Vintage Thursday: Back to the Paint Job, and Banana Bread

I know, what a combination, right? I had to wait for the paint to dry so I decided to make banana bread while I wait. The black shelf is almost finished but the little cradle is done--because I decided to leave well enough alone.

After painting it pink, I thought I would dry-brush it with white and then do a little sanding and antiquing to make it look older. But then I thought I'd like to see it with the blankies in it. And you know, I like it just fine as it is so I'm finished. I think. What do you think? Should I do more with it?

I wanted a rough primitive finish for the shelf--you know, something that might have been on the farmhouse back porch, or perhaps in the cellar piled up with canning jars. That kind of look. I think I have something close. I am learning as I go and this time learned one thing that didn't work: Elmer's glue for a crackle medium. According to one site, the glue is supposed to produce awesome crackle effects. I'm sure she's right, and I probably did something wrong because I tried it on the top, and no crackle. I decided to back away from that idea for now and do some experimenting before taking on anything as big as this shelf with the glue.

So I moved to the next idea: using Vaseline to distress the paint. I rubbed it on places where I didn't want the white paint to stick and then painted. I used something very close to a dry brush technique to give the paint that old, weathered look I was seeking. You can see the places I applied the Vaseline.

Then I sanded it, and that removed the paint that was over the Vaseline. I think it worked pretty well and gave me something close to what I was looking for.

Next time, I will use either a blue or gray undercoat; I used flat black on this and I like the finished result all right but think the blue or gray might have been even better. Or green. Next time! All that was left to do to this shelf was wax it, so I did that and added a few things from around the kitchen to see how it would look on display. I think I like it.

My banana bread recipe card is probably 40-45 years old. I remember writing it down when I was first learning to cook as a young bride, and it was one of my first successful baking efforts.

Over the years I made it so often that I didn't need the card--that was in the days when my sons were all little boys with huge appetites. Now I make it so seldom that I need the card. With bananas the price they are today, I only make it when I luck into some on the markdown shelf. The recipe works as well today as it did when I was first trying to find my way in a kitchen.

Banana Bread

1 cup mashed bananas (takes about 3 medium bananas)
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 cup milk
(add nuts if desired--maybe a 1/4 cup? I added pecans today because I had some that needed to be used up)

Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat until well blended (about50 quick strokes) with a fork. Pour into a greased loaf pan (9x4) and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool slightly on a baking rack, then turn out of pan and place on the rack to continue cooling. Wait til it cools down to warm before slicing. Good, good, good! You can also bake the batter into greased muffin tins for banana muffins. The cooking time would be much less, probably 20 minutes or so.

Yum! And a nice reward after all that sanding, painting and waxing.

Linking today to A Vintage Green, Colorado Lady, Coastal Charm, Open House Party and Rurality Blog Hop. Have fun visiting these great sites to see what's going on in the world of country living, vintage, crafts, and cooking. All good things!

Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.