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Showing posts with label faux finish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faux finish. Show all posts

6.06.2020

repurposed tiki signs

art, beach style, color, Christmas Decor Themes, Christmas Decor, crafting, DIY, diy decorating, faux finish, garden art, junk makeover, makeover, outdoors, re-purposing, summer, tiki style, woodcrafts, painted signs, handpainted signs, tropical decor, tiki bar, tiki totem, giant scrabble tiles, colorful home decor, summer home decor, diy summer decor
these signs appeared in my past two posts... one for each recent project.
do they look familiar to you? they should - you've seen them before!
  i shared them LAST YEAR as part of our Happy HULAdays theme - but they didn't look like this.

when i wanted signs to accompany recent tiki projects in our backyard,
i knew these pieces would work perfectly... and with a little paint, they did!
it's just one more way i can decorate using what i already have here at home.
if i can use summer tiki decor at Christmastime,
then i can re-purpose my Christmas decor as summer decor!

continue reading to see the before & after shots (and find out a secret about them)...

2.19.2020

faux concrete paint effects

faux paint, painting, faux finishes, statuary, makeover, diy, diy painting, farmhouse style, boho style, home decor, diy home decor, spring decor
one of my 'Most Popular' blog posts is my 'faux concrete pumpkins paint tutorial' *
shared in fall, 2014, traffic on it has been crazy ever since - all year long!

when i saw THIS PHOTO on a friend's fb page,

i loved the look of the aged, patinaed concrete swan.
it inspired me to make over an old project using my paint technique...
faux paint, painting, faux finishes, statuary, makeover, diy, diy painting, farmhouse style, boho style, home decor, diy home decor

continue reading to see how i used paint alone to create the same effect!

11.23.2019

frosted fall leaves tutorial

"autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower..." ~ Albert Camus
that's one of my favorite quotes about autumn.
i saw something the other day that caused that poetic line to spring to my mind:
isn't it pretty? i love the 'fall-into-winter' feel of the leaves shown here.
this image on writer Ann Voskamp's website inspired me to create
my own 'frosted fall leaves' for a simple Thanksgiving tablescape...
it's a really easy project, and it turned out perfectly.
continue reading for the easy tutorial if you need a last-minute Thanksgiving idea
that won't take much time at all...

10.18.2019

junkie punkies!

some junk from my garage - hanging planter baskets and an old industrial fan - 
became 'Junkie Punkies' pumpkins for our front yard wheelbarrow display,
 with a quick spray of paint and a bit of imagination...

<<< click 'continue reading' for more details!

9.19.2018

more glass globe pumpkins!

boho style, DIY, diy decorating, farmhouse style, fast cheap and easy, faux finish, found objects, Glass Globe Pumpkins, glass globes, junk makeover, junking, original designs, pumpkins, re-purposing, rustic style, fall, vintage, thrifted
 years ago - seven, to be exact - i made this original creation shown above. 
i call them 'glass globe pumpkins' because they are made from vintage glass light globes.
(the kind that hang on the ceilings of hallways & kitchens in old houses) 

more recently, i found some unique vintage glass lamp globes* and turned them into pumpkins - 
with a twist. i did something on these that i didn't do on the originals... 

continue reading to see the new versions!

6.27.2018

a found & foraged flag

fourth of July, flag, patriotic, flag wall art, flag art, beach style, farmhouse, neutrals, repurposing, junk, salvaged wood
you know, i love decorating with red white and blue
just as much as the next patriotic American... but... 
what if i don't want to use red and blue in my home, 
and want to stick with white + warm neutrals?

well... i found a way to do exactly that, and still have a focus on the flag for the Fourth of July!
i was cleaning out the garage (which may just be a summer-long project, i tell you...)
and found a bunch of materials left over
from when i closed the homewardFOUND shop last March.
when i looked at the weathered white fence pickets,
and the blue-ish zinc metal scraps, i saw a flag.

 so i got busy assembling it on the workbench...
and that metal in the top photo isn't what you think it is!

...continue reading to see how i made my own faux zinc!

6.20.2018

turning the tables...

diy, decorating, home decor, outdoor furniture, furniture, tables, cable spool decor, use what you have, rustic, industrial, tables, junking, junk makeovers, beach, farmhouse
seems like every day, i see a photo on social media of tables made from wood cable spools.
it's kind of the 'orange crate' diy decor trend of the 70's reborn!

i've STILL not seen anyone do with them what *i* do with them:
pair the wood spool top with metal bases from other tables. 
because, you know, i always have to do things differently than other people!
we have quite a few variations on this theme at home - 
... continue reading to see what i've created!

4.30.2018

When In Doubt, Paint It!

galvanized, paint treatments, krylon spray paint, hammered finish paint, painting, decor makeover, farmhouse, rustic, industrial, home decor, flower vase
when in doubt, paint it! that mantra has served me well for most of my life.
when something doesn't *quite* fit the plan or the design scheme,
paint sweeps in to save the day - and MONEY!
this project is a perfect example of how a quick change of color can make all the difference
between the dreaded 'keep or toss' decision.

continue reading to see how paint transformed and saved a leftover...

11.19.2016

Farm Table Makeover

I've had the same dining room table for 30 years.
Yep, you read that right!

30 years ago, in the fall of 1986 after my youngest daughter was born,
my husband undertook the largest furniture project he had done at that point
and built me a pine 'Shaker style' 7 foot by 4 foot dining table... and two long benches.
It was my Christmas present that year, and I loved it. 
I have loved it ever since, and I always will....

continue reading to see the 'before and after' transformation!

8.18.2016

project homeward: coffee table makeover

In the course of our move to the new house, we had to decide what to keep.
The coffee table was a keeper, simply because we needed one and didn't know what we might want later.
Later, we discovered that while the glass top was totally out of character for the room,
the nicely-shaped wrought iron base was pretty cool, even if the charcoal color wasn't.

So what can you do with a pretty cool metal table base that's the wrong color?
First, you paint it!
I chose an aged rust faux finish because it coordinates with another decorative element
that I can't share yet (because it's not in the house yet).
I use a particular process and products to achieve this effect,
but I'm not sharing that.
Read my comments at the end of this post in regard to that....

Moving on....


...after the base was painted, I brought in a cable spool top that we had purchased.
(tearing these cable spool suckers apart is a hefty job,
and I was happy to pay someone else who had already done the hard part)

I cleaned it and thought about sanding it down (for all of ten seconds) then had a better idea:
paint it! 
It's easier, yes, but also - look at that photo on the right above:
Everything is BROWN. Floor. Table. Sofa. SOOOOO much dark brown.
On the other side of this big open room is the kitchen with white cabinets....
so I needed to pull some white over here into the living room to balance it.

Some flat white paint dry-brushed onto the wood took care of that in short order -
applied heavier in some areas (so it would cover up the stamped words) and lighter in others.
I didn't sand this, I just applied the paint with varied pressure.

In the end, it's got a kind of vintage beachy farmhouse worn look that I love.
Actually, years ago, I found a table top that looked very similar washed up on the beach...
I hauled it home to my island farmhouse, and put it on a pedestal as a table.
I loved it. And I love this.
(My dining room table is gonna' get this same treatment soon!)
The paint dried quickly because it was such a thin, dry application...
so I was able to put the succulent planter in the center.

Then I looked at the holes where the bolts had held the cable spools together,
and thought 'votive cups would fit in there'....
and when I located an old candleholder that we had,
it held exactly SIX votive cups with rounded bottoms
that fit into the SIX bolt holes so perfectly
that it was like they were designed for each other!
I love it when a plan comes together!

shared online:
Cupackes & Crinoline
| Project Inspire{d}

So.... let me say this about my aged rust faux finish 

*just so it's clearer here than on my fb page 
and will not spark a controversy with anyone*:

Over the course of fifteen years or so,
as I was refurbishing furniture and accessories to sell at vintage shows and painting murals,
I learned a lot about paint and techniques. I invested a lot of time practicing the art of faux painting.
I developed some of my own processes & mixtures that are my own 'secret' formulas, so to speak.
Big companies like Disney, Coca Cola and Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery refer to this as 'proprietary information'  - and it is basically highly sensitive and guarded stuff.

That's my faux rust technique/process/procedure/products, folks.
Proprietary, Secret, and highly guarded information. Mine.


Sorry, but I'm not sharing it.
Someday, I may develop it into a class, or a book, or even a product line.
Gee, I'd love to make money from one of my ideas!!! ;)
Anyway, that's the reason I refer to it as my 'secret formula/secret weapon' etc. -
 because it's a secret, and I'm not telling.
Not to be rude to anyone out there, but just to protect my own interest.
( I have shared my faux concrete painting technique -
including my 'secret ingredient' for realistic effect -
and y'all loved it. It's a really popular post! And I am glad you like it! )

But this is different, and I just want to be clear about not divulging the specifics of it.
Being up front here, and asking you not to ask me to -
AND requesting that if you think I'm greedy or mean for not sharing it,
just.keep.it.to.yourself.please
Not interested in hearing any rants about how I owe it to the public to divulge all of my secrets.

10.08.2014

Faux Painted 'Concrete' Pumpkin Tutorial

painting, tutorials, faux painting, faux finish, faux concrete, patina, texture, secret painting tips, faux concrete pumpkins, faux concrete styrofoam head
I was inspired by a trip to Roger's Gardens Nursery in Corona del Mar, California
when I spied some HUGE, GINORMOUS concrete pumpkins at their store:

One look at them, and I had a craft project in mind!
My versions would be smaller, naturally, and also lighter in color....
 I wanted mine to be a bit more subtle and less scary than Roger's Gardens versions, 
so I went with lighter gray paint.
You can easily do this with dark gray and black paint to get the same results as in the photos up above...
painting, tutorials, faux painting, faux finish, faux concrete, patina, texture, secret painting tips, faux concrete pumpkins, faux concrete styrofoam headpainting, tutorials, faux painting, faux finish, faux concrete, patina, texture, secret painting tips, faux concrete pumpkins, faux concrete styrofoam head
Follow my tutorial below 
to transform some gaudy orange Dollar Tree pumpkins into concrete classics,
using my simple faux paint tutorial - including my 'secret ingredient'!

Faux Concrete Pumpkin Tutorial

Supplies:
styrofoam pumpkins (this canteloupe-sized pumpkin is $1.00 at the Dollar Tree)
acrylic / craft paint in white, black, and dove gray - matte finish
cup of water
palette (I use a paper plate)
paint brushes - large for base coat, smaller for details
and A SECRET INGREDIENT to be divulged later!

Instructions:
Step 1:
First, basecoat the entire pumpkin with white paint. Let dry.
Step 2:
Mix some gray paint into white paint on the palette,
then cover the pumpkins completely with this color.

(I left the stems unpainted until the end so I could use them as 'handles' while painting)

You will now be working in a 'Wet on Wet' paint technique, 
which means you will move on to the next step before the paint dries completely...
Step 3:
 Pour some straight gray paint onto the palette. 
Mix in a bit of water to create a runny consistency, to create a 'wash'.
Using a smaller detail brush, paint the grooves of the pumpkin with the gray wash,
and also the whole bottom (underneath) of the pumpkin.
Before the paint dries,
Step 4:

Add a little bit of water to the pale gray paint left on your palette (from step 2)
and brush it with a 'scrubbing' motion over the edges of the dark gray lines in the grooves.
You want to smooth out the edges, not cover all of the dark gray.
Leave some of the dark gray visible on the bottom of the pumpkin.
At this point, I painted the stems with the dark gray color.

Still working with wet paint over wet paint,
Step 5:
Add a bit more white paint to the lightest gray to make a very light gray wash.
Use the smaller detail brush to 'scrub' the white paint
across the top edges of the ridges on the pumpkin.
Blend this color in well so there are no divisions of color on the pumpkin - just smooth transitions.

While the paint is still wet...

Step 6:
Now is when when we bring in the SECRET INGREDIENT!
It's FLOUR. Bleached flour.
Yes, really....
Wet a small brush with a tiny bit of water, then pick up some flour and put it on the pumpkin, 
in the hollows and grooves of the pumpkin, where the gray wash is wet.
Wet your small brush and pick up more and more flour to get it all over the top and upper side surfaces.
 After the flour is on the pumpkin, use your fingers to press it into the wet paint and smooth it a bit.
Don't forget the bottom!

Let the pumpkin sit to dry for a few minutes.
The flour will absorb some of the paint's moisture, 
causing it to stick to the pumpkin.
After it is dry, brush LIGHTLY with your fingers to remove loose flour.
The flour left on the surface gives the finish the look of dry, flaking concrete.

It's not needed, but if you wish, you can spray the whole pumpkin with matte clear sealer
 or with hairspray. Works just as well!
painting, tutorials, faux painting, faux finish, faux concrete, patina, texture, secret painting tips, faux concrete pumpkins, faux concrete styrofoam head
 Your pumpkins will look like they are made of concrete, and they will weigh almost nothing!

This painting method will also work on plastic pumpkin buckets, 
making them look like hollow concrete planters & vases!
.(spray the inside of the bucket with gray outdoor furniture paint so it's waterproof)

I also used this method on a plain old styrofoam head form.... and it's awesome!

painting, tutorials, faux painting, faux finish, faux concrete, patina, texture, secret painting tips, faux concrete pumpkins, faux concrete styrofoam head
painting, tutorials, faux painting, faux finish, faux concrete, patina, texture, secret painting tips, faux concrete pumpkins, faux concrete styrofoam head
(that's one of my original Junk Queen Crowns from way back in 2008 on her head -
with bleached leaves added for fall )

I've used this paint technique in another project...
Come see what else I transformed with paint! 

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #440


thank you for the feature, Miss Donna! 

cupcakes & crinoline | project inspire{d}

DIY on display
practically functional | creativity unleashed
yesterday on tuesday | project inspire{d}


don't miss this NEWER blog content:
fall decor, fall home decor, decorating, diy, diy decorating, diy decor projects, fall crafts, pumpkins, sweet sweater pumpkins, glass globe pumpkins, faux concrete pumpkins, pumpkin decor, autumn decorating, sweater pumpkins

5.16.2014

tutorial: beachy faux weathered paint

art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
I've spent a major part of my life painting things...
it's really one of the fastest, cheapest, easiest ways to give an item new life
and the only limit to your results is your imagination!

As a kid, i was into finger painting - and then hundreds of art projects.
At one point, I was actually painting houses - inside and out.
I painted props and walls and fixtures for retail displays.
I taught an art class for gifted kids, and taught them how to cartoon and paint murals.
I was painting custom murals in homes and businesses, 
and painting furniture for my small store, farmer's markets, and clients.
In the end, I ended up creating new furniture out of old stuff, and adding paint finishes to it.
Seems I've had a paintbrush in my hand most of the time!

Recently, I laid my eyes on an old, worn out picnic bench that Mom has had for YEARS.
art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
You might remember that bench...
She was in my Garden Bar post as a supporting player. Nothin' much to look at, really.

But since I've amassed quite a few paint tricks over the years,
it was simply a matter of using those with a few steps, a few supplies, and a few minutes
and that bench went from trash to treasure.
She's got a terrific weathered & worn 'beach vibe' now - ready for Summer!

Here's a quick tutorial to show you how to get great results
IN 5 EASY STEPS

Materials:
wood object to paint . paint color 1 . paint color 2 . sand paper . paint brushes
art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
Step 1.
Paint a clean, dry item with paint color 1. Flat or satin finish is best.
Here, the item is an old wood bench and paint color 1 is aqua.

art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
Step 2.
Use a piece of coarse grade sandpaper to sand the piece,
wearing away paint color 1 at the edges and along joints.
Sand in long strokes, not in circles or swirls, so it looks like authentic wear & tear.

art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
Step 3.
The next coat of paint will be applied with a 'dry brush' technique:

Dip the tips of a paint brush in paint color 2. Here, that color is white.
Then stroke the brush against a dropcloth, rag, or cardboard box to remove most of the paint.

art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
Step 4.
Drag the almost-dry paint brush bristles across the item, depositing a small amount of paint color 2.
Do not press hard, just drag the brush over the item's surface to highlight the texture.
Use long strokes across the length of the item - with the grain.

art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial
Step 5.
Use coarse-grade sandpaper again to rough up the edges of the item again,
wearing through the white drybrush coat into the base coat.

The effect will approximate that of being left out to weather naturally over time,
instead of looking like an overworked 'faux' finish.

It will weather more on its own if left outdoors, 
or you can add a sixth step: add a coat of clear matte-finish varnish to protect it.

This technique works very well on benches, chairs, tables, 
crates, wood planters, shutters, doors, bed frames, cabinets,
birdhouses, fences & gates, even decks!

Once painted, that overlooked little bench turned in a stunning performance 
in my Breakfast at Tiffany's post!
art class, decorating, DIY, fast cheap and easy, furniture, on the porch, painting, summer, beach style, color, diy decorating, faux finish, junk makeover, junking, makeover, rustic style, salvaged, trash to treasure, tutorial

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #531

One Project Closer | Creativity Unleashed

Creative Country Mom's Garden | Home Sweet Garden Party
Thank You, Brooke, for featuring my post on your blog!