Alright, let’s talk about this “christmas golden” idea I had. It wasn’t some grand plan, really. Just felt like things needed a bit of sparkle this year, you know? Everything felt a bit… well, not so sparkly. So, gold it was. Not a whole golden palace, mind you, just touches here and there.
I started thinking, what could I actually do? I’m not made of money, and those fancy golden decorations in the shops? Wow, they can cost a pretty penny. Then I remembered that box of old Christmas baubles. The ones that have seen better days – a bit scratched, colors faded. Perfect candidates for a makeover, I thought.
My Golden Mission: Old Baubles, New Shine
So, the mission was set: turn those sad, forgotten ornaments into something golden and cheerful. First things first, I had to gather my supplies. It wasn’t a long list, which was good.
- The old baubles: Dug them out from the attic. Yep, just as sad-looking as I remembered.
- Gold paint: This was key. I went for a spray paint. Seemed easiest. Got a can of acrylic metallic gold. I figured it would stick to plastic and glass well enough.
- Old newspapers: To cover my workspace. I learned my lesson about spray paint the hard way a few years back with a disastrous bookshelf project. Never again without proper covering!
- Some wire or string: To hang the baubles while they dried.
- Gloves: Disposable ones. Because gold fingers are only cool if you’re Midas.
I set up shop in the garage. Spread out the newspapers nice and thick. Then I took the little metal cap things off the baubles. Gave them a quick wipe with a damp cloth to get any dust off. Some were glass, some were plastic. I wasn’t too fussy, figured the gold paint would cover all sins.
Then came the fun part – the spraying. Shake the can well! That’s what the instructions said, and boy, did I shake it. I hung a few baubles from a makeshift line I strung up between two old paint cans. This way, I could spray them all around without getting my hands all over them. Smart, eh? Well, mostly. The first couple, I sprayed a bit too close. Got some drips. Ugh. Patience, I told myself. Light, even coats. That’s the trick.
So, I backed off a bit, sprayed with a sweeping motion. It actually started to look pretty good! The gold covered the old colors surprisingly well. Some needed a second light coat after the first one dried a bit, especially the darker original ones. The metallic sheen was just what I was hoping for. It wasn’t that super brash, cheap-looking gold, but a nicer, warmer tone.
Drying took a little while. I left them hanging in the garage overnight just to be sure. Didn’t want to bring them in smelling of paint fumes anyway. The next morning, I went to check on them. And you know what? They looked fantastic! Seriously, like brand new, expensive-looking golden baubles.
I carefully put the little metal caps back on. Some of the old wires were a bit tatty, so I replaced them with new bits of gold thread I had lying around from some old gift wrapping. Waste not, want not!
When I hung them on the tree, mixed in with the other decorations, they really stood out. They caught the fairy lights beautifully. That “christmas golden” touch I was after? Achieved. And it barely cost anything, just a can of paint and a bit of my time.
It’s not about having the fanciest stuff, is it? Sometimes, just making something with your own hands, giving old things a new lease of life, that’s where the real satisfaction is. Plus, my tree looks pretty darn classy this year with all that gold shimmer. A simple thing, but it made me happy. Give it a try if you’ve got some old bits and bobs lying around!