Tiger Step Stool

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With its wickedly simple sponge-painted design, this wildcat step stool is simply the cat's meow.

Tips
We used 1 quart each of Halloween Orange, Burnt Sienna, and Black semi-gloss interior latex paint by Crayola.

Prep Time: Afternoon or Evening
What you need:
	Unfinished step stool 1 quart water-based primer Paints (see tips) 2-ounce bottle of pink acrylic enamel paint 2" wide foam wedge brush 1½" wide polyester paintbrush Scissors 2 rectangular kitchen sponges Disposable plates or trays Pencil ½" wide detailing paintbrush
Seasons: Year round
Materials: paints, wood
Instructions:
1.	Sand the step stool if necessary. Make sure it's clean, then use the 2-inch foam brush to coat it with primer. Let dry.
2.	Turn the stool upside down. Use the 1 1/2-inch paintbrush to apply orange paint to the legs and outside edge of the seat. Smooth out any drips with the brush and let the paint dry.
3.	Turn the stool right side up, paint the top orange, and go over any spots missed earlier. Let dry.
4.	Use scissors to trim one sponge into a rectangle with rounded corners (ours was 3 by 3 1/2 inches) and the other sponge into a triangle (2 1/2-inch base, 3 1/2-inch sides). Save the parts you cut off.
5.	Pour a small amount of red-brown paint into a disposable plate or tray. (Do a test on paper before you start on the step stool.) Slide the sponge with rounded edges around in the paint, then drag it against the edge of the tray to take off excess paint. Blot the sponge on paper, then make your sponge print on the step stool. The print should be dark enough to make a pattern, but light enough that the orange paint will show through. Cover the step stool with overlapping sponge impressions, keeping the stool right side up for the whole process. Allow the paint to dry.
6.	Pour black paint into a plate or tray. To allow for the bolder tiger stripe imprints, wipe excess paint on the tray edge, but do not blot. Then press the triangle sponge firmly as you repeat the shape around the edge of the step stool top. If you like, curve the sponge down around the edge of the seat, as shown. To stripe the legs, curl the sponge around them as you press. Let the paint dry.
7.	Pencil in the tiger's face. Use a 1/2-inch detail brush dipped in black to paint the eyes and mouth. Let them dry.
8.	Use the detail brush to paint the ears and nose freehand (in pink) or do the following: cut a leftover piece of sponge into a mini triangle. Pour a small amount of pink paint into a tray. Dip the sponge, wipe off the excess, and press it onto the step stool. Grrr!