Pumpkin Paradise- a painter's delight featuring Fusion mineral paints and a sea-inspired finish

It is always exciting to welcome a new season and to greet it with anticipation, highlighting the uniqueness to each time of year.  In the fall, I love to see all the magazines, view Pinterest and see all the pumpkin-laden porches.  However, in Texas it is really too warm to set out the real deal, the parade of pumpkins become a mush in just a few short weeks (sometimes, days depending on the temperatures).  SO, I am so thankful to our big craft/box stores for giving us the faux pumpkins in plastic, papier-mâché and sometimes ceramic…but sometimes, they need a little help to match our décor.  For this pumpkin project, I chose the cream-colored plastic pumpkins at .98 each – I grabbed all they had and of course shared some  with my mom!! These little gems don’t need a pre-paint prep, no primer – they are a great base just as they are.  Using fusion paints, two coats was all they required.  I decided to continue with a dark wax to highlight and give definition.  Deciding what to add to give them a touch of my style was easy- a little string, wire, shells and ICE Resin® paper were the perfect palette!!  Let your style come through- in selecting your paints, choosing those things that speak to you, embellishments that you love – ribbons, buttons, vintage jewelry…the pumpkin possibilities are limitless.

 

Since these are plastic, they are too light weight for outside but they will grace our fall table (once my kitchen remodel is finished) nestled in a wood tray that will be filled with shells and reindeer moss. My perfect blend of fall and the joy of gathering –shells, memories and more as   we gather around the table. To create your pumpkin paradise, let’s gather a few things and get started…

I love these little jars!!!

Gather

Faux pumpkins

Fusion Paints™ mineral paints  in Algonquin, Inglenook, Sterling Gris and champness or acrylic paints of your choice

Sponge Brushes

Painter’s tape

Annie Sloan® Dark wax

Rustic wire

Bamboo skewers

Wire cutters

Jute

ICE Resin®

Disposable cup, sponge

Vintage papers

Adhesive such as Glossy Accents™

Sea shells

Glue Gun, glue sticks

Make

1.      Cover stems with painter’s tape.

2.     With sponge brush, paint 2 coats of fusion paints on each pumpkin.  Set aside to dry between coats. 

Second coat and look great!!

3.     Once dry, remove painter’s tape and wrap stems with jute* and tie in a simple knot.

4.     To create wire curly ques, cut a manageable length of wire and from the middle of the wire, begin to wrap around a bamboo skewer or a pencil.  Repeat on the other side.

wire curly question and the start of the ICE Resin® leaf

5.     Add wire to the stem. Secure by tightening the wire around the stem.

6.     Using a leaf punch, punch leaves from the ICE Resin® Paper**

a little light from the studio gives them a fall glow

7.     Using adhesive such as glossy accents, adhere leaves. 

8.     Using glue gun, glue shells to the pumpkin.

*To curl the jute, wrap the jute around a pencil; spray with water and heat dry.

**To create ICE Resin® paper, mix the resin according to package directions.  Laying vintage paper on a nonstick craft mat, spread the resin with a sponge gently across the paper in one direction.  Coat one side and turn over and coat the back.  Let dry on the craft mat for 8 hours.  Now it is ready to use!!

 

Here are a few more finished.  I actually think
the ones my mother did!!!

Until next time, I hope in addition to painting and decorating with pumpkins that you will enjoy a little pumpkin pie and enjoy not only the décor of the season but the deliciousness too!!

Platters and Paints - A whitewashing technique featuring etchall® etching creme and Chalk it up paints by EarthSafe Finishes

Gather- the platter graces my China Cabinet Ledge

I recently was using the paint technique of white washing on some of my older terra cotta pots.  In Texas, these pots usually do not make it through the winter as we can have freezing temps one day and then warm up in the 70’s- a major no-no when it comes to ceramics…Cracking occurs and then the pots are not really useful.  Or in the outdoors, they do not maintain the beautiful terra cotta color.  Turning old terra cotta pots and platters into new home décor pieces is my way to rescue these pots; painting them is also a fun, addictive and rewarding process.  The Earthsafe Finish Chalk it up Paints are some of the best I have worked with.  The ease in which they work and the beautiful color palette are just a few reasons I love these paints.  They are also good for the environment as well as for us! The whitewashing technique is super simple and yields a beautiful result.  The paint must be painted on unglazed pots for the technique to work.  With my platters, there was a glaze finish so I knew I had to remove it. Using etchall® crème was the answer (normally used for etching glass, slate, mirrors and more). It is a quick 15-minute process that removes the glaze and is now ready for white washing and stenciling. When all is complete, it is now a perfect addition to my dining room and greets everyone as we gather around the table.

Let’s get started…

Gather

 

a few supplies

Terra Cotta platter- used or new

etchall® etching crème

etchall® squeegee

Earthsafe Finishes Chalk it up lighter colors in cheesecake, licorice

Sponge brushes

Paper towels

Cup for water

Stencil brush

Stencil

Painters Tape

Wax Sealer

Cotton Rag

To remove the glaze

1.      With the etchall®squegee, spread the etching crème all over the front of the platter.  Don’t worry about using too much.  It’s all reusable!!

etching creme is spread-now we wait.

2.     Set timer for 15 minutes and let etchall® do its magic!

3.     When the timer rings, using the squeegee, gather the crème and put as much of the crème back in the jar. *you may not get all the crème, and that’s ok.

4.     Rinse in a stainless-steel sink or fill a plastic tub with water to remove any of the crème still on the surface.   Let dry. Now your platter is ready for whitewashing

*This technique works on other surfaces such as china and porcelain. So be careful around sinks and countertops. 

Whitewashing Technique

 

Here, I am adding different directions with the paint
for depth and interest

1.     Using a sponge brush and paint, working in small sections at a time, brush horizontally across the platter. Then go back and paint in a vertical brush strokes if you want a more random result.

2.     With a damp crumbled paper towel, wipe across the paint.  Spreading and removing as much or as little as you like. 

3.     Continue to add paint and wiping with water until the platter is finished.  You can add more paint in areas if needed. Keep your brush strokes in one direction as this will give a cohesive background for the stencil or you can paint in several directions, wiping to blend.

4.     Let dry.

 

Finished project

Stencil and Seal

1.     Using Painter’s tape, tape down stencil to be used. Around the rim of the platter, you may need to bend and manipulate the stencil to lay “flat”

2.      Using the less is more “dry brush” technique, dip stencil brush into the licorice and dab off a little of the paint onto a paper plate.

3.     Begin stenciling (pouncing) on your platter, refilling your brush as needed.  The platter can soak up the paint, you may have to go over areas again but better to start with a little paint than too much.

4.     Once stencil area has been painted, remove stencil and tape. Let dry.

Using a rag to spread the wax

5.     Using a rag, wipe on wax with a light hand and continuous motion all around the platter.

 

Stenciled and Sealed

Now your platter is ready to welcome family and friends into your home.  I set mine on an iron easel.  The Platter is a bit heavy, so it will need a strong support.  This platter was so fun to make that I have 2 more ready to be stenciled.  I am thinking perhaps a holiday stencil or even to personalize it with our last name.  I also have a few small saucers (without the drainage holes), so I am envisioning drinking coasters, place cards, table decorations… the possibilities are endless!  

 

Here's one for the coffee bar!

Until next time, paint up a few platters and then gather around the table for priceless conversation!