The original gold was beautiful but I was ready for whimsical Christmas decorations! One whimsical jumbo Christmas ornament down....one to go! Whimsical Christmas Tree Did you know that I taught a course to create Whimsical Christmas crafts... Learn more about Week of Whimsy: 5 Christmas Crafts here! Please share my whimsical Christmas decorations pins and follow me on Pinterest!

For several years now...Zadie (my 12 yr old) and I have wanted to turn our Christmas tree into a Valentine I barely got a tree up at all for Christmas and to be honest (again) it was pretty lame as far as my She said it was more fun the any Christmas tree we've ever done! Wowza! Total WIN!!! So this is my advice to you if you are considering transforming your Christmas tree! GO BIG! I'd love to see your Valentines trees...or even you Christmas tree pictures!

I honestly don't know... but I do know that it is now the cutest tiny Christmas table I've ever seen! I knew they would make the perfect pair.....and would now sit as a couple next to my Christmas tree!   , my hand painted guitar case....and now my tiny little Christmas table!  furniture a thing Whimsical Christmas Decorations - learn how to make your own whimsy tree Christmas Please please please share my tiny whimsical Christmas table and follow me on Pinterest!

In all my years of furniture painting.....I've never created a piece JUST for SANTA! There was something about this little writing desk that took me back to childhood....and letter writing.....and with the approaching holidays.....SANTA! Don't you love this red painted desk just for Santa?!?! If you are a new reader, hello and welcome to the Fancy Fam! With over a decade of furniture painting experience, I can honestly say that sharing my projects through this blog is still my favorite way to inspire! I've got years worth of fun and creative ways to update your home decor and furniture through paint! If this sounds like something you'd like to have delivered to you every Sunday be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here ! I KNOW....I KNOW!!! It's too early...but hey!! I need to give you time to get one ready for your own home and we just can't wait until DECEMBER!!! I could go on with a magical story....and get lost in childhood make believe...but instead....I'll stay focused and move forward with the "how to do an image transfer on furniture" so that you may create your own! (and yes....I painted the Santa Canvas too...but that needs its own blog). Step 1: Clean It CLEAN......it is soooooo important! White Lighting takes the cake y'all! I challenge you.....to clean with your favorite cleaner....and then go over it AGAIN with White Lightning.....and just SEE for yourself what it will STILL pull from your project before you start! That's all I have to say about that!!! Step 2: Prime It PRIME with BOSS ....because it is just that....the BOSS! Although I wish it were called THE BOMB...because that is how I feel about it. You know I'm constantly testing new primers on the market and sharing with you. Priming is so important to a successful project...and BOSS wins in my books! It is offered in both white (better for color blocking) and clear (odor and stain blocking)......and is the best all in one primer on the market today! Step 3: Base Coat It GRAY COAT undercoat.....this is a special little trick for all red paints finishes. Red paints, no matter what brand or type, are known for splotchy coverage. The TRICK.....is a single coat of gray paint!!! I know....its weird...but it WORKS!!! It works on crafts, furniture, walls....wherever you are using reds! Try it! You'll love me for it! This is Manatee Gray ....and only one coat. Step 4: Painted Santa Desk RED! Time for a little Honky Tonk Red and a whole lotta color!!! Woo hoo! This red rocks!!! This desk was fully saturated with color in just ONE coat.....which unheard of! (I promise it's the gray trick ya'll). And have you tried the Dixie Belle Brushes yet?? Yep....you really need to try them too! My favorites are this one you see pictured which is called the Mini (because the handle is short)....and also the FM (for flat medium). They are a synthetic brush with the softest most flexible bristles...which really help with creating less brush strokes. They load a ton of paint...much like a water color brush. And they maintain their shape really well. I 'm into mine about 2 months already and have yet felt the need to get a new one.....and I probably paint WAY more than most people! Step 5: Add Words to Red Painted Santa Desk Furniture Transfer Application - the script that you see on the drawer fronts is actually an image transfer by Redesign with Prima....and is called Never Ending Story . You also saw this used on the inside of my grandfather clock which you can see here . It is VERY easy to apply. Once you paint has dried...you just lay the transfer sheet where you want it and rub with the little plastic tool which is included. It is fast and easy and makes a huge impact on the design of the piece. There are so many furniture transfer options...but right now this is my favorite!!! Step 6: Top Coat It Top Coat....you already know by now that my favorite top coat EVER is Gator Hide by DB . It is super hardy...leaves a gorgeous sheen....AND is water repellent!!! Which works great on most of my pieces since I design so much for children's rooms! I simply applied one thin coat....let dry for two hours....then applied a second coat. Look at this script up close.....it is lightly distressed on purpose. It comes that way! I love the "less than perfect" feel of it! One package completed all three drawers with even a little left over! The drawers were curved....and yet the image transfer was still super easy to apply! And will you just check out the sheen of the Gator Hide Top Coat in this photo below???!!!??? Step 7: Add the Surprise! I ALWAYS like to add a surprise!! So how about that GOLD to make this piece feel extra magical when Santa letter writing is happening??? I did prime the inside with BOSS White Primer .....and used my favorite metallic finish by Modern Masters..... Olympic Gold ....two coats! As you can see.....it is a very gaudy gold....but I am always drawn to bold and gaudy....so it works for me! If you prefer a more subtle gold....I like to recommend Warm Silver (its really a super pale gold and so beautiful!). And there you go! It's all set up and ready for sweet little hands to write sweet little list....and to be reminded of the Naughty and Nice list! I was ALWAYS on the NICE list.....ALWAYS! Just getting started?  Want to learn some basic furniture painting techniques?  Check out my Furniture Painting Basics course. See you next week! XOXO, Tracey JOIN ME FOR MORE...with Curiously Creative If you enjoyed this and want more of a deep dive into home decor and DIY processes, I would love it if you joined my exclusive online creative group , Curiously Creative .  I show up LIVE to guide you through every step of updating, upcycling, crafting, and creating on-trend home decor and gift-giving ideas! Want more fancy furniture & design? Save & Share Please please please share my Santa Desk pin and follow me on Pinterest!

Can we all just act as if Christmas FURNITURE is a thing? Before: A Christmas Furniture Transformation Project I knew exactly how I wanted to use the nutcracker Christmas Furniture: Nutcracker Entry Table Start with the Base Coat I painted the entire cabinet in In full transparency, I do not have the space to store furniture that will only be used for Christmas The nutcracker transfers would be so cute on ANY Christmas decor... even fancy large wrapped Christmas

A SIMPLE elf gumball machine.....just in time for Christmas! It really is the perfect Christmas red... see Honky Tonk Red on my Santa Desk here! in that space with a custom mix of Evergreen and Tree Frog Green for what I believe is the perfect Christmas It all started with THIS gumball machine made for my fancy grand last Christmas.

What a magical experience it was to hand-paint not one....but THREE Christmas scenes onto this vintage Hand Painted Christmas Memories I purchased this globe months ago from a local thrift store and was waiting I knew immediately that my mind always goes to Christmas Eve! Christmas Elf Gumball Machine - a truly unique gift anyone would love Wine Bottles - the perfect hostess

See my Christmas Wonderland Globe  - another vintage globe turned winter wonderland. As the Christmas season approached, I couldn't stop thinking about the globe on my shelf.  I was considering adding frames around the globe to hold family photos or even tiny images of Christmas More Inspiration: Christmas Furniture and Decor Christmas projects are so fun to make and I have so many  - learn how to make your own whimsy tree Christmas Gumball Machine  - elf gumball machine for more

More Inspiration: Christmas Furniture and Decor I pulled a few blogs from past projects that came to Here are the additional designs for your inspiration:   Nutcracker Entry Table  - let's make Christmas furniture a thing Whimsical Christmas Decorations  - learn how to make your own whimsy tree Santa Desk - a bold red piece for furniture for the big guy Christmas Wonderland Globe  - vintage globe turned

Here are the additional designs for your inspiration:   Nutcracker Entry Table  - let's make Christmas Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details Even More Inspiration: Christmas Furniture and Decor Christmas projects are so fun to make and I have so many to share!  - learn how to make your own whimsy tree Christmas Gumball Machine  - elf gumball machine for more holiday cheer Christmas Wonderland Globe  - vintage globe turned wonderland Tiny Whimsical Table  - with

The beauty of chalk mineral paint.....is you can paint anything with it! And having the ability to paint metal objects.....with something other than a can of spray paint.....opens up a world of opportunity! The large finial ornaments are metal.....and have been a wildly popular offering of mine! Surprisingly....many are asking me to paint them to be used year round! So in this blog I will show you a pair of custom painted jumbo finial ornaments meant to be used all year..... and the steps I took to create them! If you are a new reader, hello and welcome to the Fancy Fam! With over a decade of furniture painting experience, I can honestly say that sharing my projects through this blog is still my favorite way to inspire! I've got years worth of fun and creative ways to update your home decor and furniture through paint! If this sounds like something you'd like to have delivered to you every Sunday be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here ! Design Plan: Custom Painted Jumbo Finial Ornaments My client asked if I would match the design to a specific pattern from Rifle Paper Co. called Garden Party.  You can see that example here .  Let me just say I was crazy excited to have the opportunity to create with this color palette.   I chose the following Dixie Belle paints for these custom jumbo finial ornaments: The Gulf , Mint Julep , Daisy , Colonel Mustard , Cotton Candy (my custom mix) , Flamingo But First the Before... These jumbo finial ornaments were originally red so I needed to prime them.   lots of custom ornaments in process... I used Bonding BOSS primer in white .   This not only blocks the bold red color but also prepares the metal so that my paint will adhere really well .  I painted one coat and allowed it to dry overnight before I began the custom finish. Priming any slick surface before painting is critically important to avoid chipping and peeling. Read my blog, How to Paint on Glass Surfaces , for all the details for painting a smooth surface. Supplies Used: Custom Painted Jumbo Finial Ornaments Bonding BOSS White Colonel Mustard Daisy Flamingo Cotton Candy The Gulf Mint Julep Clear Coat Gloss Liquid Leaf Gold Posca Pens - Black & White Craft Brushes You can also shop my favorite products and tools in my Amazon influencer list here. This post may contain affiliate links. I could make a commission at no charge to you if you purchase my recommended products. Please read my disclosure here and my privacy policy here . Painting Custom Design on Jumbo Finial Ornaments! I spent very little time deciding what my patterns would be.   Checks and Stripes! Of Course! I knew I wanted to paint my checkerboard pattern in the pink and coral.....and on the largest ball.  But I also knew I wanted to divide the space on that ball with another pattern....so I chose a tone-on-tone stripe with two shades of green-ish.   PRO TIP : When painting stripes or checks.....I recommend painting the lightest colors over the whole surface....let dry....draw out the checks or stripes....then fill in every other one with the other paint color.    Oh That Floral Ball!!! It just might be my favorite part!  I obviously pulled the florals from the inspiration photo....and just put my own twist on it.   I love how it turned out. A Punch of Yellow! The yellows are a simple tone-on-tone polka-dot. The last pattern that I decided on was the coral/pink stripe ball.  I felt like the large ornament needed one more splash of that combo!! Black & White...and GOLD! Yes, Please! When I was completely finished with the color palette.....I was finally able to decide where I would add a black and white pattern and metallic gold....because both are a must.  Side note.....I painted a lot of the floral design and polka dots with q-tips!   My black and white accents were going to be minimal....and tiny.....so I chose to use my Posca marker in black to do this.  I only needed to add the black as the white Bonding Boss primer was still visible and I just utilized that to my benefit!  And as for those bold gold accents.......I can't believe I'm about to admit that I have resorted back to my "old" favorite gold metallic paint .  I quit using it years ago as it's so incredibly odorous and often gives me a headache.  So please wear a mask and work in a well ventilated area if you choose to use it.  It really does give such a gorgeous finish and I just haven't found an opaque liquid gold that I like as much.   The final touch was a high gloss finish!  I used Clear Coat Gloss ......and laid down three coats over several hours for this gorgeous shiny look!   The Finished Look: Custom Painted Jumbo Finial Ornaments I am so in love with this pair of jumbo finial ornaments.... ....and even more in love with this color palette!   I hope this will inspire you to look at all objects as canvases for your creativity...no matter what color they are! With a good quality paint like Dixie Belle ....you can literally paint anything!   More Inspiration: I pulled a few blogs from past projects that came to mind when working on this piece! I hope you can use them to draw inspiration for your upcoming project. Here are the additional designs for your inspiration:   My "Original" Jumbo Finial Design - black & white whimsy Whimsy Grandfather Clock  - bright & bold... So. Many. Details! Whimsical Salt & Pepper Grinder - a crowd favorite! Want even more... Check out these blogs for LOADS OF IDEAS! 30+ Hand Painted Gift Ideas   DIY Whimsical Home Decor Ideas   Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details JOIN ME FOR MORE...with Curiously Creative If you enjoyed this and want more of a deep dive into home decor and DIY processes, I would love it if you joined my exclusive online creative group , Curiously Creative . I show up LIVE to guide you through every step of updating, upcycling, crafting, and creating on-trend home decor and gift-giving ideas! Want more fancy furniture & design? Save & Share on Pinterest! Please please please share my custom painted jumbo finial ornament project and follow me on Pinterest!

This chair sat proudly beside my tree last Christmas.....and joined the whole family for the chaos of I did not store him away when Christmas was over....instead I hung him on my shop wall where he makes *** More Inspiration: Christmas Furniture and Decor Christmas projects are so fun to make and I have Nutcracker Entry Table  - let's make Christmas furniture a thing Whimsical Christmas Decorations  - learn how to make your own whimsy tree Christmas Gumball Machine  - elf gumball machine for more holiday cheer