Hi everybody! Did you check out the first day of the Cherished Christmas Home Tour yesterday which included Cherished Bliss, Maison de Pax, Live Laugh Rowe, Dandelion Patina, and Craftberry Bush as well as myself? I'm so glad that I was able to post on the first day so that now I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the week of amazing bloggers! Thank you so much to all of you who left comments on the post yesterday and throughout social media. Hearing from you is the greatest feeling in the world and I'm very grateful for the connections that can form with us all.
Today's post is about something that you may have seen a glimpse of yesterday. Back at the beginning of summer I picked up an unpainted wood rocking horse at Goodwill for a fabulous price. The makeover has actually been completed for quite awhile, but Christmastime seemed like an appropriate chance to share it with you. A rocking horse seems quite at home under a decorated tree.
The rocking horse was in perfect condition when I spotted it and had obviously been handcrafted by someone. While it isn't incredibly old, I wanted the final result to look like the toy had been used for many years. Heavy distressing is my thing. But I also like contrast, so rather than paint the entire piece, I opted to leave the rocker on the bottom bare wood.
To aid in the distressing, I rubbed a beeswax distressing block over everywhere I wanted the paint to come off easily, especially around the edges of the wood.
Then the horse got one coat of Fusion Mineral Paint in Sterling (affiliate link).
Just as a little tip.....Before painting, I used painter's tape around the base of the legs where they met the rocker. The extra few moments it takes to do something preventative like this will save time later on why you try to get the paint on the bottom of the legs, but not the rocker.
As you can see below, one coat of paint didn't completely cover the horse. But since I was going for a distressed look, a second coat of paint was not needed.
After the paint dried, I sanded the finish with a heavy grit sandpaper. Fusion paint distresses really well, especially if you don't let the paint sit dry for too long. I tried to focus most on areas that would see the most wear such as where a child's legs would be against the seat.
Isn't it wonderful that a little bit of paint can so easily transform something from the thrift store? Whether you have a full bank account or have very little to spend, it is rewarding to be able to find something like this that needs just a little updating.
He's super cute as is, but to dress him up for Christmas I wrapped a thin garland around his neck. You could also easily use a wreath.
I placed the rocking horse on top of the cupboard that houses the TV, but he looked a little bare and lonely. A vintage fireplace screen (purchased on the same shopping trip coincidentally) provides a little backdrop to fill up the blank wall.
This little guy is actually available for you to purchase. As much as I love how he turned out, I don't really have the room to store him when Christmas is over. If you are interested, shoot me an email and we can work something out to give him a permanent home.
Thank you so much for stopping by today to see my simple makeover. I'd love to know what you think. Have a wonderful day!