Aged Painted Pail Tutorial
I was strolling through our local Goodwill last week looking for goodies donated by people trying to claim a last-minute tax write-off. I came across a bucket with a $1 price on it and knew I could transform it into a beautiful aged painted pail.
Aged Painted Pail Tutorial
Recently I found myself browsing our local thrift shop looking for a last-minute gift idea for a friend. I spotted a dated pail for only $1 and quickly grabbed it and ran to the register.
The pail had the original $9 price tag still on it, so I prayed the cashier wouldn’t scrutinize the major markdown to one dollar!
I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Miss Mustard Seed’s aged painted pails have been stored in my memory banks since I first saw them in August. (And that is saying a lot, considering I can’t remember what I ate for lunch today!) Marion used crackle medium, but I remember seeing a tutorial for crackle medium using regular Elmer’s glue mixed with a little water instead. Me being the frugal DIYer I am, I decided to give it a go. Are you curious to see if it worked? Me too.
How to Create a Faux Aged Paint Technique on Metal:
Let’s gather a few supplies and get to work creating a beautiful bin for storage or a gift basket.
Materials:
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- Cheap metal pail or bucket
- Elmer’s Glue
- Clean empty jar
- Water
- Paint brushes
- Acrylic paints
- Matte Mod Podge
- Flat, Eggshell, or Satin Latex Paint
Instructions:

I only used enough H20 to water down the glue so it would be easier to paint on.

I brushed it all over the outside of the pail (bottom too!) And let it dry.

Next I pulled out leftover flat white paint that we use on our ceilings and painted one coat on the pail. I had to work quick, because the paint got gooey quick and you don’t want to keep brushing over the paint when it starts to dry (trust me on this one.)

After the white paint dried, I took out some acrylic paints and painted some stripes, flowers, and a monogram.

To protect the paint from chipping off, I added a coating of matte mod podge. I have to admit, I’m still amazed a little Elmer’s glue and water worked to create a chippy crackle finish!
Isn’t it cute? Much better than the original.





How cute! I love the how you painted the bucket, and the color of the liner looks great. Very creative, looks very nice. I bet your friend loved it.
I haven’t heard of using Elmer’s glue before for crackle paint. I will have to try that. Thanks for sharing.
I love how the pail turned out so cute. I love the crackle look.
I hate to admit this, but I am crackle-challenged. Impaired, actually. I've tried all kinds, all brands, and it's a hit-or-miss for me. I haven't tried glue yet, though. This is just so dang cute that I've got to give it another whirl!
I need to work on my paint skills! This is so creative! Thanks for linking up at WWC!
This is rather darn cute! Now if I could just find that kind of deal………….
wow, what a change! looks really cute.
Gosh, I never thought of doing that to a sweet bucket…it's sweeter now! Goodwill and Sal Army are great places to shop for goodies. I hope I can find stuff that like too ..thanks for the glue idea!
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Mel's Cabin
You, my friend, are so gosh darn clever! Did the pants come from Goodwill too?? I am going to try to sneak out of the studio for an hour today to see if my local shop has any good finds 🙂
Wow-you are really a creative gal-love the colors you used during the dreary winter months-keep on inspiring us!
That is super cute! Love the tips, and the details you did are fab!