Wooden Caddy Box for Teacher Appreciation

A Terrific Gift For A Terrific Teacher!

The month of May is “Teacher Appreciation” month.  If you ask me, recognizing and celebrating our teachers for an entire month is a fabulous idea.  Teachers are an integral part of our society, and they influence and shape the next generation.  So with that in mind, this month, I wanted to create a project that honored teachers and the work they do.

 
milk painted wooden tool caddy by skylark house
 

In this post, I will walk you through the steps on how to use MMS MilkPaint™ to transform a wooden caddy which, in turn, can be given to a teacher.

You can enjoy my video tutorial below and use this written tutorial to follow along and reference!

 
 

Supplies

The first step for any project is to gather your supplies.  The supplies for this project are fairly minimal.

 
miss mustard seed's milk paint by the sea
 

●      MMS MilkPaint™ in any color you choose.  (For this project, we used the colors By the Sea, Bergere, and Linen)

●      Paintbrush

●      Small container for mixing paint

●      MMS MilkMix-EZ™

●      MMS MilkGrip™

●      MMS MilkWax™ Clear

●      Wax brush

●      Painters Tape (optional)

●      Sandpaper 150 grit and 220 grit

●      A soft, damp rag

●      A dry lint-free rag

●      A wooden caddy

Step 1- Find a Wooden Caddy

Wooden caddies are endlessly useful for organizing supplies and for transporting items easily.  They can be found in a variety of places and are usually very affordable.  For this project, the wooden caddies were found in antique stores, thrift stores, and big-box craft stores.

 
wooden tool caddy
 

Step 2 - Prep the Wooden Caddy

After you find a wooden caddy to use for this project, you are going to use the 150 grit sandpaper to scuff sand the wooden box. The goal of scuff sanding the surface of the wood is to clean the surface and remove any finishes.  I took about 15-20 minutes sanding the caddy, and when I was done, I wiped the entire box down with a damp rag.  

I like to leave the handles of these caddies in their natural wood finish because it creates a nice contrast with the paint.  So, I used some painter's tape to protect the handle from paint.  Obviously, taping off the handle is optional and depends upon your personal preference.

 
taped off handle on wooden tool caddy
 

Step 3- Paint the Caddy

If you have reached this step, great news!  It’s time to mix up your MilkPaint™!  For this project, I used ¼ cup of MMS MilkPaint™ in the color By The Sea and mixed it with a ¼ cup of warm water. I added a few drops of MMS MilkMix-EZ™ to help with the paint mixing process.  I also decided to add some MMS MilkGrip™ to the paint mixture to ensure that it would adhere to the wooden caddy. I love that you can customize the paint mixture to your specific needs. Another bonus is the MMS powder MilkPaint™ has a long shelf life which allows you to mix up only the amount you need for any given project.  

Of course, MMS MilkPaint™ is non-toxic and all-natural, which is another reason why I like using this product.  

For this project, I did not want a “chippy” paint finish.  I really wanted the caddies to be uniformly painted and to have a smooth, even finish.  So, that’s why I added the MMS MilkGrip™. 

Here is a tip for mixing your MilkPaint™ - use a container that has a lid.  This way, you can save your remaining MilkPaint™. Simply put the lid on the container and store it in the refrigerator. I find that the paints last up to 5 days when stored in this manner.

While painting the first wooden caddy, I decided that I wanted to paint some additional caddies using some different MMS MilkPaint™ colors.  So, I also mixed up Bergere and Linen.

 
first coat of milk paint on tool caddy
 

When you apply your first coat of paint, it might look splotchy or uneven.  Don’t be discouraged!  This is normal.  Wait for the first coat of paint to dry, and then lightly sand down the caddy using 220 grit sandpaper.  The intent of sanding is to remove any drip marks or areas where the paint built up.  Wipe the box down, once again, with a damp rag.  Then apply a second coat of paint. 

Step 4- Seal the Caddy

Once your wooden caddy is completely dry, use your 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface of the paint.  Then using a wax brush, apply some MMS MilkWax™ Clear.  This is a soft wax that is easy to work with, and, like the MilkPaint™, it is non-toxic and all-natural.

Step 5- Fill the Caddy

 
wooden tool caddy in miss mustard seed's milk paint
 

Once your caddy is painted and sealed with wax, it is ready to be filled with goodies for your teacher.  I filled these wooden caddies with fresh flowers, but here are some other gift ideas for your teacher.

●      A caddy filled with small pots of fresh herbs and seed packets

●      A s’mores caddy with graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate

●      A coffee and/or tea gift caddy

●      A caddy filled with pens, highlighters, note pads, etc

●      A caddy filled with scone mix and homemade jam

These are just some ideas.  You know your teacher best, and what he/she enjoys, so I leave it to your best judgment on what to include.

 
wooden tool caddies in miss mustard seed's milk paint
 

As a point of reference, here is how the other two caddies turned out.  From left to right, the MMS MilkPaint™ colors are Linen, By the Sea, and Bergere.  Do you have a favorite color of the three shown here?  You could paint a caddy in your teacher’s favorite color.

 
3 milk painted wooden tool caddies with flowers
 

If you want to put fresh flowers in your wooden caddy, then I suggest adding a bottle or canning jar to hold the water.  Place the bottle or jar with water in the caddy first, and then add the flowers to the container.  This is the perfect time of year for fresh flowers from the garden!  So many varieties are blooming now. 

 
3 milk painted wooden tool caddies with flowers
 

Here is one final photo showing the final result of all three wooden caddies.  Thank you for stopping by the blog today! I hope you are inspired to paint a wooden caddy and to fill it with little gifts to show a teacher how much you appreciate them.  This was such a fun and easy project to make. Plus, it’s always fun to make something that you are giving to other people.  


Loving Anna’s tutorials? Check out more on her blog over at Sky Lark House!

 
wooden tool caddy in milk paint
 
Anna Price | Sky Lark House

Anna started Sky Lark House in 2019 as a business that focused on refurbishing furniture and selling authentic farmhouse finds. She primarily uses milk paint when refurbishing furniture because it is non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

Anna travels all across the northeast and to some States in the south to get her authentic farmhouse finds. Anna is inspired by the different places she has lived and traveled. Although she grew up in California, she has also lived in Colorado, Maine, and Delaware. She currently resides in upstate New York, just outside of Saratoga Springs.

http://www.skylarkhouse.com
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