 This used to be a very sad chair. Boring and unloved it waited to go home with someone...then she got a makeover. A little of American Paint Company’s Bordello did the trick. Ruffling her tail feathers she showed off her simple lines and dramatic coloring; preening for everyone who stopped and stared. This exotic chair is not everyone’s cup of tea, that is definite, but she’s playful: classy in the color combination, sassy in the seat.
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 Every media outlet, HGTV’s ‘High/Low’, DYI magazine, countless blogs have their own versions of copying expensive style’s on a budget. And it’s really awesome when you’ve done something before the trend out of necessity and budget. A funky and kitsch way of updating generic dinning room chairs comes in the way of a couple small samples of paint. We used American Paint sample’s - enter four new colors just in time for SPRING (that may be wishful thinking.)  Not too long ago, Ethan Allen came out with an New Country collection doing just this - brightly colored traditional chairs. Bring a little color indoors this season - at a price hundreds lower than these $369.00 Berkshire Side Chairs.  Ethan Allen Custom Painted Berkshire Side Chair
 Today we will have a lesson in crackling with American Paint Company's Clay/Chalk/Mineral based paint... and it's gonna be so easy - trust me. First let's gather the supplies:
 Make sure whatever you are painting is clean - a quick wipe down is all you need to get any dust/dirt off.  Next, paint your base color. For our stool we used a rustic black called Lincoln's Hat. In addition we used a primitive yellow, Amber Waves, in swipes for a little more definition on the final project. Let this dry completely, which shouldn't take long. Personally I find my coats can be dry within ten minutes in the right temperature (little humidity). If you are unsure wait 30 minutes to an hour.  Now we will apply the glue. Three application techniques will produce three different finishes: pouncing, thick strokes, and thin strokes. Shown at the left on the bottom of our stool we used the scientific "pounce" method - basically jab the glue onto your surface in a random pattern. This will create a random crackle finish. Let the glue get tacky, this is key.  Once gummy, (test with your pinky, timing may take some practice at first so don't get discouraged) paint over the glue with your top coat color in the same pounce motion. On the right we used a custom barn red made from a blend of a vibrant red, Fireworks and a little of our base coat, Lincoln's Hat.  Once dry it should have the random crackle finish like the underside of the stool to the left. Results won't be 100% the same, that is what is amazing about using natural products; truly custom finishes. Note: When doing a large project make sure you work in small sections so not to get ahead of yourself.  On the top of the stool, we did the second technique to produce large linear cracks. When covering with glue use thick strokes with a decent amount of glue...in turn this means it will take longer to get tacky. Thick glue = thick cracks. To the right is a picture of the process while drying. Note: One tip here, less REALLY is more. Try not to over-brush. Doing so will NOT produce the desired crackling effect. [The third technique is applying a thin layer of glue for a smaller crackle look, which we did on the rungs of our stool - however we over-brushed and it didn't have enough crackle for our taste.\  Guess what?! You're done! You've made an awesome crackling venture into the creative. Congratulations. Conclude your craft by sealing the paint with any finish you please - wax, top coat, glaze! Just go for it! And above all else - HAVE FUN! 
Welcome Back to me! After a brief hiatus this blog is back in production and my hope is that it continues without any more interruptions (of my own creation). Lots of changes have been happening with ugly things. Like this mohogany federal style desk below: 
It was transformed with a sander and American Paint Company's Lincoln's Hat and clear wax. After the top was sanded down BriWax was used to give it the nice finish it has now. Pretty sharp looking, if you ask me.
Welcome to our new space to share all things COOL. As the banner above displays, we here at Secondhand Spin clearly love switching things up with whatever we can use, or "upcycling" as the buzz word is these days. Everyday we are surrounded by...stuff. Good stuff, bad stuff, ugly stuff. (A lot of ugly stuff.) But the thing is, it doesn't have to be ugly. A little creativity goes a long way for items past their prime. Deconstruct, reconstruct, paint, relocate, and BOOM, you've got yourself something to be proud of keeping in your life. I (see sidebar) will be posting easy DYIs, inspiring ideas, and interesting creations. Please comment, ask questions, and share your opinions - share what you've personally done too, email me pictures by going to the "Contact" page at the top of the blog. Most importantly it's about having fun, so...HERE WE GO! 
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(Ana, that's me, up there.)
Who Am I?A quirky, occasionally Categories |
