Refreshing Garden Ornaments with Chalk Paint

Happy Thursday!  It is hot where you are? We’re in mid 90s this week with the humidity pushing the heat index to the 100+ degree mark. With no rain in the forecast, it’s going to be a challenge to keep the garden watered for foreseeable future! I questioned my timing (and sanity) tackling a couple of outdoor projects in this heat, but they had been on my ‘to do’ list for a while now.

I purchased this frog garden ornament about four years ago. I planted him by the Limelight Hydrangeas as a decorative birdbath. . .

He’s also served as Frog Footman with tarts for a Mad Tea Party . . .

And he gets spruced up for Christmas by the Potting Shed, adorned with some tartan ribbon, red ornaments and pine cones.

The elements had taken their toll on Mr. Frog’s finish and he was overdue for a makeover.

I decided to give him an update using *She Shades, a chalk-based paint formulated for exterior surfaces.

I hosed him down to remove any dirt, then gave him a base coat of “Iron Gate”, a nice deep gray. One of the benefits of using chalk paint, is how quickly it dries, in about an hour or less, especially outdoors in this heat! I was prepared to give him two coats, but one coat was enough to cover the old finish, without a primer, another benefit of chalk paint.

I wanted a finish that would mimic the appearance of a lead garden ornament, so I dry brushed a layer of “Farmhouse Linens” on top of the “Iron Gate”.

If you’re not familiar with ‘dry brushing’, it’s a paint technique using an almost dry brush to apply paint. Dip the ends of your brush in the paint, then blot your brush on a some paper towels, wiping most of the paint off, before lightly dragging your brush over the surface. I recommend practicing on a scrap piece of wood to get the hang of it and starting on an inconspicuous place first.

After I added the “Farmhouse Linens” color, I dry brushed a light coat of “Evening Eucalyptus”. Judging by the smile on his face, Mr. Frog is pleased with his makeover. ;)

His basin is shallow so he’s not very functional as a birdbath in our 90+ degree temps, as the water is either splashed out and /or evaporated by mid-afternoon, so I filled him with birdseed.

This lidded beehive was an antique mall find a couple of months ago! It’s not old, but I found it tucked under a table and among some vintage garden items in a favorite dealer’s space.

After a little online searching, I discovered it’s a Beehive Hose Holder from Wisteria. It was a bargain and a fraction of the price of a new one in their catalog.

I cleaned it up and gave it a fresh base coat of “Iron Gate”, then dry brushed some “Evening Eucalyptus” over the gray to highlight the texture of the beehive.

It’s handy to store an extra length of hose to reach around the other side of my shed when watering.

The finish looks a little more blue in these photos than it does in real life due to the morning light.

She Shades are available in an array of beautiful colors, including Cherry Blossom, Prairie Crocus, Sunrise Dahlia and Pastoral Rouge, to name a few. They’re available online at She Shed Living.

*Thank you to Erika Kokite from She Shed Living for providing me with She Shades paint.

Hope you’re staying cool while buzzing around in this heat!

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Between Naps on the Porch