How to Apply Antique Glaze

Have you ever wondered how to add an antique glaze finish to something?  It is really very easy. I found this vintage frame at my local flea market for just $7. I love the great gesso detailing. It is the perfect kind of detail that antique glaze will help to show off!  

A very simplified description of how to antique glaze would be: slosh it on then wipe it off...  It really is that easy!  

But here are the step by step instructions with a few important tips you should know.


First, it is best to glaze over a satin or a semigloss paint.  Note: You don't want to apply glaze to a flat or matte paint finish, as flat paint is porous and it would absorb too much of the color pigment.  Satin paint is my favorite as it is low sheen and it is easy to wipe and work the glaze into the crevices and details.  My frame was a gilded gold when I found it.  First I painted it with a coat of cheap primer and then I used Rust-Oleum Spray Paint in Satin Heirloom White. This paint is one of my absolute favorite colors as it is a very clean off white color. I love to use it on furniture and accessories!  It can be found in both spray paint and also by the quart. 

     
The picture above is the frame sprayed with heirloom white before I applied the antiquing glaze to it. The above picture is a good shot for showing how clean the off white color is.


Notice on the pictures below that my frame has lots of age cracks and crevices in the old gesso details. I wanted to make sure all of the details and even the age of the item showed... as I find the distressed age so beautiful! That is why I decided to go with the antique glaze on this beauty. It helps to show off all the wonderful details...


I had some Valspar (Lowe's) Antiquing Glaze from a prior project so that is what I used.  It is a water based product so it is easy to use and easy to clean up.  I use a paper plate as a palette (the place to pour some glaze to dip my sponge or brush into).  It's cheap, but I mostly use it because it's super easy to clean up (which I love!).  I just throw the paper plate away when I'm done.  I also often use sponge brushes as they are like .39 cents each so they are disposable too.


Just pour some of the antiquing glaze onto the plate/palette and sponge away. I used a fan bristle brush to get the glaze into the smaller details. Any brush would work, I just like my fan brush for some reason.

First i did a small section as a sample test area.  I just brushed the glaze on, then waited a couple of minutes. Glaze usually gives you a good 10 or so minutes to work with and wipe off.


After a couple of minutes, wipe off the glaze (with a soft dry cloth, I like microfiber... don't use your good dish towels, the glaze will stain, I keep some craft towels around that I rinse, wash and re-use).  Keep wiping until you achieve a look that you like.  Once you get too much glaze on a section of your towel, you may need to turn or fold the towel to another clean section on it (I hope that made sense). Your towel will wipe off glaze more easily if the area on the towel you are wiping with if fairly clean.  If doing a huge project, you may want to have more than one wipe towel on hand.  It literally took less than 20 seconds to get to this look.


Next I generously applied glaze down the side of the frame to a larger area now that I had a feel for how easy it was.  It is however always a good idea to work in smaller sections rather than doing an entire piece all at once.


After this, I did the same brush on, wait a few minutes, wipe off... section by section.  I just love the way it started looking!


I got brave on this bottom corner and did a larger section.  Then I got a phone call which required me to leave my project and go into another room to handle something. It kept me away from my project for 25 or 30 minutes. I was a bit worried that the glaze might not wipe off evenly since I had waited so long. I was right, it didn't want to wipe off as easily, but I just wet a towel, wrung it out, then wiped off the glaze as before. The moisture on the towel softened up the glaze allowing me to wipe it easily... (Thank God!)




Note: If I were doing a furniture piece with a glaze.  I would seal it with a polyeurethane (clear finish) over it to protect it (as glaze can scrape off or scratch). Being that my frame will be hanging on a wall, I didn't feel the need to clear coat it.

Here it is... My finished Frame after applying the antique glaze. I absolutely love how it turned out!


Until next time,
Happy decorating!

Diana


Anyone Can Decorate is now on YouTube

I wanted to let you all know that Anyone Can Decorate now has a YouTube Channel.  

So far I've done two video posts.  I will be adding many more.  I will still be doing my blog here as well as adding "How To" videos of many of the projects I am working on.


I'd love it if you pop on over, take a look and Subscribe to my YouTube channel
   
Thank you so much for your support!

Blessings,
Diana

My Most Popular Blog Post - Greeting Card Organizer

As a blogger it's so much fun to see what posts people like and visit the most.  In this past year my most popular blog post has been this Greeting Card Organizer.  


It's obvious that many people like great ideas on how to get organized and this was one of my best: 

Organized Craft Space - Greeting Card Organizer

I like to keep a variety of greeting cards on hand. They are so much cheaper to purchase in a box assortment than they are buying them individually! Did you know that if you bargain shop you can buy an entire box of 12 to 24 greeting cards for between $5 and $10? When buying just one greeting card can cost $4 or $5, it is much cheaper to buy them by the box! It is also super convenient to always have them on hand. I keep an assortment of blank cards as well because I like crafting handmade cards myself. I had never had one specific spot to keep all of my cards, so I was on a mission to find a way to organize them and this is what I came up with. 


I found this great clear organizer box with dividers on-line.  It is the perfect size for what I needed for all of my cards.  If you are interested in getting your own you can view it for purchase HERE.




I decided I wanted to create a label on my box with Chalkboard Contact Paper and a Liquid Chalk Marker.  I love the chalkboard contact paper because you can write on it, erase it and write again... cut it (or use your Cricut or Silhouette Craft Cutter) and cut it into any fun shape you like.  The contact paper sticks well but also can be easily removed when needed.  It works great on canisters in the pantry, arts and craft jars and organizers and so many more things...  Chalkboard labels in the kids room are super cute too!  Okay, okay, so I went off on a tangent... Now, back to my project :)


I love using Liquid Chalk Markers because the writing does not smudge when you touch it unless you wipe it with something damp or wet.  


I didn't like my writing the first time, so I erased it and re-wrote what I wanted in cursive.



We have an old little p-Touch Personal Label Machine by Brother that I used to label the inside dividers. You can purchase these label makers for under $20. I've had mine for several years and it really comes in handy!


Having all of these greeting cards and craft cards organized will make it so much easier to find my cards when I need them!  It's amazing to me that this little bit of organization makes me feel so accomplished :)  


I like that this box easy to see and recognize no matter where I put it.  I have labeled the top and front so I will notice it even if it is in a stack of goodies!  I think I am going to get another one or two of these to sort crafting stickers and items that I have piled around my craft room (yes, I have piles, doesn't everyone???).  I like that I can stack several of them on top of one another and still see what is in them.  



I'm feeling so inspired after this project!  Now I just need to find the energy to organize the rest of the house :)  Anyone wanna help me?

Update: I am still organizing the house. I think it is a never ending process!!!  I have purchased a second one of these card organizer files as my card library has grown. I am loving having cards on hand no matter what the occasion!

I hope this simple project inspires you to get organized.

Until next time,
Happy decorating and happy organizing!

Blessings,
Diana

Craft Happy... Craft Room Makeover Progress Report

My craft room has been undergoing a complete makeover for awhile now. I've added several new things so I thought it was time to update you with a progress report. Although this isn't the full grand reveal, this will show you much of the progress that has been made... Note: I'm working on a few different projects in addition to this room. So, I'm a bit slow between updates... Please bare with me!

Recent updates include the black trim molding that we've added around the peg board. I also put simple black curtains under the desk area. I used an inexpensive cafe rod and hooks and recessed the rod about 10 inches back from the edge of the desk top (leaving room for my legs to sit comfortably underneath when I sit here. The curtains hide the ugly oak storage shelf that I put underneath. (see video at the bottom of post to see the curtains operate). The old oak shelving unit that is hidden underneath actually works as the support for the table top. I wanted the appearance of a free floating desk... without any legs on the corners to get in the way.  We used "L" brackets to fasten the back to the wall so it can't tip forward.  It came out even better than I thought it would!  


I found this great 5' x 7' black and white graphic rug for only $27 at Ross. It provides a nice pop of contrast to the floor. 

I have made a few additional craft room updates. You can see each of them via my YouTube video below.  Also visit the Anyone Can Decorate YouTube channel to see more of what I am up to.



Until next time,
Happy decorating!

Diana