Star Spangled Banner Trunk

So I see this trunk on the curb. Beat up.
A total mess.
Not antique.
A bit vintage.

I saw potential.

Even on the inside.

So I peeled off all of the cloth/vinyl coverings and the paper inside. Then cleaned it and started sanding it.

And I saw too many stains and a lot natural distress. Removing the wood and replacing it would basically rebuild it. It wouldn't be much of a rescue if I did that. 

I had an idea. Since this is for my son's room and we are doing the Americana theme. this would make an awesome flag trunk.

A distressed flag.

The famous one.

The Star Spangled Banner.

I had the idea that this heavy trunk will be an awesome pride and joy. Right down to the rusted metal work. So I drilled holes in each corner to accommodate castor wheels for easier moving around. 

Then set off to paint the entire lid with a USA blue color.
I used Country Chic Paint in Midnight Sky... watered down to make it translucent so making the stains show through.

Then stenciled on the 15 stars to replicate the Star Spangled Banner Flag.

Then hand sanded, lightly, on all of the high parts of the ripples in the wood.

For the stripes on each side of the trunk, I used painters' tape to paint on a latex white, thinned with water.

Instead of painting and sanding to distress, I allowed the real distress to show through.

Then taped off the white stripes and painted the red stripes in Country Chic Paint in watered down Devotion.

Then I had to address the missing handle. So I used a very thick and double stitched man's leather belt. It was the right size to insert and screw into place.

Then removed the other handle and replaced it with another piece of the leather belt to match it up. 

Then using a world atlas book, I applied Mod Podge to decoupage map pages on the inside of the trunk. The first was of New York State, where my son was born.

Then added pages of the countries where our ancestors came from to become Americans.

 Then all of the rough bordered seams of the trunk got rubbed and buffed with a metallic wax.

It freshened up the corners and framing. 

Then I wrote out the national anthem on the front of the trunk. 

First in pencil for mistakes, then topped off with a black sharpie pen.

Now, there is this awesome Star Spangled Banner trunk with 15 stars, the national anthem, and the stripes all in a natural distressed look.

I would totally decoupage a flag on a trunk. It would be amazing. But I can't. That should be another rescue... a tattered flag, embraced with respect. I'm looking for one or two.

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Decorated Garlic Infused Oil Bottle & Recipe

I cook with garlic-infused olive oil quite often. It's healthy, tasty and ... expensive.

Making it yourself can save a lot... to buy... more garlic and olive oil. It's so beneficial cooking with it and it's a big budget helper. It takes just 6 smashed cloves of garlic to one cup of olive oil.

I confess, I've bought the pre-made infused oils and vinegar off the shelf; but only on sale.

I saved the used bottles to hold my own home-made. I opted to change the look of the plain "what is in that?" bottle by decorating it.

Cradling the bottle with rolled towels I drew an outline of a head of garlic in permanent marker.

Then painted it.

Still somewhat plain and too simple... I chose some decorative writing from this stencil by The Crafter's Workshop "Grow" # TCW 531S.

I sprayed adhesive on the stencil and wrapped it firmly onto the bottle while applying a green iridescent embossing paste.

The little design became a visual label for what's stored inside.

Super easy and quick little bottle dress up! I'll do this for the infused vinegar recipes too!

Do you make your own infused olive oils?

Created for The Crafter's Workshop.

I'm updating the post to for the requested recipe I use! :)


Garlic Infused Olive Oil

Ingredients: 

(Stove top simmer method) 
6 Cloves of Garlic to 1 Cup of Olive Oil

First, use high quality olive oil. Getting it on sale can help keep the cost down.
Second, the garlic needs to be cooked to remove bacteria and the threat of botulism.

Start by peeling and chopping garlic, then add some oil in a pan to saute the garlic with medium heat for about 5 minutes. A steady sizzle without browning will avoid bitterness. Lower heat to medium low and add cup(s) of oil to infuse, allowing a slow light boiling of the oil for another 5 minutes. Make certain it doesn't burn. Lower heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. (This is to ensure any health threatening spores are killed.) Turn off the heat and allow the oil and garlic to cool.

Once cooled, strain the entire contents into an airtight container, making sure no garlic pieces are in the oil. (Any remnants could spoil the oil.) Store the oil in the refrigerator for use. It lasts quite a long time chilled.

(Tip: Those cooked garlic pieces can be used in a recipe right away! I like to make a garlic herb butter for hard crusted bread to use it up... Garlic bread goes great with many main entrees!)




(Slow cooker method)
1 Head of Garlic to 1 cup of Olive Oil

You can leave the skin on using this method, and I do, to hold the cloves together. I cut the heads in half and put them into the cooker using high heat the first hour, then medium heat for another 5 hours. This allows the natural garlic oil and it's healthy benefits to release into the olive oil while killing bacteria.

Shut off the cooker and allow the oil to cool. Strain well into airtight bottles/containers. I've stored this method in a bottle in my cooking cubby up to a week without any health risks. (It usually gets used up within that time period.) You can refrigerate or store in a handy place for cooking.



Garlic Infused Vinegar

Ingredients: 

6 Cloves of Garlic to 1 Cup of Vinegar


Garlic infused vinegar is a lot easier! Because vinegar is acidic, it kills the bacteria spores in garlic and you can simply add the cloves into it. White or apple vinegar gives the best garlic infused flavor, but I've used it in wine vinegar too.

Peel the garlic and smash it to release the oil and drop into your container. Or you can use a wooden skewer to put through the cloves and push it into a bottle. Pour vinegar in and that's it!

You can leave the cloves in as long as you wish. The longer the better without bitterness. As you use the contents, just add more vinegar to top it off. It lasts a very long time.  If the garlic changes color, it's normal, and nothing is wrong. It's a pickling process. (You can remove the garlic and start with another batch anytime.)

(Tip: The pickled garlic can be eaten... add it to a salad vinaigrette!) 


The initial cost of the ingredients for the oil and vinegar recipes can equal the cost to ONE or TWO prepared store bought. The savings is huge and you can control the flavor you desire.

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