I did not get gas for the lawn mower today to be on the safe side (this is another story), so I worked on trying to add more stuff to my Etsy shop. I did manage to get a pretty little riser finished, but I also managed to get white paint in my hair, while I was painting a small, metal cross.I think getting paint in the hair is likely normal, although, oddly, it's the first tim I have managed to do it so far.
But, somehow, I don't think repainting a cross so it ends up looking like a skeleton is normal.
I should explain, lest I be struck down by a lightening bolt...
I found a little likely cast iron cross - maybe four inches high that was painted a nice off white/curdled cream color. Then it was "distressed" with some black paint. Nothing really wrong with it except I didn't like the color. And I really, really really wanted to try this "chippy paint look" technique.
It has occurred to me on more than one ocassion to question why people pay money for something that someone has made to look like the paint is peeling; then go home with their purchase and complain to the HOA board that so and so's house has some peeling paint on the front bannister rails.
But... some people like that look. I am not sure if I do or not, but I really, really wanted to try and reproduce it. However, in order for it to have the full effect, I would first have to paint the cross black. That didn't sit well with me- the idea of painting a cross black just seemed... wrong somehow, but I did it anyway. In fairness, I did try and sand off the curdled cream paint, but it was silver underneath - where it would come off. That stuff stuck like white on rice.
So, I added some metalic copper to the black cross hoping that it would make it more regal - and it worked, it was quite pretty. But I still really, really really wanted to try this technique. This is a very detailed cross, full of lines, angles, and cut outs. And while I am trying this technique, and remembering the past three times I tried it and it didn't work (and why), and trying not to repeat those mistakes, I am concentrating on getting white paint into all the little grooves and angles on the little cross, while at the same time, unknowingly dipping some of my hair into the paint jar.
So, sucess! It worked! Sort of. In concentrating on not putting too much white paint on the cross (and apparently adding it to my hair instead), I didn't put enough on, and the paint chipped in such a way that my little cross now looks like an emaciated skeleton. A very chippy, emaciated skeleton. Was going to post a picture, but I didn't have my phone on me at the time. Now, I'm trying to decide if I should fix it, or just save it for Halloween. And, points for me, I discovered the paint in my hair before I got the heat gun out and I never set myself on fire....