural looking water marks.
STEP 13 – ALLOW GLAZE TO DRY
Allow glaze to dry approximately 10 minutes.
STEP 14 – APPLY MILK PAINT WITH SPONGE
Using a natural sea wool sponge, apply an additional layer of Antiquing Glaze™ to Toscana Milk Paint™. You will begin to see the Toscana Milk Paint™ distress and wear away, exposing the multiply layers of paint, gesso, and stain.
STEP 15 – APPLY ADDITIONAL GLAZE
Continue to apply antiquing glaze to your surface until desired distressed look is achieved
Pro Tip:
For more control of the antiquing process, you may use a lint free t-shirt rag and your finger to wear away the paint in specific areas.
STEP 16 – ALLOW GLAZE TO DRY
Allow Antiquing Glaze to dry completely before moving onto the waxing process.
STEP 17 – PREPARE TO USE LIGHT ANTIQUE WAX
Grab a clean Amy Howard at Home© china bristle brush and the Light Antique Wax™ to give get just enough wax to cover the tips of the bristles.
STEP 18 – OFFLOAD SOME WAX
Use the cardboard palette to offload some wax from the brush.
STEP 19 – APPLY LIGHT ANTIQUE WAX
Apply the Light Antique Wax™ over the entire piece moving the brush in a “cross hatch” pattern – not long, symmetrical strokes. Allow wax to come to tack for about 20 minutes.
STEP 20 – NOW PREPARE THE DARK WAX
Using the same load and offload technique as before, grab a clean china bristle brush and sporadically apply a light layer of the Amy Howard at Home© Dark Antique Wax™.
STEP 21 – APPLY DARK WAX TO EDGES
Return to outer edges where the piece would naturally become worn and “feather” the Dark Antique Wax™.
STEP 22 – ALLOW WAX TO TACK
Allow wax to come to “tack” for about 20 minutes.
STEP 23 – BUFF LIKE A SHOE
Using a clean T-shirt rag, buff your piece with a hit-drag motion just like you would a shoe. This buffing process brings out a beautiful patina shine as well as that authentic aged look.
STEP 24 – COVER WITH DUST OF AGES
Use a clean Amy Howard at Home© china bristle brush and dip into the Amy Howard at Home© Dust of Ages™. Aim to cover your entire piece, especially in the crevices and ridges.
Pro Tip:
Don’t be shy with this step. You can reuse the excess dust by saving the runoff. This step gives your piece age and character.
STEP 25 – PUSH DUST OF AGES AROUND
Use a clean Amy Howard at Home© china bristle brush to push the dust into the corners, ridges and crevices. Follow by lightly brushing the excess Dust of Ages™ onto the palette and into the container to be reused.
STEP 26 – BUFF LIKE A SHOE AGAIN
Using a clean T-shirt rag, buff your piece with a hit-drag motion just like you would a shoe. This buffing process brings out a beautiful patina shine as well as that authentic aged look.
STEP 27 – ENJOY!
Now you get to “Enjoy the Bragging Rights!”
