Steampunk Vanity.
Hello bendy friends:
Since starting WoodUbend almost two years ago I have had the great opportunity to meet so many artists that now I call friends. Their styles are all unique and fun, always pushing their own limits every single day. I truly enjoy their creativity and witnessing the innovative ways they are using our mouldings in their craft.
Today I would like to introduce you to Leah Rex. She is the artist behind Leah Noell Design Co. and one of our US ambassadors. Contrary to Leah’s bright and bubbly personality, she created a steampunk vanity using WoodUbend Mouldings #56, #515, and #1320 and Dixie Belle Paint. A true artist who is not defined by what is expected from her.
Steampunk Vanity
By Leah Rex from Leah Noell Design Co.
Is Steam Punk your style?
This piece was rough. My friends Jessica and Rich had found it for a great price! But it needed some work. So Rich actually re-glued all the veneer, added wood filler and fixed most of the damage before he brought it to me. Which made my job much more enjoyable!
Do you see those round details on the feet? I get asked all the time how to fix the one that is missing one on the left. Instead of fixing it, I use a hammer and chisel to knock off the the other round parts on the legs. Then I sand them out.
For the design of this vanity, I wanted to really capture the personality of the owner, Jessica. I literally have her name saved in my phone with a skull and cross bones. She’s super sweet, but her style leans toward gothic skulls, steampunk, and I added Beetlejuice in my head. (To be honest, I don’t even know much about Beetlejuice, it just kind of felt right.)
The body of this piece is painted in Caviar which is the richest black from Dixie Belle Paint. The centers are blended with Manatee Gray. Once it was dry, I used a stencil called French Trellis to accent all the sides. Then I made it look aged and faded.
Then it was time to add the accents! I used the steampunk transfers underneath the WoodUBend gears. I painted them with iron and copper patina paint! They turned out SO cool! The patina is easy to use. First you paint it with your choice of iron, copper or bronze and let it dry. Then you paint one more coat of the paint on and while it is still wet, you spray it with either the blue or green spray depending on the color you want. The green spray will give more of a rusted look on your iron paint. Here is a progress photo a few minutes after the pieces were sprayed.
Once these were dry, I laid them out on my piece and it was time to attach them. One of the coolest things about WoodUBend is that you can heat them up and apply them over curved surfaces. I used Titebond Quick and Thick to attach these.
I sealed this piece with Satin Clear coat and then for the details I used Silver decor wax. I added a coat of Gator Hide to just the top. This ensures a lasting durable finish on the part that will get used the most.
Last but not least I added this striped “Beetlejuice” paper to the drawer sides. I cleaned the drawers out and used Big Mama’s Butta on the inside to restore the wood! Okay you guys, this is totally not my style but I absolutely LOVE how it turned out!!
What do you think about Leah’s work guys? Isn’t she fabulous? Are you into steampunk? It has becoming a trend and I look forward you to show you soon some of my own creations.
Would you like to know how to work with WoodUbend?
Click here to find a WoodUBend stockist near you.
Click here to find out more about becoming a stockist.
Happy WoodUbending!
SollyJo
Connect with us on Instagram @woodubend