Transformed Doll Cradle/Plant Holder

A friend asked if I wanted this cradle, I can't turn anything down that's free, even when I know it will take a lot of elbow grease. 

 So, in between the hubbub of the holidays with my Moms move into her new digs and my 17 and 21 year old niece visiting for  9 days (We had soooo much fun...I love them) I worked on this cradle off and on.

This is what it looked like when I got it....Someone got sticker crazy!

Oh my gosh, have you ever been half way into a project and thought...Shoot me?  There were layers of stickers.  I used a ton of paint striper and scraped and scraped.  

Then sanded and sanded.  Finally I was able to add some of my homemade plaster appliques..Tutorial HERE

This cradle was lovingly hand crafted and my vision was to make it look like it was a 100 years old.

 I used one coat of chalk paint, then sanded the edges and used a coat of clear Minwax followed by a coat of Annie Sloan dark wax.

I achieved the overly aged, antique look I wanted.

I can see someone buying this and thinking... A good coat of paint and this cradle will look perfect lol!

I'm sorry, I know so many of you are in a snowy deep freeze, but here in Orlando it was 83 today and I was out buying some new flowers.  I couldn't resist putting them in the cradle.

How cute is this for a patio plant holder?

Stay safe and warm my northern friends!

Happy Creating!

Carol