Good Intentions, Project 1

One of my resolutions this year is to finish the projects that are really starting to collect.  I have a bad habit of finding all sorts of things that need TLC, but I never get around to them. One of my pals at ReStore calls these projects "good intentions."  She suspects I have a garage, basement, and car filled of "good intentions."  She's right, and that's going to change this year!

This weathered, crusty planter is an excellent example of a good intention:

I think I paid a quarter for it at ReStore last autumn.  After bringing it home, I gave it a good scrubbing and filled the cracks with Spackle.  I even took the "before" picture!  And then it sat on the floor of my basement studio, unfinished for months.

I finally got tired of stepping over it last week, and the dining room table was looking pretty bare after the holidays.  It was all the motivation I needed to finish it.

Too keep it from looking too flat, I painted it with a mixture of black and bronze craft paint and dry-brushed it.  It's finished with several coats of glossy acrylic sealer.

I used what I had on hand to fill it, focusing only on color and texture.  Never mind that a real hydrangea probably wouldn't be happy with a container with hens and chicks.  

I found the iced unripe pomegranates on clearance after Christmas.  I liked their color, so I tucked them in with the pine cones.

My favorite find last Christmas was these juniper picks I found at a local home decor store.  Since I usually shop the big chain craft stores with their sales and coupons, I hated paying full retail price for them.  But as the fake stuff goes, they were too lovely to pass up.

Good Intentions = 1.  One less unfinished, neglected item lurking in the basement.  What a great feeling!