Thrift Store Makeover: DIY Aged Ornaments

Thrift store ornaments get an aged vintage makeover!

While on one of my many thrifting adventures, I found a large amount of Christmas ornaments in the bagged section of Goodwill.

They're something I wouldn't have given a second thought, however, when I moved the bags I realized the ornaments were heavy, solid, and only $1 a bag.

I immediately knew they would be perfect for an aged makeover, so I grabbed a few bags to bring home.

SUPPLIES NEEDED TO AGE ORNAMENTS

- Thrift store ornaments (look for solid ornaments made of metal or clay)

- 400 grit sandpaper

- Black chalk paint

- Rich Espresso metallic paint (Rub 'n Buff or other metallic gold paint would work too)

- Paintbrush

- Paper towels

The color combination of the ornaments I found was not my style but more importantly, they were solid, made of clay, and had great texture.

Resource: How to Thrift: The Best Thrifting Tips and Tricks

I knew paint would adhere well to the ornaments because of the clay-like material they were made of. Just to be safe, I lightly sanded each ornament with 400-grit sandpaper before painting.

I applied two coats of black chalk paint to each ornament first. I chose chalk paint because I prefer a flat dull finish. If you like the look of shinier ornaments then black craft paint, semi-gloss, or gloss paint can be used instead. Another option is to seal ornaments with semi-gloss or gloss polycrylic.

While the last coat of black paint was still wet, I lightly dry brushed metallic gold paint onto each ornament. To dry brush, add paint to just the tip of your paintbrush, dab the paint onto a paper towel (I used brown paper), then lightly apply it to the ornaments.

Dry brushing, while the black paint is still somewhat wet, allows the two paint colors to blend together for a natural finish.

Updating these thrift store ornaments was a fun and easy weeknight craft project. It's also a great budget-friendly way to decorate a tree with solid, good-quality ornaments.