A Chair Best Served Gold

My excitable moments these days are thankfully easier to spot than a couple of extra bucks in my wallet. Our house became a money sucking vampire right after we signed the paperwork over a year ago. I tried wearing garlic around my neck which only added a new, more aromatic problem. I then smelled like salsa whilst writing check after check. I’ll bore you to death with all of those nauseating details as we become closer and I know I can trust you. Until then, let’s keep things light and well, more neutral smelling. What gets my heart racing nowadays is a good deal and my own version of bling. I have a hard time passing by a yard/estate sale without braking. I would never own a bumper sticker that read “I brake for good deals” but you can bet your ass I’m thinking it. My husband is privy to my haggling and hunting by proxy alone. So it was one of those weekend afternoons when we pulled over for an unexpected yard sale. I bought the blue cutie below. It did not have a price on it and was piled high with clothes. It had a bad spray paint job that left it’s ankles exposed, presumably taking into account the Atlanta summer. The price left me no room for hesitation as I forked over a whole dollar and she became mine.

This chair sat in my office doing it’s thing for quite awhile until I had an itch to spray something gold. To know me is to also know I was born without whatever gene controls willpower. So in the same way I give in to chardonnay and cheese, I went to town. I figuratively and then literally “went to town” to pick up some more gold spray paint. My color and brand of choice is below. In Atlanta I get it at Michael’s, when it's in stock.

The chair's surface already had some good tooth and texture, so no need for primer first. I tend to get the best results by spraying short, smaller strokes in light layers, allowing for drying time in between. It makes it a DIY project mixed with a test in patience. Not exactly my favorite combination but I made it to the other side.

Here is the chair after being sprayed and in all of it’s golden glory. Just look how she shines...

I think of this golden metallic as a neutral, goes with anything, kind of color. I wanted to layer on some drama, texture and some visual interest. Right now she's all Jennifer Aniston with a natural glow, jeans and a t-shirt, drinking a Smart Water. I wanted her to be Kim K with a low cut dress, attracting the paparazzi where ever she goes. I selected a handful of yarn that varied in color but also complimented each other. 

I like the feel and look of brightly colored ethnic textiles a la the one below that is hanging on an opposite wall.

I am using a large, yarn needle that can be found at any crafting store to weave in and out of the small openings in the chair. This technique could be applied to any chair that offers allowances for wrapping through similar openings.

I am making up the pattern as I go and hoping for the best. It's like crafting improv without the audience or the laughter...

Voila! Look at Kim...all shiny, blinged out, working it for the camera.

 Now, to be put in a time out and made to sit in the corner...IF ONLY!