Caromal Colours Distressing for the DIYer

Melissa at The Inspired Room blog transformed an old secretary with a Caromal Colours Distressing Kit. This is the result:

before

after

Melissa says, "...this project took about four afternoons to complete (only spending about 2 hours or so on each day). It was a lot to paint, since I not only had to paint the outside of this piece but the inside of the pull down desk, has a lot of cubbies and things to paint.

This paint is not like any other paint I’ve used before. It is very thick. The entire time I was painting I was SURE I was doing it wrong. You can really do it any way you want, stipple it on with a brush, brush it on, whatever works. I did more of a brush stroke but I think next time I will just “moosh” it on! The first coat will look messy no matter what you do, but that is OK! In the end, it all came together and looks like an old painted piece full of character."

photos and complete story can be found at The Inspired Room blog

Here is a video from Caromal Colours that shows a weekend kitchen cabinet makeover:

To order your own Caromal Colours paint kit and see what you can do with this line of products, visit Patty Henning's Fabulous Finishes blog.

Barnworn distressed finish samples that layer two colors

Gilded Pumpkins...

Wow oh Wow...I love these gilded pumpkins...this has to be one of the greatest autumnal decorating ideas ever! Okay, I am a little carried away, but decorative painters the world over should be putting together a display for their living space.

Last fall (2008) Country Living magazine featured these beautiful photos and article about Carol Kemery, decorative painter, nurse and owner of Caromal Colours...a paint company that allows homeowners to do decorative painting on their own, including the GILDING project featured here.

for more pictures visit Country Living


How to Gild a Pumpkin with a kit from Caromal Colours

photos from Country Living magazine and Caromal Colours



Step 1
For real or faux pumpkins, be sure surface is clean and dry. Wearing gloves, apply base coat with a paintbrush to seal the surface. Let dry for 30 to 60 minutes.

Step 2
Position stickers on pumpkin, then apply "sticky size" over entire surface, including stickers. Leave until it's clear and tacky, 10 to 20 minutes.

Step 3
Apply gold and silver leaf. Broken pieces of metal leaf, called Schaibin, lie easily on the pumpkin for a beautiful finish. With a soft cloth, smooth leaf onto surface to fill in gaps. Keep excess leaf for the next project.

Step 4
Carefully pull off stickers using tweezers.

Step 5
Apply toner with a paintbrush. Using a soft cloth, wipe away the toner to achieve the desired color. Leave the toner darker around the stem or in crevices for a more dramatic effect.

for step-by-step pictures visit Country Living