Well, hello there…and happy December!? This, traditionally, is our busiest month because everyone is trying to get their homes looking their best for the family holidays.  I’m hoping to get some sleep soon, LOL!  I love this time of year because it’s festive and snowy.  Well — definitely NOT snowy in Florida but I do get to see pictures of winter landscapes more often. I think next year I’ll travel to?somewhere cold to at least ski or go snowboarding or just jump into a pile of snow or make snow angels…sorry, off track there.  As promised, I am premiering the bimonthly DIY faux finish.  I taped this how-to for the WFTV ABC-9 website.  I’m posting the video here and will follow it with step-by-step instructions. Any questions, please feel free to contact us. Here we go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVMzAwnpPDU

Glazed & Gold Powder Bath Finish

Products:

(1) Medium to Medium-Dark Base Paint (any manufacturer, satin sheen), (2) One Overlay Stencil, (3) Water-based gold leaf size glue, (4) Sea Sponge, (5) Chip Brush(es), (6) Aging Glaze, (7) Rags, (8) Gloves, (9) Tape and (10) Wax Paper

Products available at Star Scenic.com, Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams.com.

Instructions:

1) Start with a beautiful strong background color in a satin sheen. I’ve chosen Sherwin-Williams’ Bold Brick Red (No. 6327) but you can go with another base paint color. Benjamin Moore has a similar color called Warm Sienna (No. 1203). The aging glaze and gold leaf schaibin used later in this finish work best with medium to medium-dark tones.

2) Attach the stencil of your choice to the walls in a random or a repeat pattern. (Tip: You can buy two or three stencils to make it a quicker process.) Make sure you tape all sides. With a wrung-out moist sea sponge, dip lightly into the sizing glue and dab-apply the product to your stencil — please make sure that you try to avoid the size seeping under the stencil. The gold leaf will stick to wherever the glue is.  When the size goes from milk white to clear, you are ready.  After you are done with the stencil, remove it and clean before using it again and/or storing it.

3) Using gloves if preferred, add the gold leaf schaibin in little bunches to your sized stencil pattern. It’ll stick very easily to the design because of the fresh glue. (Tip: It’s a messy finish, so please be sure to protect your flooring and furniture extra carefully.) When you’ve come up on a nice coverage (80 - 90%), use wax paper or a chip brush to carefully embed the schaibin to the sized design. You want to take off as much as you can to reveal your chosen stencil design in its full glory. (In the video, I use my hand to take off the last bit of excess gold leaf. While it has never tarnished for me — anybody see wood for me to knock on — I’veheard that for some of my fellow faux artisan friends it has. So, please feel free to use gloves when finishing the pattern.) The gold leafing is ready immediately for the next step.

4) Dip a chip brush lightly into a pot of aging glaze and apply it to the wall. McCloskey has a ready-made one available called Asphaltum Aging Glaze — just be sure to add a bit of standard glaze to it to increase both the material amount and the working time. There is no need to start working right on the design — you can treat this like a regular faux finish and work on one wall section at a time. (Tip: I like to start at the uppermost corner of the wall and work towards the center, working in 2 - 3 foot sections and keeping the emerging glaze pattern’s edges fresh at all times.) Take a dry rag and holding it like you would a squeeze ball, pounce the glaze into a nice aged pattern. Try to maintain your pouncing as close to the wall as possible and be sure to move your hand around a bit to prevent from aging in one set direction. Move on the next section on your wall. When done, let dry overnight and enjoy your new space…and be sure to send me pics!