French Painted Grandfather Clock

I get really excited when I get to mix it up a little around here and paint some different pieces.  I love a dresser redo as much as the next gal, but it’s so fun to get to transform something different once in a while as well.  I think my excitement might have gotten the best of me this time though, and I ended up over-paying on this great looking grandfather clock I bought from Craigslist.

The glossy black finish wasn’t getting all those fabulously Frenchy details noticed like they should.  I was so excited when I went to buy it, picturing it in a rustic, antiqued ivory finish.  In my excitement, I didn’t check things over as thoroughly as I should have, and only found out when I got it home that it sadly wasn’t a real grandfather clock.  It’s just a battery operated clock on a really big, grandfather style frame.  The weights are faux; The pendulum (while it moves back and forth, operated by the battery) is also faux.  Oh well.  It still turned out pretty!  Donchathink?

I added my Ralph Lauren Tea Stained Glaze over the ivory paint finish.  I used some Krylon Dual Ivory paint that I had on hand.  The day I painted it in the garage was untypically rainy and humid (for dry, dry Arizona) and when I started painting, I got the dreaded alligator effect.  But no worries this time.  Because I was going for the rustic, aged look on this piece, I think it worked out all the better.

  

I don’t know if you can tell from the before picture, but the clock originally had a very cheap looking map of the world on the center of the clock face.  I mod podged some fabric over that.  I love how the the hands look like they’re coming right out the middle of that flower.  :)

I picked up the subtle blue accents from the clock face on the inside of the clock cabinet.

 

The above pictures, I took with my point and shoot camera, which is a Lumix, and I really love it, BUT I got myself a new-to-me Canon Rebel for Christmas!!  Hooray!!  I’m still figuring it out, but it’s a New Year’s goal (I won’t call it a “resolution”) to start taking better pictures.

I took the kiddos out in the yard (it’s been absolutely beautiful here, in the mid 60s most days) and did a some playing with the new camera, and am having so much fun with it right out of the gate, and I can’t wait to learn more and get better and better.  Here’s a few pictures of my little lovelies…

     How are they getting so big so fast?!?!  Has anyone figured out how to slow it down yet?

 

Happy New Year!

Linking to:

The Shabby Nest, Chic on a Shoestring, Sassy Sites, My Repurposed Life, Finding Fabulous,

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