Hi lovelies! Today I’m sharing how I updated my entryway with an awesome yard sale find from last Summer. It was time. This is what was still hanging this morning:
Not the garland, just the wreath. It was perfect for my Christmas Home Tour and I thought since it was just a snowman, it could hang out with us a little longer.
But my husband said this is the reason Spring has eluded us. Seriously? I took it down immediately and anyone who lives near me, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault.
In search of what to put there, I headed to my garage and guess what I found?
Hmmm…Yes! I found three of these for $5 at a yard sale last Summer. What a deal! It was first thing in the morning and the poor woman was so overwhelmed and of course I didn’t argue. I snapped them right up. But they’ve just been taking up space in my personal yard sale thrift store estate sale dumping ground our garage.
I decided to paint one to replace the snowman wreath in my entry way. I wouldn’t really call it an entry way, but it’s the first thing you see when you enter our front door:
Loving the boxwood on it…
I wanted it to have a bit of an aged feel, but I didn’t want to sand the metal. So before spray painting with Rustoleum’s Heirloom White, I added a little petroleum jelly here and there. The paint did not adhere in those spots, so I was able to use a cloth to lightly rub away the paint.
I like the overall effect. I rubbed in a little of Annie Sloan’s dark wax to age it a bit more.
I had just done the top portion in that photo.
I’m loving the result. It’s hard to see the aging in photos, but it’s just enough for me.
I think it works with the staircase. Now if we could just get rid of the carpet.
The boxwood makes it feel like Spring! (Which is so much better than being greeted with Christmas!)
I’m really pleased with how it turned out and you can’t beat $5. There are a few metal scrolly pieces I’ve donated or sold at yard sales over the years that probably could have been saved with a little spray paint therapy.
How about you? Have you ever spray painted metal work? More importantly, do you still have your Christmas wreath up?
XO,
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Mindie Hilton says
Very pretty, doesn’t look like a $5 find. Please come share at Bacon Time linky.
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Mindie! Just linked this and my Spring wreath up. Thanks for the invite. 🙂
Kim (TheKimSixFix) says
So pretty! I love it in white! And for $5 what a deal!!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Kim! I was so excited when I found them, but they’ve just been sitting in my garage. I’m so glad I was able to find a use for one. Have a great day! XO
Traci says
I have sprayed a number of metal objects but I recently bought 2 casted decorative railing pieces from England and I will be painting them with silver and them just a bit of gold to warm it up. Then I am going to frame them and display them in my master bedroom. I have also sprayed quite a few metal trays, some are silver plated but the finish was ruined so why not paint away.
In answer to your second question, I just took my Christmas wreath down. It was pinecones and fake green and I have attached a chalkboard sign saying, Welcome Friends. I figured it could stay up til the end of winter which seems to be over here in California.
Christy K. James says
Sounds like you’ve found a couple of beautiful pieces. And it’s great that you were able to make your wreath work a little longer! Have a great day! XO
Cindy Eikenberg says
Christy, what a great piece and the boxwood wreath looks wonderful on it! You always find the best stuff and give it such amazing new life. I cannot even admit to you how much of my Christmas decorations are still up – I swore last year it wouldn’t happen again, I’d be better organized and more on top of my blogging time. THAT didn’t happen, lol. Hubby is saying we should put some Easter eggs in Christmas village with a sign that says “Closed for the season.” 🙂 Thanks for sharing this and pinning! Have a happy Tuesday!
Christy K. James says
That is too funny, Cindy! I would love to keep my village up longer, but we just don’t have the space! I saw several pieces of an Easter village at the thrift store the other day and I was very tempted. 🙂
Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods says
Awesome $5 Yard Sale find and it fits perfectly in your space! Well done!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Ashley! I think I’m lovin it. 🙂
Cindy @ Diy beautify says
Oh my, this totally speaks to my ‘shabby at heart’ heart 🙂 I love how the middle section looks like angel wings now! You should totally send one of these my way 😉 I spray painted my faux metal tissue paper holder in my bathroom and a real metal shelf that I put above the ‘throne’ the same hammered bronze when we moved into our home last year…to make it look cohesive (one was that fake shiny silver, the other was black). Now they look great. I did go through a whole can of spray paint though!!
Christy K. James says
I’m so glad you like it, Cindy! Spray paint is awesome!!
Abby says
Love how this looks and the wreath is perfect for spring. Five dollars is an amazing deal, lucky you!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Abby! I was so excited about finding these. The poor lady that was selling them was so rattled, I know I got a steal. 🙂
Sherri S. says
I LOVE it!!! You inspire me to paint something 🙂 love the boxwood wreath on it as well.
Have a great day!
~Sherri
Christy K. James says
Awesome, Sherri! I’m thrilled you feel inspired. 🙂
Pat says
I have painted metal, but not cleverly. Just restoring an old cast iron bed. Have some pieces in my garage and basement I’ll be working on soon.f
Christy K. James says
Ooh, I’d love to find an old cast iron bed! Good luck with your projects. 🙂
Marie @ The Interior Frugalista says
Wow $5.00, I would’ve snatched those up too. Love it in white and looks so pretty in your entry with the boxwood wreath.
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Marie! It’s a nice change from my snowman wreath. 🙂
Funky Junk Interiors says
The perfect piece for that perfect space! This is so lovely!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Donna! 🙂
Shanna Gilbert says
Love it Christy! It turned out beautifully! What a great find!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Shanna! I’m so glad I finally did something with one of them. 🙂
Andi says
Beautiful! And I love the boxwood. I plan on getting me some boxwood very soon. 🙂
-andi
Christy K. James says
Yay…I can’t wait to see what you do to the outside. Can’t go wrong with boxwoods. 🙂
Candyce Blodgett says
How clever you are to use Vaseline! That’s a tip I hope to remember for the rest of my painting days! Thank you for sharing!!
Christy K. James says
Yes, so simple but I always forget to use it ha ha. Glad I remembered this time. 🙂
Dining Delight says
You made me feel better as I thought I was bad still having my Valentine wreath up! Love how your project turned out! I love it with the white paint but it looked good even before you painted it – what a steal at $5! The boxwood wreath is the perfect addition for the spring time feel!
DD
Christy K. James says
It’s my pleasure to help you erase all guilt related to your Valentine’s wreath! According to my “wreath removal time-clock”, you’ve got at least another month. 🙂
Jan says
It’s a beautiful piece – and you got 3 for a total of $5??? Or $5 each? Either way, a total bargain. I’m sure you’ve seen what similar pieces are going for in the 2014 catalogs and websites of popular vendors! Wow. I hope you won’t be insultes, I think the piece needs to be shabbified up so more of the dark color shows through. In it’s current state I believe it is too light to show to full advantage against your light wall color. It doesn’t catch one’s eye at much as it might when entering the door and draw one into the house. The wreath is a welcome touch of spring green! I would love to see some scrolled metal piece or something, not sure what, but I think it (or more than one it?) should be long and narrow, centered underneath the bottom of the “window” to fill in the gap between its bottom and the top of the baseboard. The window art needs to be anchored more to the baseboard, I think. BTW, here in SE Wisconsin winter has been absolutely the nastiest in 30 years, with way below “normal” temperatures and unrelenting windchills far below zero Farenheit. I had more than one person tell me they’d taken down much beloved snowmen and other “wintry” decorations that they would otherwise leave up after Christmas because they thought they might be “jinxing” spring from coming, or were told so by other fellow suffering Wisconsinites! Lots of anecdotal evidence from around here seems to support this hypothesis, so maybe your husband was right 🙂 🙂 🙂
Christy K. James says
My sister lives in Kenosha, WI and they have had a time of it! I don’t envy you guys at all. Thanks for your input. I didn’t want to sand it because I felt it would scratch and wouldn’t look authentic, but I may need to add more dark wax. Keep crossing your fingers for Spring, it has to get here eventually! XO
Barbara Ann says
Great find! You used my go to color! I love it. But the vaseline trick was one I wondered about. But why the wax? Did it change the color or finish? And don’t feel bad, I still have my Santa Clause flag hanging at my front door. But I did make a spring weath so the flag may come down tomorrow. ..ok by Saturday. .
Christy K. James says
Ha ha! You make me feel better with your flag! I used the dark wax to age it a bit more, so it wasn’t so new and clean. It’s difficult to tell in pictures, but you can see a difference in person. 🙂
Jamala says
That looks great..and that was an excellent idea using petroleum jelly –
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Jamala! XO
Lynn@Southern Direction says
What a great find and such a perfect piece for this corner of your home. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that let’s a season linger; I roll from a Christmas theme into Winter but I really like to change things as the season changes. Thanks for sharing!
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Lynn! I think it’s perfect too, certainly better than my wintry wreath. 🙂
June G. says
Great job, Christy, even if it did sit in “storage” for a year! I love your painting technique and especially where you placed it at the entry to your home. I’m not passing up any more metal artwork! Enjoy your spring! I’m in CA and we’re having 70° days! If I could send some I would 🙂
Christy K. James says
Thanks, June! I’m jealous of your weather! We are in coastal VA and our winters aren’t usually too awful, but this winter is one for the record books! I’m ready for Spring! If it doesn’t get here soon, I may be knocking on your door ha ha! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Cecilia MyThriftStoreAddiction says
Saw you on the DIY showcase & LOVE your blog–what a great name!
Christy K. James says
Thanks so much, Cecilia! 🙂
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
Oh, I love what you did with it! Looks so pretty with the boxwood wreath too! 🙂
xo
Nancy
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Nancy! I think a boxwood wreath makes everything look better. 🙂
Candace @ Vintage News Junkie says
Upcycle love and a pretty green wreath!! It doesn’t get any better than that in my book!! Perfect Spring decor!! Thanks for linking up at our Monday Funday party!!! I will be featuring your post next Monday!!!
Christy K. James says
Awesome! Thanks so much, Candace! XO
Emily says
Supper Cute! Love how it turned out! What a transformation! Great find!
We would love for you to come link up Mondays 8:00am EST at Your Designs This Time.
http://www.elizabethjoandesigns.com.
Emily says
Thanks for linking up! Can’t wait to see what you share next Monday!
Shelly- minettesmaze.blogspot.com/ says
What a perfect spot for this!!! Love it!! Thanks for sharing this on DIY Sunday Showcase!
Shelly
minettesmaze.blogspo.com
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Shelly! 🙂
Stacy says
First of all…I love it. But I am so glad to see you use two techniques that I have wanted to try but haven’t done yet – vaseline and dark wax. Thanks for sharing – it gives me courage to try it out!
Stacy
http://www.anygirlcandoit.com
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Stacy! I love the Vaseline trick, I usually forget and get right to painting. As for the wax, I don’t use it very often, but I liked it on this piece and I may even add a bit more. I’m so glad you stopped by! 🙂
kathy says
Love! I especially love the boxwood against the metal. Just lovely!
Christy K. James says
Thanks so much, Kathy! XO