After Christmas, I went looking around on ebay for wood and iron candle sconces.
I found a pair of these for less than $20. They are plentiful on ebay in all price ranges. I think they're from the late 1980s, but not sure.
Here is a recent listing from ebay, and this one has the original glass votive holders.
In any case, it needed a makeover.
I had in mind something similar to these French Pinot sconces.
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I started by spraying them with gray primer. I thought I had a photo of that stage, but I must have deleted it. I then brushed on a lighter gray craft paint, let it dry, then sanded the high spots. I didn't like the color, nor did I enjoy trying to hold the sconce with one hand and brush paint into all the crevices, so I spray painted flat white over the whole thing, then sanded again after it dried.
I then, rubbed on a coat of dark finishing wax and rubbed it off. I was pretty happy with the finish, then I realized something was missing.
I have seen French candle sconces with wood beads, so I searched everywhere for long wood beads. I looked online and at Michaels in the jewelry and wood departments, but could not find what I wanted. I finally went to the craft department at Walmart and found a couple of options to choose from.
I thought these beads might work, but they were not really long enough for the look I wanted.
I then saw these wood caps and thought I might be able to make them work.
There were four of each size, so I decided to glue them together, since I needed four.
After applying the same paint treatment I did to the sconces, I used an awl to make a hole, then dipped a shortened wire ornament hanger into the glue then inserted it into the hole.
And...voilà, French candle sconces!
I love how they turned out! I did plan on switching out the candle cups for smaller brass ones, but I thought that would just be overkill and more work than I really wanted to do.
I'm still not sure where I'm going to put them, since I have two, but for now, one is here on the old door in the music "room."
Not bad for less than $20:-)
I'll be joining:
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Looks fabulous. Great job. The beads are the perfect addition. :) Julie
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie!
DeleteYou wouldn't by looking at it that had been from the 80's, great job on it and I love the finish!
ReplyDeleteI know..paint can do amazing things! Thank you:-)
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