Vintage French Postmarks and Furniture

So, I was moseying through blog world the other day when I came across this tutorial.  I usually hand draw all my own lettering but was fascinated by the idea of using stuff I already have on hand to reproduce vintage postmarks (or ANYTHING else) on my furniture.  I had already painted this small table (annie sloan chalk paint - ASCP - chateau gray):

and I was pleased with the results (here's where it started):

but I knew it wasn't finished, YET.  When I read the tut I immediately whipped out a postmark I had saved from the Graphics Fairy a while back.  I opened it in photoshop and got it ready to print as a mirror image.  Meanwhile, I went and got my freezer paper ready to go.  When that was all done and printed (I had to set my printer to iron-on transfer - it wouldn't print otherwise) I got to work burnishing the image to the top of the table.

{LOVE}  I think it's fantastic!  (if I do say so myself!)  I do have to say, it took a LONG time to dry.  I was worried then about waxing over the ink (even if it was dry) for fear that it would smear.  It didn't!  YAY!

So, with that all figured out I went to work on this little chest:

It's fairly small.  About a foot and a half wide and 14 inches deep and only 10 inches tall.  I painted it with a mix of ASCP louis blue, chateau gray, and paris gray.  It's a warm gray with just a hint of blue now:

For the image on the top I found the graphic I wanted to use then enlarged it in photoshop and made it so it would print in multiple pages.  Then I put the graphic on the top (don't mind the REALLY blue tint to the image):

It printed on two pages (using the same freezer paper method) and carefully lining up the image so that it would be seamless.  I printed this one in color, because the postmark on the top right is a teal blue.  It's beautiful!  After it dried I waxed it (and the stain came through the ASCP to make it look distressed without having to use any dark wax) so I just went with it.

I'm working on that Mercury Glass tutorial still!  Be patient - it's just me here with two small boys (and all you moms out there know how that can be!)  I'm doing my best - and want my tutorial to be awesome for everyone!

Have a great Sunday!