Painting & Antiquing Techniques Archives - Page 8 of 33

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How to Paint a Giant Mandala Deck Tattoo

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

As promised, I’m back today to show you how to paint a giant mandala tattoo on your deck. Painting a design on your deck can turn an ordinary deck into a beautiful retreat. Add a few colorful accessories and you’ll have a backyard Bali getaway! Creating the mandala is a lot easier than it looks. Ready to get started?

Materials:

Thompson’s Water Seal Semi-Transparent Deck Stain – Acorn Brown
Chalk
Tape measure
Circle object to trace (dinner plate, paint can, etc.)
Push pin
String
Damp rag
White Farmhouse Paint (Or other chalky paint)
Sander
Small and medium round paint brushes
Deck Stain Pad

Instructions:

Pre-stained your deck with one coat of Thompson’s Waterseal Semi-transparent stain. (I used Acorn Brown.) Allow the stain to dry.

Choose the location for the center of your design. Trace around a small circular object or use the tack and string to trace a small circle.

Place the thumbtack in the center of the small circle and draw circles radiating out from the center. Try to add more distance from the previous circle as you go outward. (i.e. 3″ from the center, 6″ from the inner circle, 10″ from the 2nd circle.)

Divide your inner circle into eight sections and make a chalk tick marks. Read more

March 27, 2015/18 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

accessories, art, Beach, Before and After, dark wood, Destinations, floor protectors, flooring, Furniture, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, Rub n' Buff, stain

Thompson’s WaterSeal Bali Dream Deck Reveal

Bali Dream Deck for Thompsons Water Seal | Pretty Handy Girl

Last month while most of the US was under heavy blankets of snow and ice, I flew to Dallas. I was hoping to find warm temperatures and lots of sun. And if I couldn’t find any, I’d create my own with my sister, Caitlin’s help. Thompson’s WaterSeal asked me to design a dream deck and told me to bring an assistant. Normally I work alone, but when I need help with design and décor I know I can always count on Caitlin. Some of you may remember when Caitlin and I worked together on renovating this beach condo. Caitlin is the talented designer behind Symmetry Designs.

When we arrived, the weather was mild, but we were still craving some warm sunshine. We decided to create a Bali getaway destination on our Thompson’s WaterSeal Deck. We started with a clean slate deck pre-stained with Thompson’s WaterSeal Semi-Transparent Water Proofing Stain in a beautiful Acorn Brown color.

Joining us were Beckie from Infarrantly Creative with her assistant Erin and Ashley & Jamin from The Handmade Home. They also had a blank slate deck to design.

The first thing Caitlin and I did was paint a giant white mandala “tattoo” on our deck. Read more

March 23, 2015/12 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

accessories, Paintbrushes, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, Product Review

New! Shur-line Pro Paint Edger Product Review

Shur-line Paint Edger Review | Pretty Handy Girl

Last month I received a little care package from Shur-line. I opened the kit and assessed the products with speculation. As you probably remember, I don’t generally like new painting gadgets. I have my tried and true painting tools that I use and I rarely find new ones that I like better. As I was getting ready to re-paint the living room, I grabbed for the Shur-line Pro Paint Edger. Having been a fan of our old Shur-line edger, I really didn’t think that they could have improved much on the design.

Well, I was wrong, and this is my new favorite paint edger.

The biggest change they made was to add flip up edge guards. Why would you want this?

It protects the wheels and the edge guard from getting paint on it when you reload the paint! Brilliant.

In the past, I had to be careful not to dip the wheels in the paint when re-loading. And, I inevitably had to wipe off the wheels with a damp rag when I did. Now, they flip up and out of the way when you raise the little handle between the roller wheels. After the paint is loaded, flip the handle down and the wheels and edge guards are ready to edge. Read more

March 13, 2015/8 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

contact paper, Decor Adventures, decoupage, Furniture, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques

Fool Proof Way to Update Furniture Like a Pro

Hello friends! It’s Jessica from Decor Adventures, back this month with tips on The Fool Proof Way to Update Furniture Like a Pro! I have some tips to make your furniture finishes look like they were professionally done. Help you pick the best paint, primer and tools for the job. And finally a few quick and easy ways to update your furniture in minutes! If you’ve been craving updated furniture, but aren’t sure where to start, this is your chance.

Prepare Your Furniture the Right Way

Proper preparation will make the whole project a success. First remove any hardware. Carefully look over your piece and fill any cracks or dents with wood putty.

Sand the putty and the rest of the furniture until the finish is smooth.

If you didn’t have to use any wood putty, a light sanding with a sanding block will go a long way to helping your paint stick and give you a smoother finish. Remove any sawdust, dirt and debris from the piece with a tack cloth or vacuum. Finish cleaning off the furniture with a damp rag and mild cleanser. Allow your furniture piece to dry.

Inexpensive Faux Copper and Patina Metal

Do you love the look of copper, but the price makes your head whip the other way? Have no fear my dear! You can create inexpensive faux copper and patina for a fraction of the cost.

I was introduced to Modern Masters Metal Effects at Haven last year and the finish definitely fooled me. I honestly thought it was real copper. When I read up on the product, I realized that there are real copper particles in the paint which allows it to react and patina with the Metal Effects Green Patina Solution. (affiliate link)

The uses for this paint are limitless! Discount light fixtures can be transformed into luxury copper versions with a little paint and patina spray. Paint inexpensive statues to look like real metal. Even Virgin Records and Ceasar’s Palace have used the paint and patina on exterior roof surfaces to fake the look. You may have seen the copper panel on our family organization center door. Today I want to show you how to create Inexpensive Copper Metal and Patina using Metal Effects!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Optional: Sea sponge

Instructions:

Cut your piece of sheet metal to size using tin snips. Be sure to wear work gloves to avoid cutting yourself on the metal. Wipe off any dirt or grease.

Coat the metal with one coat of primer. Let it dry and apply a second coat of primer.

After the primer has dried, add one coat of the Metal Effects copper paint. After that dries, add a second coat. Read more

February 27, 2015/86 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Update Furniture Like a Pro Materials: (Affiliate links.)

Prepare Your Furniture the Right Way

Materials:

Instructions:

Update Furniture Like a Pro Materials:
(Affiliate links.)