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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
About Colleen Moulding
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
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