Rustic Feather and Pallet Home Decor

Are you digging the trends that have been happening in home decor lately? I sure am, and one of my favorites are feathers. They’re one of those design elements that give creators a number of options and when you pair them with the rustic look of pallets you can’t go wrong. That’s exactly what I did for this project; combining one of Walnut Hollow’s Rustic Pallets with their Rustic Feather to create one of a kind artwork.

Supplies

Walnut Hollow Rustic Feather

Walnut Hollow Rustic Pallet 8”x30”

Assortment of paints (at least 5 different colors)

painter’s tape (masking and washi tapes also work)

Glue Pen

Gold Leaf

Wood Glue

Walnut Hollows products are made in America and the craftsmanship that goes into them shows. When my original plan for this project didn’t work out I was able to sand everything down without destroying the integrity of the pieces. As a DIYer it’s a relief to be able to trust the products your working with, and have the option of starting over. Here’s what I came up with the second time around.

To start off, paint your pallet. My daughter and I painted the Rustic Pallet a dramatic black.

We have white walls so the black makes the piece really stand out. If you have  warmer tones I’d recommend staining the wood or painting it a color that compliments your home’s palette.

As that dries, use your tape to section off the Rustic Feather, then paint the sections different colors.

Sometimes coming up with a design can seem daunting but don’t let it intimidate you. All I used to make this were a few “V”s and “—”s.

Once the paint dries remove the original tape, re-tape around where it had been, and start painting with a new batch of colors.

The colors you choose are completely up to you but don’t be afraid to mix things up! This is one of those rare opportunities when you can use colors you wouldn’t normally put together so go for it!

This next step is completely optional. My original idea included gold leaf and it was something I wasn’t ready to give up, plus it’s so easy! Here’s my quick three step method to adding gold leaf.

1. Apply the Adhesive: Using the glue pen I traced the groove that was already cut in the wood. Let it dry for a minute or two, just long enough for the glue to be tacky but not wet.
2. Apply the Gold Leaf: Everything you’ve heard about gold leaf is true, it is amazingly thin. I break off smaller pieces with my fingers before getting a bit of static in a soft paintbrush and using it to lift and apply the leaf to the glue.
3. Brush Away Excess: I like to give the gold leaf at least a couple hours to dry before I brush off the excess with a rougher paint brush.

This method isn’t going to give you perfectly smooth gold leafing, but it is a much more forgiving way to get more familiar with the medium.

Once everything dries, use wood glue to attach the feather to the pallet and add a hanger to the back.

When I look up from my laptop this is what I see and instantly the hymn, “I’ll Fly Away,” starts playing in my head. Isn’t it amazing how the simplest objects can invoke such strong thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know what feathers make YOU think of?

Pick up the supplies for this project and more plus enjoy FREE SHIPPING! Use code SHIP2016 at checkout at walnuthollow.com

This month we are giving away a fab prize pack with everything you need to start crafting with wood: A Walnut Hollow Versa-Tool, Walnut Hollow Basswood Round, and a Walnut Hollow Tablet Holder. Enter to win using the link below:

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