Gold Letter Step Stool Tutorial

Lilly has this old step stool, that my mom bought at a garage sale when I was a little kid. It's something that you should sit on while milking a cow, or something. When we stole borrowed the stool from my mom for Lilly to use when she started potty training, it was a very blah shade of brown stain. I couldn't take it, so we painted it bright white to match everything else in our non-blah-brown house. After staring at a plain white stool for the last 6 months or so, I saw a stenciled step stool and got the idea to use her initial for the stool, just to add a little glam. Because trips to the potty require a little glam, right? 

So now she's got this...

My original pinspiration came from this adorable project by Shannah at Just Us Four.

Isn't is cute!? I went overboard with Martha Stewart craft paint once I saw some gold metallic I liked, so I'm sure you'll be seeing a little more of it in projects to come. Don't judge me!

Here's what I used for my project:

• stool
• letter stencil or a cut out
• craft paint
• foam stencil brush
• painters tape
• napkin or paper towel
• scissors or utility knife

I started off by giving the stool a fresh crisp coat of white paint, using Behr white Porch & Floor paint. It's the same stuff we used to refinish our staircase, so it's heavy duty. Super hard core. Toddler tough. While that dried, I printed out a girly looking cursive L. The font used is Learning Curve, which you can download for free here if you love it as much as I do!  

I put painters tape on the back of the paper, then cut out my letter. The tape prevents the paint from bleeding all the way through the paper, avoiding a wet painty mess. Of course, a plastic stencil would be so much better, but I couldn't find a font I liked in the size I wanted. So if your project permits, I'd go that route first.

Place the stencil and it's pieces where you want it, and tape it down. Use a teeny bit of paint on your brush.  Too much will paint will result in fuzzy edges and bleeding. In an up and down motion (never side to side), fill in your letter. 

I had a little bleeding on some of the edges...

But I then went back with a paintbrush and filled it in, so it wasn't so in-your-face.

I plan on doing a clear coat on top to seal it, but we're all out. I'd definitely suggest doing the clear coat, especially if the stool will be in regular use. Or, if you have my kid who beats it up on a daily basis.

I love this craft paint!