paint

The Golden Apple

I know the traditional harvest decorations are corn and pumpkins but what about apples.  Specifically golden apples.  Ever heard of the goose that laid the golden apple?  Yeah, this tutorial is kinda like that, but I’m not laying anything and we are making an golden apple… With letters…  So basically not the same at all… Anyway on to the tutorial:   Supplies Vinyl Letters* (I have a craft machine that cuts vinyl but any vinyl letters will work) Gold Spray Paint* Fresh Apple Step 1: Set up the Setup This is going to seem like a no-brainer tutorial but there … Read more…

Halloween Mantel

Halloween Mantel with Dripping Flesh Garland

I have stated before that I usually like the ‘prettier’ halloween.  Glittered skulls, pretty potions, mystical & magical versus ghouls and gore is more up my alley.  However, this year I just wasn’t feeling it.  I even had ravens, black tulle, and lots of green glitter all ready to go.  Instead I opted to make a huge mess with paint and plaster.   I think once you have a giant eye attached to your mantel, you kinda have to continue with the theme.   In comes spider webs and zombie candles.  Lots of spider webs…   And lots of zombie … Read more…

A Garland: Evil Eyes & Rotting Flesh

Evil eye and rotting flesh garland

The title of this post tickles me to no end.  I usually make ‘pretty’ garlands like these, but I just couldn’t help but make some gruesome rotting flesh with an evil eye centerpiece to go along with my Zombie Candles.   I adore pretty Halloween with glittered skulls and fancy cocktails potions, but I was just in a more gruesome mood this year.  I don’t think many people will want to recreate this garland, but I did a quick mashup of the process in case anyone was interested. It involves plaster, paint, and plastic sheeting.  Here is an interpretation of … Read more…

Zombie Candles For Halloween

Undead Candles

I happen to be just a tiny bit obsessed with the undead.  I love to watch zombie movies! Needless to say with Halloween rolling around I needed to make something related to zombies.  In comes the idea for inanimate objects turned into zombies and out rolls my tutorial for undead candles: The following tutorial involves flame, knives, and paint attached to questionably flammable surfaces.  Basically, do not try this at home and then sue me.  I have no money anyway.  Supplies for the Zombie Apocalypse: Candles: White or suitably decaying flesh color Steak/Serrated Knife Flame in the form of lighter … Read more…

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.   … Read more…