"Secret Weapon" For Aging...

"Lancaster County Star" Punch Needle design - ThreeSheepStudio.com
"Lancaster County Star" finished on a bread board

This punch needle design is a combination 
of some of my favorite things...
the Log Cabin quilt design, a Lancaster County star
and charming Colonial pennies.

~ ~ ~ ~
(I will be giving away two of the 
"Lancaster County Star" patterns.
If you'ld like the chance to win one,
leave a comment on this post...
Check back...winners will be announced here
on Wednesday, January 28th.)



Aging A Bread Board - ThreeSheepStudio.com

I started with a bread board.
(Wish I had a vintage one, but that was not the case !)
I painted the bread board 'True Ochre"...
(looks exactly like yellow mustard)
knowing that was not
going to be the "finished color".



Aging A Bread Board - ThreeSheepStudio.com

My 'secret weapon' for aging ??
Plain old shoe polish !
(okay, maybe not a secret to some, 
but I am still amazed at how well 
something so 'common' works !)

I have the fondest memories of my Dad polishing 
shoes every Saturday.  I still cannot believe 
that polishing shoes was even a weekly chore, 
back in the day !!!
The smell of KIWI shoe wax takes me back to that time.



Aging A Bread Board - ThreeSheepStudio.com

I used a soft old cloth, and with circular motions,
I applied the polish to all sides.



"Lancaster County Star" Punch Needle design - ThreeSheepStudio.com

When the shoe polish was dry, 
(or had set for about an hour),
I then used a clean soft cloth to "buff" off any residue.



"Lancaster County Star" Punch Needle design - ThreeSheepStudio.com

The perfect place for my punch needle to rest.



"Lancaster County Star" Punch Needle design - ThreeSheepStudio.com
Punch needle design using Valdani Variegated Perle Cotton

'Lancaster County Star' is now available
in my Studio, or at your local Needlework Shop.

Wishing you a wonderful and creative weekend...
Rose



33 comments:

  1. Love the design!! Great finishing!

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  2. Rose,
    What a great pattern and a perfect finish.
    Don't enter me in the give away. I have too many other projects needing attention!
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  3. I would love to be entered just because I think that is so perfect and I would love to have some of your needle punch. :)
    I feel the same way about shoe polish. My Dad was a little shoeshine boy when he wasn't picking cotton, he had his kit and when I was small I would ask him about it when he was polishing shoes, on Saturday night. :) I have a can that I use on my gourds, I have never used it on my wood things so I will be trying that. I was I admit hoping for a beauty tip for me. :) Have a lovely day.

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  4. Love the way your needle punch turned out. I would love to be the winner. Thank you for the opportunity.

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  5. I have the same memories of KIWI : ) I never knew it could be used for finishing! Thanks for passing this info along : ) Please do include me for a chance to win this lovely pattern. I like Rail Fence blocks too : )

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  6. Love the pattern, enter me to try and win. Could you tell how you secured the punch needle to the board? What did you do?

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  7. I am heading towards retirement, and after working a 12 hour night shift, and feeling its effects on this aging body, I thought that I really needed any help I could get in the "aging" department. I think I found the secret to aging well. Keep busy and remain creative
    , thank you for the post! Love the star! Want to hook/punch it!

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  8. I can see why this would be a favorite design as all the elements work together so well! I love your designs, thank you for the lesson on *aging*. For a moment, I thought you you were going to teach me how to reverse a few birthdays! :D Ani in NC

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  9. Not sure which I love more.....the pattern or the finish!!! I doooooo love pennies!!!

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  10. This is a great tip! I have quite a few wood pieces that could use some aging and this sounds the simplest and most effectve. Awesome punchneedle design!

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  11. I love your blog-found you through Val-I am a follower now
    Kathy

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  12. Rose you had me going too on the title of your post! LOL! I need a "secret weapon for aging"!! LOL!!
    But the shoe polish does do wonders on the painted piece! LOVE the star/logcabin/penny combo! One of these days I AM going to get to the punch needle! The ladies in our hooking group are all hankering to try it too so it may be sooner than later! Would love to win your pattern!! Thank you for the chance and your sweet generosity!!
    Hugs!!
    Cathy G

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  13. I forgot all about using shoe polish! Used that a few times years ago myself - your cutting board looks great with that finish - and with the needle punch piece it's awesome! I had a whole collection of boards awhile ago but sent them all away when I had a big clean-out. Wish I'd saved a couple! What a nice giveaway Rose!

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  14. Fond memories! Every Saturday night all the kids (6 of us) would sit our penny loafers beside my dads chair and Sunday morning they would be ready for church. I love your beautiful patterns.

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  15. Nice! And thanks for the shoe polish tip...that's a new one for me! :-)

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  16. I love your work. I have just started needle punching an I am addicted to say the least. Thank you for the chance to win such a beautiful pattern.

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  17. I love your new pattern!!!! Wonderful!!!! Thanks for the chance to win....

    jeanieheath@charter.net

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  18. The Lancaster Star's colors are perfect. Thanks for sharing the your tips on finishing the boards. I had not thought to use shoe polish. I definitely be using it. Love your work.

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  19. Hi Rose, this little piece is beautiful. Love the design. Love the colors. You are so creative! Hope the snow misses you, we have about 4 inches but on the other side of the mountains I hear it will be much worse. Great time to work on a project!

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  20. Well you opened my eyes. I've not heard that about shoe polish but do that for my next board. I too have fond memories of Kiwi,I was in military for 20 years and polishing my shoes was just apart of me. Thanks for the show and tell. Love it!

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  21. WOW! what a pretty piece

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  22. Love the Lancaster star and would love to win the pattern!!!!

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  23. Love stars so I'd Love to be entered!!! I have used shoe polish on painted dolls to age them!!!

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  24. I love the shoe polish idea. I used it on a primitive doll once.
    It looks like your punch needle is wrapped around something before you mount it on the board. How did you "finish" it?

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  25. I love the star. I would of never thought to us shoe polish. I would love to win the pattern. Nancy P.

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  26. Love the Lancaster Star pattern and your idea of the bread board is just terrific. I'll have to try your techniques as it is so terrific. Thanks for showing us how to add that vintage touch to a common object. Sure hope I get lucky.

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  27. Great idea about the shoe polish will need to try this on my next painting project. Looking forward to being the winner.

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  28. Your punch needle looks perfect on that bread board. I first used shoe polish to age a plaster "bas relief" project I did in high school. Found a cool little table/cabinet at a yard sale a few years ago; the top flips up and there's a metal shoe-shaped thingy for putting your shoe on while you polish it. Can of polish still in it. Anywhoo, I'd love to win your pattern!

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  29. I love it and love the board idea

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  30. Enter me for a chance to win, please. I would love to learn to needle punch or is it punch needle?

    Darlene

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  31. I love this new pattern! esp the colors! and I love using shoe polish too, to age things!! love it! thanks for a chance to win!!!

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  32. I never thought of using shoe polish....wonderful idea and gorgeous pattern! I just learned punch needle and love it!

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  33. I just love both the pattern and the breadboard. I will have to try shoe polish.

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