Cradle Painted with Milk Paint

My cousin gave me this cradle.

I know this is not a good picture, but it is the only before pic that I got.

Ahhh!  A blank slate.

I thought, I definitely want to use my milk paint on it. 

 I was picturing it looking like one of those old cradles in historic cabins or homes.

I painted one coat of milk paint.

I thought it since it was wood I could just stain over it, and the wood would just soak in the stain. 

The wood soaked it in alright, the dark walnut stain turned it black.

I couldn't even see the milk paint.

SOOOO.....

I painted another coat of milk paint over the stain.

Okay, I am getting closer to the look I want.

I remembered how clear wax seems to darken the chalk paint.

I put a coat of clear wax over the second coat of milk paint.

This is before I buffed it; you can see some blob of clear wax on it.

I buffed it.

And that did it!

That is the look what I wanted.

I added a leather handle by cutting a piece off of my leather belt.

Here it is!

What do you think?  

Can you see it setting next to an old rope bed? :)

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