are you afraid of the dark?
I am. Yep, have been ever since I can remember... of course as an adult I keep it tamped down but every night every once in awhile I might, just might have to rush back to bed after a midnight break and hop under the covers real quick... and I never, never, never let my feet hang over the edge of the bed! And since I have a husband and a dog in bed with me... well I don't even need those (ahem 27) stuffed animals lined up along the edges of the bed anymore either!
But that isn't the kind of dark I'm talking about. I'm talking about DARK wax! I picked this cute little table up at the thrift store last week for $20! It's an old magazine table... that little drawer actually pulls out BOTH sides! Cool huh?
It does however need just a little bit of love... and paint of course!
See that beat up top? Well I was thinking about some ASCP in Provence... full on, not "watered" down with white/cream Provence! But I am thinking of using some dark wax on it... and since I haven't used the dark wax at all I thought perhaps I should try it out on something smaller and less noticeable first.
One is an 80's kind of oak... this one must be a reframe or was framed much later after the picture was taken since it is from the 50's... I can tell that by the cars lined up in the photo big old rounded cars with fins!
The lower frame I actually like... kind of a white wash over a medium wood. Both mat colors are ok too.
The third one? A thrift store find that is almost, almost beyond help.
Well all I can say is I'm really not in love with the brass... or the gray mat. Both will have to go... I'm thinking of just taping off the brass and painting it to look like pewter perhaps? Or zinc? And leave the wood alone.
But I digress... back to wax. The oak frame was my guinea pig for the dark wax tryout. I didn't even remove the glass and picture but just taped off the frame/glass and got to work with Provence.
Some sanding and distressing after 3 coats of paint.
And then the dark wax. I'm not sure if I love it, like it or just not.... I do think I should have used clear wax first and then just a "touch" of dark wax since I think the dark wax toned down the aqua fabulousness of the Provence paint too much.
I do like it waaaaay better than the 80's oak...
And it's not quite as green as this picture makes it out to be...
A side by side comparison?
So I think next up will be good riddance to the brass after I get a new mat cut for this... I'm thinking something in the blue or aqua tones....
After my failure at painting last weekend at least I was able to put the brush to use for a few minutes after work...
Oh... and you didn't answer my question... so are you? Afraid of the dark that is?
Yes - but only when I'm home alone, otherwise I'm not afraid.
ReplyDeleteNow wax is another matter altogether. I haven't ever tried to wax anything and I think I'd be afraid to do so.
I am a little, too. I love that Provence color, and maybe a touch like you said would show more of it. Have a great day Chris! xo Heather
ReplyDeleteHi Chris
ReplyDeleteThanks for setting up the 'follow by email' for me.
You are definitely not alone in being afraid of the dark! I am too, and sometimes when I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night I find myself racing back to bed for fear of somebody 'getting' me in the dark! How stupid is that? I'm 53 for heavens sake!
With regard to your frame and using the dark wax, you're right, it would have gone on a lot easier if you'd used the clear wax first. I mistakenly put some dark wax straight on a project the other day, and oh boy did it take a LOT of clear wax to mellow it down how I wanted it, so for future, I'd highly recommend doing a clear wax first, then the dark wax goes on more smoothly, and if you think it's too dark, a little clear wax on top will shift most of it. I'm no expert, this is just my experience.
Judi in the UK