Making – Page 13 – The Reaganskopp Homestead

Posted on September 25, 2013January 20, 2019 by Brianna — 39 Comments

Faux Cast Iron Finish

The final finish has a lot of texture and is matte in nature like real cast iron.

I developed this paint technique to create a cast iron finish on a HID-E-OUS brass lamp we had in our living room. My husband and I have a lovely cast iron legged side table and a shared like of Restoration Hardware. Also a shared like of not spending that type of money. I tried to find a good tutorial to fake a cast iron finish but gave up and started playing with paint. After multiple attempts, hauling the side table around to compare, and scraping off bad finishes I found a way to paint a faux cast iron finish.

It looks great on furniture but also works to make an ‘urn’ like finish for Halloween.

Supplies

For the basic finish you need:

Rustoleum American Accents Stone Finish in Mineral Brown* (long enough title?)

Bronze Spray Paint*

Matte Clear Finishing Spray*

Sand Paper (higher grit is better for smoother finish)

If you want to paint glass:

Add a glass primer or frosting spray*

Step 1 We All Hate It: Priming

Depending on the piece you are covering you’ll need to prime it. Glass required a coat of frosting spray. My horrible brass lamp needed a clear coat sanded off. Google directions for the piece you want to cover.

Step 2 Using the Rustoleum American… Ah to hell with it: The Stone Paint

I’m just going to call it stone spray paint from here on out. The title in supplies should let you know what I mean. By the way, I am only suggesting that particular brand for the stone paint because it is the only one I have used. I tried a variety of bronze paints and they worked fine, but I haven’t had a chance to try a different texture brand. If you do please leave a note in the comments.

Lightly cover the whole piece with a splattering of the texture. I moved waaaay back than my usual spray painting technique. You can see if just splattered a coating.

Step 3: Bronzer instead of Blush

You can go ahead and spray a covering coat of bronze spray paint before the stone paint is dry. Save some time and it doesn’t hurt anything. However, let the bronze mostly dry. I say mostly because I am impatient and if it is a bit tacky and peels up you’ll be fine. If you are doing it right it will look shiny and warty and you’ll be thinking “what the hell is this?”

Step 4: More OMG This Looks Awful

After the bronze ‘mostly’ dries take the sand paper and give it a buff. It will knock off a lot of the texture leaving pits, holes, and scuffs. Then cover in bronze paint again. Repeat step 3 & 4 if you don’t feel like it had a lot of varied texture, or you were impatient (like me) and gummed up the paint into a wad.

Step 5: Now It Will Come Together

Finishing the faux cast iron finish — From What? to Wow! all in one coat of paint.

Let everything dry and then cover the whole item with a thick coat of matte spray. By thick, I mean disregard the manufacturers guidelines and get that puppy about 3-6 inches from the surface. You want the matte paint to pool in the pits and any decorative carvings.

That is pretty much that! There aren’t really notes with this process other than more layers of paint give a richer finish. You can see how I styled these cast iron ‘urn’ vases for a Halloween Vignette.

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See more great DIY, Decor, & Crafts at these Link Exchanges: 52 Mantels, Lambert’s Lately, The Crafty Blog Stalker, Craftberry Bush, The Pin Junkie, The Stitchin Mommy, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, Craft-O-Maniac, Dream A Little Bigger, By Stephanie Lynn, Kitchen Table Art

Posted on September 18, 2013January 20, 2019 by Brianna — 11 Comments

Halloween Vignette

Halloween is just around the corner and I hope this display gives you some Halloween decoration ideas. It is one of my FAVORITE holidays. I pretty much love every bit of it, from gaudy plastic spiders to sophisticated decorations. Costumes! Candy! I could go on and on. This particular vignette was going for an old-timey, sophisticated macabre.

The cast iron vases were created from two cheap glass vases. You can see the tutorial for faux cast iron here.

I added an old picture, and lord my Mama would smack me, but I can’t remember which relative this is. Surrounding it are spider webs made from hot glue. I thought I was a genius making all those strings… And I was EXCEPT, marble is porous. And the tabletop is marble… *scrape* *scrape* *scrape* Make sure to attach the hot glue to items you know will release the glue easily.

Idea for Sophisticated Halloween Decorations — Check out how well the faux cast iron finish on the vases matches the real cast iron table!

Topping it all off is my lovely bouquet of dead daisies. The whole display makes me feel like someone left these fresh flowers by a lovely picture and then abandoned them for 100 years. I love that dark Halloween feeling! Must be a closet goth at heart.

Tutorials Used

Faux Cast Iron Finish

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See other great crafts, DIY, and decor at these link parties: 52 mantels, Katherine’s Corner, Realcoake.com, Lambert’s Lately, Two Yellow Birds Craftberry Bush, Pin Junkie , Craft-o-Maniac, Twigg Studios, Dream A Little Bigger , I Should Be Mopping The Floor, By Stephanie Lynn

Posted on September 11, 2013January 20, 2019 by Brianna — 16 Comments

Bean Arts and Crafts Transformed

Have you had children? Were you a child? Then you should probably have made bean or macaroni art at one point and you are probably a homosapien. Have been recently gifted with some lovely artwork from my son I wondered if you could transform the homely bean art into something adult and sophisticated. Why yes, yes you can. Enter the Chevron Bean Table Runner.

Create a Textured Table Runner from bean crafting — Bean Craft At It’s Finest

Thank this is easy? Add a small child to the mix…

Supplies

Beans (various colors, split peas, rice, macaroni, whatever works)

Thick Craft Paper (this is the kind you can put down to catch paint splatters)

Pencil/Pen (to draw design)

White PVA Glue (thin lightly with water or you’ll be using a ton)

Patience

For the Chevron

Ruler

A way to mark 45 degree angles (I used a Triangle)

Step 1: Design

Decide on your design and cut out the length of paper you needed. I went with a straight forward chevron and penciled the pattern onto the paper.

Step 2: Distract Your Children

Sooo… If you have kids and there are tiny objects and glue they will want to help… Stop what you are doing cut them off some paper, add glue, beans, then begin your craft project again.

Child doing bean crafts — Don’t ask about the Mardi Gras beads. Its a ‘thing’ in my house.

Then give up and let the kids/cats/dogs/parakeets/slow loris help in the end. Tell me you don’t want a slow loris?

Child helping with bean art — McClain says he is my “Little Helper”. He is my “Best Helper”.

Step 3: Glue beans, and glue beans, and glue beans

The technique matters, because after you put a lot of beans on the project you aren’t going to want to pick it up and shake it like when you are applying glitter. I found putting a thick layer of glue for one color of bean and pressing a single layer of beans into the project worked well. I watered the glue down until it was easy to brush (using an old brush) onto the paper, but not so much that it soaked into the paper. Don’t fill to much space with glue or it will dry before you can get it all filled in.

Allot way more time than you think this will take. Well if you are anal like me and apt to go back and fill in empty spots. Which is my final suggestion. If an area looks bare just dab a bit of glue and press in a few more beans.

Notes

Uh this is pretty straightforward. If it isn’t then feel free to comment or email me for clarification.

Check out my fall table decor to see this bean craft runner in action… Well as actiony as a table runner gets.

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See other great DIY’s, Crafts, & Decor at these link parties: Lambert’s Lately, 52 Mantels, Live Laugh Rowe, Shabby Creek Cottage, The Pin Junkie, DIY Vintage Chic, Today’s Creative Blog, C.R.A.F.T, Craft-o-Maniac, Home Coming

Posted on September 4, 2013January 20, 2019 by Brianna — 19 Comments

Fall Table Decor

Autumn seems like a time for relaxation. The cooler weather forces an end to the constant outdoor activity but it is before the bustle of Christmas. Fall is a time to just let it go. Therefore my table is simple, clean, and easy.

The main show piece is a chevron table runner made from beans (click here for the tutorial).

See I can have a serious craft post from time to time.

The centerpiece is an assortment of carved wooden fruit. My grandparents lived for a time in Thailand, and brought back and assortment of hand carved furnishings and decor. I managed to snag a double set of the fruit. So much cooler than old-school wax ones.

Simple wooden bowls and green accents match the runners. Perfect from the green transition of summer to the ruddy browns of fall.

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Enjoy other great DIY, Crafts, & Decor at these link parties: By Stephanie Lynn, The Pin Junkie, Craftberry Bush, Craftionary, The Jenny Evolution, Peek into My Paradise, Tidy Mom, My Romantic Home, Simply Sweet Home, The Stitchin’ Mommy, DIY Vintage Chic, Twigg Studios, I Should Be Mopping The Floor

Posted on August 29, 2013January 20, 2019 by Brianna — 15 Comments

Vases from Butternut Squash

Autumn vases created from butternut squash

If you haven’t read Monday’s post this is going to seem like a rather odd tutorial. I have a few of those from time to time. But I’ll shall forge ahead showing you one of my favorite ways to use vegetables and fruit: As decorative containers.

Supplies (not shown because… well you read the list)

Butternut Squash (or similar gourd-like vegetable)

Knife

Long Handled Spoon

Floral Foam/Oasis or Test Tube

Step 1: Get an adult who can actually use a knife properly

‘Knife Skills’ are not my specialty but I found using a sharp steak knife to saw at the squash allowed for a straighter, cleaner cut that could be completed while the squash was standing upright. This is important because no squash sits perfectly level. You have to actually sit them on a flat surface then cut parallel to the surface of you want a nice flat vase-like top.

Step 2: Scoops Away!

DIY Autumn vase from butternut squash, step 2 hollowing it out. — So much less yuck than cleaning out pumpkins!

Use the same knife to begin hollowing out the squash. Follow up with a long handled spoon to get way down in the neck.

Step 3: Hold your Water

Depending on how long you want to keep your arrangements you can use one of the two methods. The first way I insert a vial to hold water. You can get them in floral supply sections, however, I use leftover plastic ones from my husbands home-brewing hobby. They started their life holding yeast cultures. This method works well for longer periods. The squash can dry a bit and that keeps it from molding and deteriorating as fast.

The second method just jams pre-soaked floral foam into the vase. I have found the butternut squash will hold the wet foam without leaking. However, because the squash is constantly in contact with moisture it will mold much quicker. This method is a great option if you want them for a dinner party or just for a couple of days. And much easier since you won’t have to hollow out the squash as far to accommodate the vial.

So am I crazy? Or does anyone else use fruits and vegetables in decorating? If you do I’d love to hear in the comments below.