Once I decided I was going to make one, I started watching for shutters and wire basket-things at yard sales. By mid-June I had found both for a total of $5.00. I even found three brand-new terra cotta pots in the perfect size, complete with drip bowls for another $1.50.
First I removed the small knobs and cleaned and lightly sanded the shutters. Next I painted them with dark brown spray paint. (A can I had bought at a yard sale last year for a quarter!) After that dried I started layering acrylic paint (brushed on) and candle wax according to directions my inspiration blogger has posted. You roughly slap on a coat, let dry, rub a candle over random areas, paint the next color, scrape away a bit of the paint where the wax is, then rub on more wax and paint again. Continue until you have all the layers you want. After the brown spray-on, I used this blue, then yellow, then green, and finished with a burnt umber glaze I had left over from a previous project.
I thought I would have this done and hung by July 4th, but it kept getting put on the back burner. At last, I finished the painting and with the help of my handy-guys got everything securely attached together and hung by our front door. Cost - about $8 (not including plants). Best of all, I finally replaced that tired old wreath I had in this spot with something really eye-catching!
