Fancy Funky Foot Stool

I like to put my feet on something when I sit down to eat. I'm not sure if rungs on a chair are made for such purposes but my dining room chairs' rungs aren't located a comfortable distance from the floor. So I wanted a foot stool. Sure, I could throw a shoebox under the table but I had this useless wooden box in the basement just begging me to turn it into something wonderful.

It was already a good height - and dirty, very dirty, with empty spider egg pouches clinging to the rough edges. No, I didn't care. I brushed it off. I didn't dare wash it.  It's probably 50 years old, made of unfinished thin wood. I feared it would swell, warp, pull away from rusted nails and fall apart. Seriously. 

I measured a thick piece of lamb's wool (from an old recycled car seat cover) and cut it to overhang the edges of the box so I would avoid splinters. (Note: Always cut pelts with a razor or exacto knife from the leathery back side so as to avoid cutting the hair.) 

I placed the glued-prepped box on top of the pelt, and added weight to ensure good contact while the glue dried. 

Weighted boxes keep pressure on glue during drying

While the pelt dried, I drew out a cityscape for each long side of the box. 

And cut both out.

I liked the idea of a black and white city with coloured highlights and gold-leafed rooftops.

I laid it down, and glued each side in place using the Matt Mod Podge. Maybe my Mod Podge is old, wait, it IS old, but this stuff is nasty stinky and well, that's enough good reason not to use it unless it's the last option you have, and I mean even AFTER using milk. ??? Yup, milk can glue paper in place quite well, it's just not going to be waterproof. Oh, neither is Mod Podge. (Ok moving on,,,)

I got out my card-making supplies (I think those are scrap booking supplies for most people but I never made scrapbooks) and punched out tiny colourful flowers and hearts, stamped some inspirational words, glued on a ceramic moon (with E6000), etc. I tried to iron on my antique roll of gold-leaf but since I can't figure out how to use it, it melted. I painted over it all with Liquitex Golden Soft Gel Gesso, but any brand could work. The soft gel dries translucent, and with just two thin layers its practically transparent.  The gold foil is intact.

And VOILA! 

A very fantastical funky stool.

Share an idea how you recycled some junk into something useful!