Welcome back!
Some of you may have been a part of my poll on Instagram stories regarding whether or not to paint and distress the vintage candlesticks I thrifted over the weekend. A whopping 91% of you agreed that yes, the awesome Goodwill find needed a little freshening up.
On Saturday, Zach and I hopped in the car and got out of the house. We have all been getting over a cold this last week and I finally felt like I was ready to resume life as usual. We had a box of donation items for Goodwill and I wanted to stop in and hopefully find some 4×6 photo frames (for another project, of course). After browsing thru the frames we moseyed thru the housewares section and what do you know? Down on the bottom shelf was a box that caught my eye! I got down low to check it out – it was a pair of candlesticks, sealed in a box that was perfectly packaged and never opened. While I am crouched down digging them off the bottom shelf I hear little Zach say “Mama?” As if he didn’t know where I went… The price tag was $12.99. Now, this should be the exciting part where I tell you it had a red tag and it was red tag day so it was 50% off… However, that was not the case I’m afraid. I had to pay full price for these gorgeous candlesticks but I didn’t mind (the low end for a pair of tall candlesticks probably starts at $30 and goes up from there). So we splurged!
I had already pretty much made up my mind about painting these babies as soon as I laid eyes on them. But I am trying new ways of engaging my IG followers so I thought I would try out a poll to see who was willing to weigh-in (and thank you to those who did!). I was a little nervous about the whole process (the project, not the poll!). I mean, they looked nice the way they were – what if the paint and distress didn’t work out and I ended up ruining a good thing? What if I wasted $12.99 on a project that failed. Tom and I also argued what they were made out of – he said plastic and I said wood… Tom also has a preference for brown things, I prefer white so we always disagree when it comes to home decor. And what if they were plastic? Would they take paint and distress the way I wanted? But I had done enough painting reclaiming and distressing in the past that I was willing to give it a fair chance.
The following is a simple tutorial on how I freshened up these tall, vintage candlesticks.
Materials: 1. Foam or soft bristle paint brush – I used a small foam brush. 2. Paint – I used a white, non-toxic, low-odor and fast drying craft paint. 3. Sand paper – I used a medium grit sandpaper (150). 4. Candlesticks
Step 1: Make sure your sticks are clean. Remove any debris or dust with a clean cloth.
Step 2: Paint away! The candlesticks I used have a lot of deep crevices that are difficult to paint. One coat of paint should be sufficient if distressing. Allow paint to dry.
Step 3: Fold and/or crinkle the sand paper in your hand and brush over the details and edges of the candlesticks to your liking. Don’t worry, this process is very forgiving. I used a combination of light to heavy pressure depending on the location and thickness of paint. Dust off the candlesticks when distressing is completed.
Step 4: All done and ready to display on a mantel, table, etc. with a flameless candle!
Hints: Some materials (especially glossier finishes) might take paint easier with a little sanding prior to painting. And don’t worry about getting paint in every nook and cranny – remember you will be distressing and want to see those imperfections!
The whole project took me approximately 1.5hrs (most of which was allowing the paint to dry). Quick and easy projects that actually turn out are THE BEST!
Well friends, there you have it. My very first tutorial! Please remember to subscribe to my blog and follow me on instagram! Please tag #meetthebarnes – I would love to see your own creations.
Happy crafting!
