Spray Paint Saves the Day

If you've been following along the last few weeks, you know we've working on the preparations for a fall dinner party. We updated some wooden napkin rings, customized silverware, and now it's time to break out the wine glasses. First I'm going to show you what didn't work. 

I've been wanting to try these gold, oil-bases Sharpies for ages and have thought of at least half-a-dozen projects I think they would be great for, so I finally ordered some. To start, I cleaned my glasses, taped off a starting/stopping point for my design, and pulled the markers out of their package.

I was so excited to use them on these glasses. I had visions of creating fancy, boutique-type stemware. Boy was I disillusioned! I won't try and pin it all on the markers, and I think they would be great on a different surface, but I was not loving how the gold looked on the glass. When you looked at the paint straight on, you could almost see though it. And again, not entirely the fault of the markers, but it just wasn't transforming the glasses the way I had envisioned. So... I used some nail polish remover to take it all off, washed the glasses a second time, and started again!

I had some gold spray paint left from the geometric lamp makeover we did, so I grabbed it and decided to try a dipped look on the base. I used painters tape to get a clean line, then covered the remaining exposed glass with tinfoil.

The weather was perfect for spray painting so I took them out for a quick coat. I cannot say enough good things about this spray paint! (And I'm not getting paid to tell you that--this stuff is the bomb!) It only took one coat and they looked amazing.

Finally, you need something to put in your gorgeous new glasses! Here are our top three picks:

First up, a Vanilla Vodka Chai by Tina at My Life as a Mrs.
Here, chai tea, vanilla vodka, amaretto, simple syrup and half & half combine to create a delicious fall treat. I love how it manages to be cozy and refreshing all at once. The flavors are so fall-like but the fact that it is served iced makes it an excellent choice for warmer autumn days.

Next, we have a Maple Bourbon Cocktail by Emily at Jelly Toast
This drink reminds me of crisp leaves, wool sweaters, and crackling fireplaces. Bourbon, orange juice, pure maple syrup, and bitters come together in perfect harmony. Whether you serve this at a dinner party with friends or enjoying one on a cozy night in, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

And lastly, Honeycrisp Apple Sangria by Sally at Sally's Baking Addiction 
Mmm... This is the most perfect fall sangria ever concocted! Cider, red wine, brandy, orange juice, apples, lemon, cinnamon sticks and club soda--nothing is left out of this recipe. Make a pitcher, (or two!) invite the neighbors over, and pair with some pumpkin spice donuts and a bonfire for the perfect fall evening. 

Silverware for a Fall Dinner Party

In case you haven't heard, over here at 5 O'Clock Design Co. we are pretty excited about the preparations for an awesome fall dinner party that's coming up! Last week we took vintage wooden napkin rings and gave them some pizazz, this week we are jazzing up some silverware to go with our theme. I have to thank my friend, Shauna, at Maeflowers Vintage for this fabulous idea. Shauna and I share a passion for mid century furniture, thrifting, and gold spray paint. When I saw her spray paint silverware (genius!) I fell in love with the result and knew I had to give it a try as well!

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, I was insistent that I wanted real silverware. Pricy rentals didn't fit the budget so I turned to our local restaurant supply store and ordered boxes of cheap, restaurant quality silverware. I have since dispensed of most of it, but I did hold on to a few dozen sets in case of big parties or company. I am so glad I did! I pulled out it out for this project and once it met a coating of gold spray paint, it's hardly recognizable!

To start, I decided how far up the handle I wanted the gold to come. It was important to keep the paint away from the parts that would come in contact with someones mouth so I stayed well within the bottom two-thirds. First I taped a nice clean line where I wanted the paint to end, then I went back and covered anything else still exposed. A quick coat of what is quickly becoming my favorite gold spray paint, and tada--gorgeous silverware that is perfect for a fall dinner party!

If you don't have two dozen sets of extra silverware sitting around, check your local dollar store or Christmas Tree Shops. I've had great luck buying decent, inexpensive silverware for projects at both of these places. Or, as an alternative, try this wooden silverware dressed up with washi tape! It's adorable, easy, and a little more informal. 

I bought my supplies at Joann Fabrics and, with coupons, got everything for less than $6. The wooden silverware came in a package of service for 6 and I picked up a few different styles of washi tape to experiment with.

I played with placement of the designs for a few minutes, settled on a pattern I liked, taped the first piece, and then just repeated the pattern. This was soooo easy, not at all messy, and completely customizable depending on the washi tape you choose.

Whether more formal or casual, custom silverware is a total win for your dinner party! Which is your favorite? Comment below and vote!

Geometric Lamp Makeover

See how these lamps went from outdated orange to gorgeous gold, PLUS, how to use your Ikea Expedit shelving as a home office!

We all have those things in our home that we've fallen out of love with. Our style changes, the season changes, or something just isn't functioning well in a space. It can be expensive (and wasteful) to constantly be buying new things, but it's also no fun to feel stuck with things you don't love. This is when I love trying to re-purpose or refresh something I already own. Often this means altering the look with paint, fabric, etc but other times it just means changing where or how I'm using a particular piece. 

These lamps honestly weren't terrible to begin with. I bought them this color on purpose and used them happily for a few years before I grew tired of the bright orange. While I was ready to be done with the color, I still loved the shape and character. So I turned to my beloved gold spray paint to give them a new look.

Here is what they looked like after the second coat of paint. I did not use a primer, just cleaned the lamps well. The paint adhered well and covered nicely. I thought I wanted to seal the lamp and give it a high-gloss look, so I proceeded to apply a few coats of clear spray acrylic. 

This is what it looked like with the clear gloss. ICK! Again, it's really not awful, it just isn't what I was going for. It feels kind of flat and dull.

*A note about the clear gloss--if you decide to use it, don't freak out if it looks cloudy-white going on! I panicked, but as it dried it cleared right up.

So... back for another round of straight gold spray paint and it's perfect again. I love the gold foil look and the subtle character of the finish. 

With the lamps looking so classy, the shades needed a little re-vamp too!

The linen shade was really beautiful and classic, but it looked out of place with the new gold color. It seemed a little casual and there was absolutely no contrast. I taped off the edges so I wouldn't get paint on the white interior and then went crazy with this "Diva Pink" color.

This is the first time I've tried painting a lampshade and I was so nervous I was going to ruin it. I kept meaning to buy an additive that is supposed to turn any paint into fabric paint but never got around to it. Eventually, I decided to just try it! This is just straight acrylic craft paint and it worked beautifully. I applied the paint with a brush and only did one coat so as not too obscure too much light.

And finally, how the lamps worked with my humble home office!

I know, I know, "home office" might seem like a stretch, but since I do a lot of work right at our dining room table, I needed a place to store the things I use most often. We were using sections of this Ikea Expedit shelf as a bar, but once I finished this bar cart project it became kind of a catch-all for books, a few picture frames, and toys. I decided to re-claim it and make it a more functional work space! 

What do you think--hit or miss with the new look for these lamps? Comment below and tell us what you think of their transformation!