Gesso Painted Vintage Syroco Mirror...

Gosh, it's been a while since I done a blog post ~~~
It has been a BUSY SUMMER...

I finally caught a second and decided I needed to take a breather just for me and paint something. Well, actually, I wanted to try a new technique because I have something that needs repaired.

I have never painted with gesso before. Truth is, I was even too lazy to go find a pre-mixed gesso, so I made my own with things I had on hand, at home...

HOMEMADE GESSO

1/2 C. Hot Water

1/2 C. Plaster of Paris

Mix well...

Add

1/2 C. Flat Acrylic Paint

Mix well...

Add

1/4 C. White Glue

Mix well...

Gesso is an awesome primer for nearly anything. When you use it as paint, it gives a really thick, chalky, French look to a piece.

I started out with a vintage piece of Syroco that the former paint job had gone all wrong. It was a thrift store find for a few dollars.

I removed the mirror and painted the whole piece with a flat coat of Behr flat paint in the color "Intellectual." It's a dark putty color.

I let it dry good and then I washed over the piece with a couple coats of my homemade gesso. 

(I just used Behr "Ultra White" in flat to make the gesso.)

I played with it some - I wiped with a dry rag and then a damp rag and even with my finger to get the white washed / French look I was going for. 

It turned out lovely~!

The thing I have that needs repaired is this gorgeous French looking Settee I recently acquired for a couple hundred bucks. I intend to put it in my mudroom, when the mudroom addon is finished on the garage.

One of the back legs was missing, that's why I was able to purchase it so cheap. I had a local shop do a repair and rebuild both back legs and I need to experiment with some gesso paint techniques, so I can match the paint and texture when I paint the new back legs...

Isn't she a beautiful 'European' looking settee?

Updates on my garden are also coming soon.

The garden has been going crazy with all of the monsoon rains we've been getting the last few weeks

I've also discovered some "Naked Ladies" in my garden ~ he, he...
 (Beladona Lillies)

And I have no idea where they came from~!