Looking for 9

Mr. Hughes and I were antiquing one weekend and we came across these 2 white stools. I think they may be milking stools, not positive since I have never milked a cow. They have great crackly paint. And, when I flipped them over, one of them had this on the bottom.

I just love numbers on stuff, especially in black and white combinations. So, I got an idea. I decided to paint "789" on the stools. Why? Because it is my favorite number... I'm weird, I know. The hardest part was choosing a font for the numbers. I picked about 10 to make my final choice and ended up going with the first. Mr. Hughes said it was his biggest waste of time. We enlarged the numbers and made them in an outline format.

Then, we flipped over the paper and shaded the back of the numbers with the side of the pencil. (By the way, "we" = Mr. Hughes. He completed these steps, sometimes I am too impatient to complete the prep work.)

After that, we placed the page shaded side down on the stools. We traced over the outline of the number. Then, when we lifted the paper up, it left the outline of the number on the stool... kind of like carbon paper.

I then proceeded to paint within the outline with black paint. I put 2 coats on: one coat of black acrylic and then a coat of nearly black flat wall paint, just so it wasn't so bold. After it dried, I lightly (as in one pass over with sandpaper) sanded the numbers. I didn't sand the stools before I started, because I didn't want to disturb the finish. I only wiped them down just to loosen any paint chips that were already falling off of them. Then I sprayed several coats of a matte clear coat over them. I am hoping that it will keep the paint flakes contained... Baby Hughes will be the one to actually eat paint chips!

I had originally planned to use them out on the new deck under the galvanized table as a Margarita Bar. But, "9" won't fit under the table, so I may use them in the kitchen under a longer bar table. We'll see. I am at the moment currently searching for "9."
Oh, if you like the little greenhouse/ conservatory, it was created by Mr. Hughes. It is one of my favorite things he has created. It is moving from spot to spot until I figure out where it lives in the house. You can visit http://www.theupcycler.blogspot.com/2009/04/picture-frame-terrarium-mini.html to get the directions to make your very own.