- Take
A Can Of Gold Spray Paint...
- BY COLLEEN
MOULDING
Add some glitz
to your decorations with just a can of spray paint. Choose silver
for a cool ice palace look or gold for a traditional gleam scheme.
Below is a list of ordinary items that become beautiful Christmas
decorations with a few thin coats of spray paint. Hunt around
the house, not forgetting the craft and sewing cupboards and
you will probably find lots more items to transform.
1). Pine cones. Attach a florist's wire and push into foam while
painting. Pile into baskets or clear vases or attach a ribbon
and real or fake greenery and use to decorate drawer and door
knobs all around the house.
2). Dried flowers that are past their best come alive again with
a quick spray. Split up inexpensive silk flowers, like a bunch
of poinsettias and use with the gold dried flowers and a few
cones for a pretty Christmas display.
3). Ivy, whole strands to weave through decorations, wrap napkins
or trail from displays, or single leaves to decorate wrapped
presents or hand made cards.
4). Terracotta pots. Rub gently with sandpaper before spraying,
add sand to the bottom and use as candle holders.
5). Spray small branches or large twigs before winding tiny white
lights through them to light up a dull corner or even instead
of a tree if space is a problem.
6). Make small bundles of twigs 3-4" long. Spray, leave
to dry, then tie on to trees or swags with a pretty ribbon.
7). Spray pasta shapes for children to string, use as garland
anywhere in the house.
8). Hot glue walnuts to each other to make little clusters that
look fabulous when spray painted and can be added to wreaths,
swags, anything!
9). Dig out those shells you've been wondering what to do with.
Gleaming with gold they will look great on your holiday table
or make an unexpected seasonal accent in the bathroom.
10). Large seed pods look superb sprayed gold or silver. Use
them in floral displays to add drama.
11). Baubles and tree decorations that no longer match your scheme
become useful again with a couple of light coats of gold or silver
paint.
12). Apples and pears look gorgeous if you don't completely cover
them. Add to mantle displays, swags and wreaths, indoors or out,
but make sure that children know they must not eat them.
13). Baskets of any type look wonderful for Christmas fruit and
floral displays when dressed up in their Christmas gold and decorated
with a ribbon. To avoid the basket weave getting clogged up remember
that two or three thin coats works much better than one thick
one.
14). Wrap little wads of paper with delicate white tissue paper,
then swoosh gold or silver paint over them, not covering all
of the white, before leaving to dry. Then tie on a gold or silver
ribbon and use them to decorate the tree, swags, etc.
15). Spray large flat pebbles or chunky stones to catch the light
sitting among your candles.
16). Spraying the outside of baby food or other small jars, makes
an ideal home for votive candles to light your path or porch
when visitors arrive.
17). Napkin rings that no longer match your table decor are easily
transformed with a swish or two of your spray can. Add a coat
of clear varnish for a longer lasting finish.
18). A set of mismatched photograph frames make a lovely display
once sprayed, or an extra gift for Grandma if filled with family
photographs.
19). Old artificial wreaths or tabletop trees can become beautiful
again in minutes. Keep the spray very light for these, building
up several coats to get the look you want or just swooshing over
the tips.
20). Dough shapes. Use your cookie cutters to make star, tree,
heart or moon shapes from salt dough. Make sure you make a hole
to thread cord or ribbon through before drying in a very low
oven or just leaving in a warm place for a few days before spraying.
These look surprisingly opulent when added to swags or hung from
the Christmas tree.
Note:
Paint spraying is best done outside in the open air as it can
be very toxic. Even outside you will need to protect the area
with plastic sheeting or even old sheets you no longer need.
Small items can be sprayed inside a cardboard box with the opening
facing towards you as the sides stop the paint going everywhere.
If you do have to work indoors, make sure you open all the windows
and wear a mask. Be especially careful to keep items that you
have spray painted away from fires and other heat sources such
as radiators.
- Merry Christmas!
Colleen Moulding
http://www.allthatwomenwant.com
Copyright 2002
- _______________________________________
Author:
Colleen is
owner/editor of http://www.allthatwomenwant.com a magazine and web
guide for women everywhere covering home and decorating, parenting,
saving money, organizing, gardening, women's biz, health, recipes,
relationships and more.
Subscribe to
our FREE monthly ezine by sending a blank email message to allthatwomenwant-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
and check out her new e-book Christmas - All Wrapped Up at the
low introductory price of $5.
It will help
you get organized with the Christmas Countdown, recipes and timeplan,
give you gift basket ideas, decorating inspiration, printable
lists and place cards and a printable Letter From Santa to delight
your children. There are craft ideas, Christmas quotations and
jokes, Christmas on the Web, gag gifts made for pennies to give
friends a giggle, gift wrapping ideas, party themes and more.Click
on the link and find out how to download your complete guide
to an easier Christmas!
http://www.allthatwomenwant.com/christmasallwrappedup.htm
____________________________________
ARTICLE POSTED
DECEMBER 12, 2002
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