Antique Bronze Faux Finish

A few days ago, after unloading all of the groceries, I brought in my recent treasures from our oh-so-awesome local thrift store.

What is that? Mom inquired.

I’m not sure . . . yet.

What are you going to do with . . . it?

Don’t know . . . yet.

Where are you going to put . . . it?

I have no idea.

Then why did you buy it?

Because it was only $8 and I thought it was cool.

The object in question is about 30” tall and weighs . . . well, she’s not light by any means.

While she looked fine in all of her plain blackness, the holiday season is upon us and every square inch of my work studio is covered in one color of glitter or another.

Plain black just wouldn’t do.

Rust-oleum has a color they call simply “Gold”.

You have no idea how bright “Gold” can be. It’d probably be fine for a wedding.

Actually, this whole . . . whatever it is would probably be fine for a wedding.

 

Since neither Mom or I are getting married anytime soon I decided to tone down the goldness with some Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Sometimes you just get lucky when you DIY stuff.

The bronze didn’t fully cover the gold so it wound up looking like a ‘factory finish’.

(Of course who wants a ‘factory finish’ but still . . . it was a pretty cool effect.)

After both coats of spray paint cured for a couple of days it was time to put the beast candleholder together.

sigh.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss my husband but particularly on my DIY days. I would’ve just handed the mess over to him and he would’ve performed some sort of magic and returned it to me, ready to go.

Now I have to fend for myself amongst epoxies and E6000’s and other glues that didn’t work.

Thank goodness for my handy dandy floral wire.

Me thinks there was originally a fourth leg or arm or branch or whatever, but oh well. For $8, what d’ya want?

I could’ve just moved along now, content with a nice metallic ‘factory finish’ but no, if you’re going to give something a new life, shouldn’t it be the best finish life you can give it?

I have a shoebox full of metallic paints, most of would’ve been really pretty applied with a dry brush.

Instead I went with Antique Gold Rub ‘n Buff applied with an old sock just . . . because.

Now she has layers upon layers of metallic goodness.

No more ‘factory finish’ look here.

No, the candleholder now has an actual “patina”, a timeworn finish . . . that I didn’t even realize I was trying for.

Sometimes you just get lucky.

Or more often you just keep adding layers of paint until you get the look you want.

Now she’s dressed up with pine, holly & cedar, along with glittered fruit and shiny ribbon.

The patina is a perfect match for . . . guess where?

Mom’s dining room!

Since this makeover, she hasn’t asked me where one single thrift store goody is going or what it’s for.

I know she wonders though.

Most of the time, so do I.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Big fixin’s at your house? Or a quiet relaxing day? Whatever it is, I hope you have a wonderful day, full of blessings.

Colleen

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