Take a Chance on Me!

I think my favorite part of doing these makeovers is that I can take something that gets passed over time and time again and turn it into something that would sell in a heartbeat.  It usually just takes a little time and elbow grease (and usually paint of some variety), but that's the fun part!  Kind of like when we bought this house. It had been passed over for well over a year.  It needed to be updated badly, but that's what excited us about it--we got to make it our own!

Well, today's project is no different.  I first saw this lantern a few weeks ago and instantly loved it, but was not wild about the brassy color.

It was very dated, and I wasn't sure that I could tear it apart to refinish it, so I passed it over.  And I passed it over the following visit, and the following visit.  The last time I was there, they were having a 1/2 off special of gray tags.  Originally priced at $5, it was now $2.50, and I felt like I could take a chance.  It's like it was singing, Take a Chance, Take a Chance, Take a  Cha-Chance, Take a Chance on MEEEE!  Except I wasn't in Greece, and it wasn't wearing sequined bell-bottoms.  (Editor's note: this is from Mamma Mia! and not Grease! as Andy thought)  I couldn't refuse.

Now here's where things get really interesting.  I had a coupon for buy four items and get the fifth item free.  And if you know me, I had more than five items.  I asked her if I could use the coupon.  She said yes, but the most expensive item must come off, and that would be the lantern.  

Come again?  That's what she said?  

Umm okay.  Usually these sales work with the least expensive item being free (which was a .50 candlestick).  But she seemed to know what she was doing, so I walked out of there with my new freebie lantern.  

Once I got it home, I gave it a once over and discovered the little pegs on the bottom were merely attached by screws in on the backside, and the top twists off like a jar.   Easy enough!  We landed on Oil Rubbed Bronze, the same color I talked about here, for the new color (Red was also a front runner).  

So here he is, all torn apart (the glass part and screws were put aside for cleaning and safe keeping.

And here we are after the first coat.  

After a couple more coats, I carefully put Humpty Dumpty back together again and ended up with this knockout...

Andy might have been more impressed than I was when all was said and done.  Can I just say I cannot WAIT to get our fireplace mantle and surround redone so I have a place for him to live and for all to enjoy?!?  

I'm thinking we could get a flameless pillar candle to put in there, since it's all sealed up and would not allow for a regular candle.  Oh, and think about how cool he'll look at Christmastime when I get him all dressed up for the holidays!  I'm salivating over the possibilities!  Love, love, love!  

Now, if we could just started on that fireplace...