Chasing the white whale

Okay I have been up to many things: chasing my white whale! This is the phrase my husband says because it has been my personal mission to achieve colour on wood.  The white whale is a reference to Mobey Dick or so I've been told.


Well there have been two whales (colour on wood and metal).  This post will be about the first new thing I've been chasing adding colour to wood.  I love wood but I also love colour, so how do I do it?  Well I should say, how do I create bright colours that are durable, completely non toxic/food safe and do not contain sealants that have mineral oil.  It has been a trial.  Really.a.trial.


Many colourants some are beautiful and produce stunning colour: like aniline  dyes.  They soak in the wood and you can see the grains ..brilliant.  Well brilliant in colour maybe not so as an idea. It's not safe for little hands.


Others are safe for most, but not completely such as milk paint.  It is a wonderful paint unless you have an allergy to milk/milk proteins.  Most people don't have this allergy and that is why people use it.  My girls have this allergy.  It's true, most children don't have this allergy but some do and finding out by a reaction to a toy is not something I would ever want.  Maybe with a sealant it would be okay but if I'm not sure I'm going to boarder on "no". 


There is paint: non toxic paint or water colour that can be used.  They both produce beautiful colours but then you have to seal it.  Finding a sealant that doesn't contain mineral oils is impossible.  They say it's safe after it is curred but how safe? I heard or read somewhere that it is still carcinogenic mildly so I guess, but still I'm making teethers. Or sometimes they say food safe..but then you read the fine print and they say right after not for children's toys.  Apparently okay for salad bowls and corresponding spoons but not children. How can something be food safe but then not safe to put in your mouth?   So somehow there is a distinction.  Boo'urns. 

I want safe and I mean food safe!  But good news: I got it I caught my darned whale!  I achieved vibrant colour through food colouring.  During my research I found several blogs and articles saying that it can not be achieved.  That the colour will bleed. The problem is that it lacks a binder.  And it is true depending how you do it.  You can't treat food colouring as a paint.  After days and failed attempts and days researching I got it.  I won't give away my my whole process but the key is a touch of vinegar.  


Anyhoo I thought  I would show the results.  I hope they are well received :)  I'm planning on trying some pastel colours this weekend.  I'll show the results.