A couple of months ago I was looking at my garden art (wind chimes, metal sculptures, rusted metal birdbath, wood signs, etc.) and was frustrated by their aged and rather ratty appearance! Coincidentally I had just found all my acrylic paints earlier in the week! (I’m still finding things from the move last year!) So I decided to gather up all the garden art, bring it indoors and give it a whole new look.

Some of the items just needed minor repairs – new hangers, fastening loose objects, etc. The two worst items I faced were the metal schnauzer sculpture and the small birdbath, both of which were horribly rusty. I soaked both of them in a rust remover solution in the sink and was able to remove the majority of the rust. After drying them thoroughly, they were ready to be painted. The schnauzer sculpture was black metal. I painted it like a real schnauzer in white, grays and black. The birdbath had a beautiful rose design imprinted in it and I painted the roses and leaves after doing multiple base coats of white first. (Note: a primer would have helped!) Both of them ended up looking like brand new and much more beautiful objects.
For all the wooden items, I put a base coat of white acrylic paint designed for outdoor use first. Then I repainted the item in whatever colors I wished. Finally, after the item was thoroughly dried, I put on a coat of Thompson’s Water Seal, because I like the extra protection it gives wood items from water.
Once the outdoor items were done and back outside, it made me happy to look at them once more! In my case, it cost me nothing because I used paints already on hand. You can purchase acrylic paints in any craft store and at some large discount retailers very inexpensively. Either use acrylics that say they are for outdoor use, or use regular acrylic craft paint and then coat with a clear sealant. Your only other cost would be for small paint brushes.
I looked around indoors and saw a few picture frames and shelves that I was tired of looking at, and decided to paint those in different colors too, using regular acrylic paints.
Look around you and maybe you can find something you’d like to give a fresh new look!
Written by: Sheila Talley © 2008, butyoudontlooksick.com