Ok, back to my obsession with spray paint. I love the super easy, keep-your-hands-clean way a can of spray paint can give a hum drum object a whole new lease on life.
I've tackled a couple of different spray paint projects over the past few weeks. The first was a quick update on some Dollar Store Christmas village houses.
I just bought a can of semi-gloss white and went to town. Be sure to do several thin layers so it doesn't drip.
The finished product! I think they're just a bit more retro and fun when they're all white, don't you? You could use this same technique with vases, rabbits for easter (paint them a bright, funky color?), mismatching pottery, etc. The whole project cost about $13, and brightened up my kitchen windowsill all December.
My next project was turning a pair of scuffed up shoes into some NYE-worthy stunners! These are the most comfortable pair of heels I own, so I hated to toss them, but they were really sad-looking on the toes and no amount of shoe cleaner or polish was working. I saw
this tutorial on Pinterest (where else?) and decided to give it a go.
I measured where I wanted my cap toe to stop and marked it with a pencil.
Then, I carefully applied clear packing tape along the line I had drawn. Press it down firmly so you get a clean line! Next, I cleaned the area to be painted with rubbing alcohol.
Next, I taped off the soles of the shoes (under where I wanted to paint) to keep things clean, and wrapped the rest of the shoe in paper and taped that up to, just to avoid any accidental painting (spray paint doesn't always go exactly where you want).
I had some Krylon metallic gold spray paint left over from another project, so I gave the shoes a couple coats of that first. Go ahead and get the name brand paint, don't even bother with the off-brand stuff. It's just not worth it.
I don't have a picture of the next step, but I also had some gold glitter spray paint (I got it from Walmart...it's almost a clear paint with gold glitter flecks in it), so I added a few coats of that as well. After letting them dry for a while, I peeled off all the paper and tape. I was actually really surprised they turned out so well!
I love them! The paint line is so nice and crisp thanks to the packing tape. I'm really glad I didn't use painters' tape like some of the tutorials I read said to do - that stuff never seems to work.
I've only worn them once, but the paint seems to be holding up well! You could also add a clear varnish or coat of modge podge or something to give it a little extra protection.
What are some DIY projects you made over the holidays?
