(Faux) Blackened Wax Fruit Tutorial~Thrift Shop Bowl Makeover

 If you read my blog on a regular basis you already know that I'm a thrift shop junkie. I have a favorite local shop run by the sweetest little ladies. They are exceptionally kind to me and always seem to have the "good stuff". Last week I stopped by, and among other things, found this...

...large wooden bowl filled with faux fruit, only $4. This is only a few pieces of the fruit, as I nearly forgot to snap a "before" photo. I had an idea brewing and was impatient excited to get started.

I've always wanted a big ol' bowl of the beautiful blackened wax fruit that I see in shops, but being the cheapskate that I am, have never wanted to spend the money on something "I can make myself". Yes, yes we've all been there, haven't we? We CAN make it...but we almost never do. Well, when I saw this lovely big wooden bowl filled with fruit I got the idea to turn faux fruit into "blacken wax" faux fruit. And if it didn't work...well, the bowl was still a deal at $4, right? And while I was at it, I decided I'd give the bowl a new/old finish.

~Before~

 I already had everything I needed, so I gathered my materials.

 

 For the faux wax fruit you only need a few things.

Black Acrylic Paint, Matte Finish (the cheap stuff is fine)

Ground Cinnamon  (the cheap stuff is fine here too. I bought ALDI brand)

Small Artist's Paintbrush

Drop Cloth

Handheld Hairdryer (optional, but sure speeds up drying)

This project is so easy...you're gonna love it.

Spread out your drop cloth and give yourself plenty of room to work. If you do a lot of pieces, you'll have fruit drying everywhere. Using full strength paint, begin painting each piece of fruit with a nice even coat. I painted one side of each piece of fruit then sat it aside to dry and did the next piece. Then I went back and painted the other side of each piece. I checked each piece in bright light to be sure I had good coverage. You want the original color of the fruit to be completely covered. 

 Like this.

I didn't paint the stems. Tip: If any of the fruit is missing a stem-or if they look "fake", you can replace them with stems from real fruit. Just poke a small hole in the top using an awl or a large needle and glue in the replacement stem. Do this before adding the cinnamon.  

 Now for the tricky part. OK, not really...there is no tricky part.

After the fruit is completely dry (this is where the hairdryer comes in handy), pour your bottle of cinnamon into a shallow dish. This project only uses up a small amount of cinnamon, but you can keep what's leftover to use on another project. Just don't use it for cooking. Now, roll each piece of fruit in the cinnamon. You can gently pat, rub or sprinkle...whatever works for you. I just rolled mine around, then sat each piece aside while I painted my bowl. 

Now for the bowl...I started by giving my bowl a good washing and allowing it to dry overnight before painting. There was no previous finish on the bowl. For painting the bowl I used Old Century Colors, acrylic paint in the color, Olde Pewter 2023. I used full strength paint to get the look of a heavily painted old bowl...but you can water your paint down (one part paint, two parts water) for a more transparent look. 

 My painted bowl, before the antiquing process.

I painted the bottom of the bowl, going around in a circular motion, with the grain. Pay special attention to the rim and the bottom where you would see natural wear, were it an antique bowl. If you get too much paint on the bowl, just use a wet cloth to scrub some off, again following the bowl's contours. You can also use fine sandpaper to remove a bit of paint. When you're happy with the way it looks, set it aside to dry. Again, I used a hairdryer to speed up the process.

After your bowl is dry you'll want to go over it with an antiquing medium to give it a bit of age. I used Folkart/Plaid Antiquing Medium, in the color Apple Butter Brown, to stain my bowl. Mix one part antiquing medium to two parts water. Remember a little goes a long way. Brush the mixture on over the outside of the bowl and quickly wipe off excess stain with a dry cloth. Then repeat on the inside of the bowl. The antiquing medium drys fast and the longer it sits, the darker the wood will be. If it is too dark for your liking, wipe some stain off with a wet cloth. 

The  bottom of my painted bowl, after a light sanding and applying the antiquing medium.

I antiqued both the inside, and the outside of my bowl. Keep in mind that you won't want to use these products on the inside if you plan to serve food in your bowl, as they are not food-safe. 

 The inside of my finished bowl is a nice warm brown color.

~After~

Looks  and smells just like the real deal...and just in time for my Thanksgiving table!

That's it! Told you it was easy!

Until next time...

Rhonda

Tuesday Display Chain~ Patina~

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings, chooses a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her Tuesday Display Chain. "This weeks theme is ~ Patina ~ old finishes or new surfaces... patinas that you just LOVE."

I am thrilled to be participating in the Display Chain again! It's always so much fun to peek into each others homes and share our treasures. It was a little tricky for me this week as we are still painting and rearranging rooms to make more space for my studio/sewing area. I can't really complain...I am truly blessed to have my own creative space. But it does make photo ops a little more difficult for the time being. Anyway, here goes:

My first real primitive antique, this old tool carrier was a gift from my Mother-in-love almost 30 years ago. I spotted it while we were shopping and it showed up under the Christmas tree for me that year. I love the big chunk cut from the end...and of course the great patina.

 

My Gram's old sewing box, atop an old blue bench in the living room. The perfect place to put your feet up and stitch. 

  In the same room, this craigslist find keeps my sewing needfuls close at hand. I think this is a new piece, made with old wood. Either way, it has a great old finish. I've aged the walls using a rolled rag technique...still trying to decide if I like it. I'm thinking it may be the wallpaper that needs to go. The old basket on the floor has a great green painted finish. Love it!

 Mr. Kattywhompus & have attended Indiana's Covered Bridge Festival every fall for over 30 years. We found this old pie safe in deplorable condition "a long time ago". After stripping away layers of (gross) old pain, reinforcing the interior shelves, and repairing the doors, it became one of our favorite pieces. The tin is original and the sweet punch needle heart is from Ronda Tedder at Simple Thyme Prims.

A stack of old wooden bowls atop the kitchen drysink.

 Pewter salt & pepper, a gift from my Mom.

This Old Hickory Ottoman is part of a set I found at a garage sale for $25. The sisters I bought it from thought it was ugly. My motto? The uglier the better! I love the finish on both the wood and the woven seats. 

 Early morning sunlight casts shadows on finishes both old and new. I like the way the red faux finish on the pewter cupboard compliments the "attic" finish on this old trunk. An elderly friend who knew I "liked junk" gave me the trunk many years ago, and the cupboard was a tag sale find, $50. I scurried out of a thrift store in Galesburg, Illinois with the lavender and gold coverlet for $7. It's big enough to fit a queen size bed and in perfect condition. I love the unusual colors, especially for springtime displays.

 Old spoons at rest in a newly painted spoon rack.

Lots of patina here. A great old firkin sits among old green and brown spatterware on the buttery shelves. See the little spice cabinet to the left? The one with the great distressed finish? In my enthusiasm for faux finishes, I painted over the original finish, complete with stencils. Yeah, don't do that. To redeem myself...I did  find the wonderful little yellowware bowl on top for 25 cents at a garage sale.

And speaking of patina...

Until next time...

Rhonda

 

Scavenger Hunt~List #2

 

I am so relieved that I have what I need for Misi's scavenger hunt this week...no giggles or running from house to house for me. I'm afraid I was stricken with a case of the vapors over the past few days. Thankfully, it seems to have passed.  

Here's the list for week #2...

 

~A Child's Chair~

As a boy, Mr. Kattywhompus sat in these chairs during Sunday school. When the new church was built, we inherited two of the chairs from his childhood classroom. Later they were used by our three boys.

 ~Blue Willow China~

 ...which inspired me to make these wonderful lemon-blueberry scones. (Thanks Jenn!)

~Tin or Metal Tree~

A little wire tree dedicated to the birds and bees(wax).

Close up of the delightful ornaments I bought from Linda.

~Wooden Toy Boat~

I rescued this toy boat from the sell pile...sure glad it's not garage sale season yet.

~Corn Dryer~

A friend made this corn dryer for me using her homegrown popcorn.

~A Colonial Print (featuring a boy and a girl)~

Even though both children depicted are wearing dresses, there are a couple of subtle differences in their clothing that tells us that we are indeed looking at a boy and a girl. The young boy on the left wears a low-neck dress, with coat sleeves and a complete front opening to the hem. The girls dress has a higher neck (which is difficult to see here) and a closed front.

And for Bero...

~A Wooden Buggy Yoke~

Not nearly as nice as his...but a buggy yoke none-the-less.

Please stop by Misi's blog to share in the fun!

Until next time...

~Thrifty Thursday~

If you hang around here long enough you will come to realize that almost everything I own has had a previous owner. We don't have priceless antiques and almost everything is patched or remade from someone's castoffs. Nothing here is museum quality...and I'm good with that. I am a thrifty person by nature and go by the old adage, "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. My old granny taught me well how to use up every bit of something, be it food or fabric. 

Like many of you, I frequent thrift shops and garage sales looking for buried treasure. I like the challenge of stretching a dollar or finding something at a rock bottom price. And since we are kindred spirits, I thought you might enjoy seeing a few of my finds from the last week. 

 ~When I came around the corner and saw this little cupboard in the shop I was immediately drawn to all the little drawers & knobs...then I saw the $15 price tag! It is missing one knob, and I might paint it (black?) , but I think I did pretty well for my money.~

The same shop always has a great selection of vintage glassware and jewelry. This week was no exception... 

  ~I found three pretty transferware plates in a springy green floral, a triple strand pearl necklace and a wonderful old tarnished cream & sugar-perfect for make-do pincushions...

...and this long strand of vintage glass beads in peaches and pinks...I have the perfect blouse to go with these.~

Some of you might remember my recent post about Picking. My overall best junkin' advice was to treat people the way you'd like to be treated. I tried my best to convince everyone that kindness matters...

There is a lovely older woman who tends one of the local church resales in my area...she is always especially gracious to me. Through conversation we have discovered that we both have an appreciation for many of the same things. She was an avid seamstress in her day and really knows her stuff. From time to time, I bring dolls and other projects into the shop to show her what I'm working on. I really just love talking with her. Last week when I was in the shop she said the words any die-hard, thrift store junkie loves to hear..."Come in the back. I have something special for you."

~As I unpacked everything she explained to me that she had brought this box from home...especially for me. The laces were freshly laundered and she had attached little notes telling who made each piece. She told me she wanted me to have these things.  Her generosity was truly overwhelming.~

~She had even rolled some of the lace into pretty little rosettes.~

And then there was this...

Someone had donated a beautiful quilt kit, enough fabric to make a queen size bed. Can you imagine? 

My generous friend said, "I thought of you when I saw it."

~Just look at all those adorable prints!~

So as you travel on your thrifty adventures this week, smile, and remember to practice the golden rule. Because kindness still matters.

Until next time...

Spring Scavenger Hunt #1

Remember when you were twelve and went to your best friend's birthday party? How her mother served tacos and always thought of the best games? For me, the scavenger hunt was the highlight of the party...running from door to door in the twilight, giggling with friends, knocking on doors...the list in one hand, your bag of booty in the other. Thank you Misi, for making me feel twelve again. 

*Giggle, Giggle* 
Here's the list for week one...

1. Old Jar of Garden seeds

"I wait at the window, sowing the seeds that I keep in a jar by the door (along with my face)." Oops...channeling a little Eleanor Rigby there...

 Sometimes the packaging is almost as pretty as the blooms.~

  ~These old seed jars were a gift from Aunt Annie. They were used in her father's feed store to dispense garden seeds. The original 1952 labels remain intact.~

~Mr. Kattywhompus now uses them to store his heirloom bean seeds for the coming year.~

2. Faceless Rag/Cloth Doll

~I traced a wooden spoon to create a pattern for this little doll and outfitted her in the most basic of dresses. 
Sew Simple.~



~And here's a little mini-makeover for you. I found these faceless clothespin dolls on clearance in a local antique booth last week. My first though was, "Hey that's real calico". My second thought was,"Ugh, hot glue...really?" But the little dolls alone were worth the $4 I paid, so I brought this piece home and gave it a face-lift. Now it looks like this...~

 ~The changes I made were simple, but I think, made this piece so much nicer. I repainted the frame black, sanded it a bit, then gave it a coat of dark Bri-wax. I turned the quilt scrap upside down to show off the little patch of red. I moved the little dolls (which were literally hanging by a thread) ever so slightly and then put  everything back together more securely.~

3. Homespun Pillow Case – (adult bed size or larger)

~When Misi listed homespun pillow cases, I gasped...I didn't HAVE homespun pillow cases! So I promptly made a set. Why make your own pillow cases? Because you can choose your favorite homespun fabric, and add special touches like feather stitching along the edge.~

~We are not amused...
 ~Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a large angry cat to perch on a bed pillow that you have precariously balanced on the counter top?~

4. Pastry Roller

~An old ironstone rolling pin from my Great, Great, Grandmother, Lucinda Bebe Jacobs, rests alongside my everyday rolling pin and a stoneware pastry crimper. My Gram told me the rolling pin was already missing it's wooden handles when she used it as a girl. The little crimper was one of the first antiques I ever bought. I bought the noodle board at an auction thirty years ago for $3. No one knew what it was at the time...including me.~

5. Doll Bed

~Here is Miss Kattywhompus looking out of sorts. She awoke to find herself sleeping in the buttery like a common servant. For someone who sleeps in a bed made from old crates, she certainly puts on airs.~

6. A piece of old Ironstone Pottery/Dishware

~I found this pretty green Meakin ironstone at a local thrift shop just last week. My intention was to sell it...until I got it home and saw how charming it looked alongside the narcissus and daffodils. The color says "springtime", wouldn't you agree?~

  These three pieces comprise my entire collection of all white antique ironstone...but I'm working on it.

Please stop by Misi's blog to share in the fun! 

Until next time...
Rhonda