Rust Effects

Er...H..hello there, Friends

My husband has a saying, "You smile like a dog who had just pooped in the bedroom."

Well, thats me today...guilty smile.

I am so guilty of neglecting all my faithful followers and readers. So,so sorry people. What can I say? This is not a Dear Abby corner, so I will stick with: Please forgive me and I hope I can get back to doing and blogging about it regularly again.

Today I want to show you some cool rust effects. I am not talking about the little kit of paint we buy at the craft store and then use normal rust colored paint to make something look rusty.

This stuff is the real deal.

It is made by Modern Masters and is called Reactive Metallic Paints .(Feel free to let them know I am advertising for them for free).


These paints are water based and contain real metal particles. They will tarnish naturally over time and when exposed to the elements.
But, if you are impatient like me, you can get the activator solution and apply it over the wet paint, and have the effect within 20 to 30 minutes.
The activator will react with the real metal particles in the paints, thus speeding up the oxidation process.

So, this is what  I did with it....

Don't know what you call those "indent" thingies, but I rusted mine.  :)

The base paint is black, with real iron particles in. Then, if you apply the activator over it, the iron particles start to rust. I wanted the effect of water that leaked and caused rust, so I applied the activator so that it ran down .The activator is runny, like water, so if you don't want this effect, you can use a sponge to apply it.

You get a protective coat to apply over the oxidized metal finish, minimizing any further corrosion, and  to create a weather resistant barrier, but I found that it darkened the color, and made it look less natural, so I'm taking my chances.

The more common use for it is on outdoor plant containers and ornaments, like this:

 I got this generic plant container at a garage sale for two dollars, and transformed it into something I love.

Again, I want it to go on rusting and tarnishing over time, so I did not put a top coat on.  

But then, of course, I was on a roll and could not stop myself... I just had to paint this wrought iron table's base , too. 

This is outside by the BBQ, so it, too, will tarnish more and more over time. Untill I get tired of it and paint over it, of course.

Well, that's it for now!

Love,

Linking up with

 

1, 2, 3 Makeover

Hi there, fellow citizens of Blog land!

Ssshhh! Listen! Do you hear that?...........    You don't hear anything?

I know! Isn't it wonderful?!!

I'M ALONE AT HOME! ALL ALONE...JUST ME...NO-ONE ELSE HERE...

Must be the first time in, oh, forever. So quiet, and peaceful....

What shall I do with all this alone time? Lets see: Blog, read, take a nice, long bath, nap,

or..all of the above..Hmmmmm.....

I'll start by telling you about this sweet little bedside table.........

My friend's daughter was moving into her own place, and needed a bedside table. This little red number would have caught my eye anyways, she is so cute in red..

Just so happens I saw her only a couple hours after I heard that Soi would need a few pieces of furniture.

I liked her just the way she was, but Soi wanted her black, and she had some damage that needed patching up.

 This is her after two coats of mat black spray paint. Now "she" looks more like a "he" to me..

 I liked the hardware, and just  sprayed with Oil Rubbed Bronze to freshen up the look.

 Soi loves her little bedside table, and it cost me $3.oo for the table, plus maybe $7.00 in paint.

$10.00 for a sweet, brand new looking bedside table.

Not bad, hey?

 Now for  long, hot bath....
See Ya!

                                        

....aaaand we have a WINNER!!!!!

Hello and happy Friday, Everyone!

As promised, we drew the winner of my giveaway today. By "we" I mean my baby girl and I.

I am not savvy enough to know even where to find that randon number thingy...not to mention taking a snapshot of my screen to show it.

So, we did it old school. I wrote down your name for every comment you made , put all the pieces of paper in a bucket, and had Baby Girl draw a name...

....and here's the winner...

    PAM, from Our Adventures in Home Improvement  !!! Congratulations, Pam! You will receive an e-mail soon, letting you know how to claim your prize.
I hope you let us know what you bought.

To all who entered...better luck next time. It was hard having to draw just one winner. I wish I could give each of you a prize...

I have some projects in the making...OK, maybe not making, still in the planning phase, but as soon as I feel like myself again, I am sharing them with y'all.

Have a fun weekend!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Hello Again!

Is it just me, or do any of you also struggle to get going this year?

I am finding it hard to get motivated with everything, including creating and blogging. I find that I want to rethink all my previous goals and ideals...maybe I just need more fulfilment. But when am I, when are you, really fulfilled?

One of my favorite decor items...she looks as if she feels like me today...

.......or, maybe I'm just menopausal, and in need of a Martini and some serious Retail Therapy.

Which brings me to my  GIVEAWAY ....

I have $25.00 to give away from CSN stores, to be spend towards anything on any of their more than 200 on-line stores. Whether it is new shoes, a new lamp, or a  new office, you will find it  there.

By the way, if it is a new office you want, their modern office furniture is to die for. Those fireplaces are something to be seen.

So, to enter:
Become a follower or comment and let me know you already are.
For a second chance to win, write me a comment and let me know what you do to get out of a funk.

If you want yet another chance to win, mention this giveaway on your blog, and let me know you did.

The winner will be drawn at 10.00 am sharp next Friday , February 4th.

Good Luck!

A Few Firsts, and an Upcoming Giveaway

Hi There, Peeps!

I have been missing in action, I know, but I have a very good excuse.

I can now say that I am not an Emergency Room Virgin anymore.

After living in the USA for 8 years, and never having to go to a doctor for anything but routine check ups, this past week I had a few firsts since living here:

 * Went to Urgent Care for the first time

 * Had  X rays taken for the first time

 *Went to urgent Care for the second time

 *Then, alas, had to go to the ER for the first time on Sunday Night, where I was diagnosed with Double Pneumonia, and

 * was admitted to Hospital the first time.

That experience in itself is worthy of a whole post on its own, if I have to tell you about my roommate...
I'll save that for when my sense of humor returns .

For now I will just share with you the touching exchange that took place when I had to tell my children I had pneumonia and may have to go to the hospital...

Son No 1:  "Does that mean I am going to get it, too?"

Me:  "You care so little, you would probably not even take me to the hospital if I needed to go and Dad    was working."

Son No 1:  "That's not true, of course I will take you..... I'll  just drive with all  the windows open."

The things your kids say when you don't have a gun...

Surely Son No 2 will show more concern...

Son No 2: "Is it contagious?"

And to think I was concerned they might worry..

My baby girl at least showed some concern, even if she was rejoicing inwardly knowing that it meant no school for her until I get back. (she is home schooled)

After two nights in Hospital, I am home again, and recovering . Unfortunately Wonderhusband had to be so inconsiderate  to go and get sick as well....MEN!.....

I thought I would spare you a picture of us at our puffy eyed best, and took a pic of our bedside tables instead...

                                                    His...



                                               Mine......            


 
We sure are a pitiful sight for sore eyes...

On a more positive note, I have a Giveaway coming this week, so keep your eyes peeled and tell your friends.   ;-)
                                                         Love,

                                                               

                                                                                              



For the Love of Turquoise

Hi There..

I have to blame the blogging community for my love of all things turquoise. Don't get me wrong, I have always liked the color...

So tranquil, and beachy, yet cool and modern.

But ever since I have seen what some of you have done with this coolest of colors, I have deepened my relationship with Krylon Aqua...in a can, of course, because I'm lazy ..impatient, remember?

Oops, I did it again....
I forgot to take a "Before" picture. This was an old beat up little cabinet /end table, that nobody at Goodwill wanted. So I waited patiently for Dollar Day, and grabbed it for only...you guessed it....a dollar.
Sprayed it with Kilz primer (you'd think they would have offered me some commission by now for tooting their horn like this, but no..)

Then sprayed it with Krylon Aqua, and distressed with a little charcoal tinted glaze.

The handles were just sprayed with black, to freshen them up. They were a sort of coppery color...you know the look.

I love how very cool and different this little piece of furniture looks now.  

I have more turquoise stuff to show you later this week.

For now...

See ya!

Linking up to:

What could this be?

Hi There, Strangers!

I am embarrassed that my last post was before Christmas! I would like to say it is because I am too busy living life,  to report on it, but that is sadly not true. I am just having a really hard time to get back into the swing of things.
I have cut down on my Goodwill and Savers expeditions, since I have not really found a way to sell the stuff I paint, and our garage is bursting at the seams. Wonderhusband has not said a word, but I know he is just a teeny  bit  irritated with old furniture and pieces of furniture everywhere.
Our Goodwill has gone nuts with their prices. Its almost not worth buying something there anymore if you are going to still have to spend money on it.

BUT.....I do have a few ideas up my sleeve, that I want to start executing  one of these days, one of which is my daughter's bedroom.

In the mean time...who can tell me what this is supposed to be, and /or give me ideas on what to do with it?

Neat, right? I saw it at GW and just had to buy it. It seemed so interesting to me.

The door panels are glass, but I bet when painted, it would look like tin ceiling tiles or iron work.

It almost looks like it could have been part of some wine rack or something, and I thought that if I should paint her with the idea of selling, a drinks trolley sounded like a cool idea.

For me, if I should keep her, I would make her into some kind of morning coffee stand in our bedroom. Our bedroom is upstairs, and I go down every morning to go get us some coffee. But how cool would it be if I got one of those two cup coffeemakers, and set it the night before, so we wake up with the smell of coffee in our nostrils...

What do you think...any ideas?

                                                   I would love to hear from you,