Call it luck, call it fate, call it whatever you like…
Do you ever have those moments where you happen to find the exact thing you are looking for while out shopping? If you have, then good for you! I, on the other hand, rarely find what I am looking for. Whatever it is that I want is no where to be found!
Two weeks ago, on a Saturday, I decided to pay a visit to my local Antique Mall. I had my heart set on finding a world globe that day. Yes, I am a little late to the “globe decor party”! Better late then never, I say! I didn’t want just any globe though. I set my sights quite high. It had to have an antique look to it and it had to be pretty enough to be out on display; either on my desk or on the top of my bookcase. No plastic, tacky globe for me.
I did my usual loop of the store. I found one globe but it was plastic. Strike one. I was just about to leave and saw another globe behind the sales counter. Bummer! It was on hold for a customer. Strike two. That’s ok, it was a little too big anyway. Then the stars must have aligned for me when I had decided to do one more pass of the last aisle. What did I see in one of the booths at the bottom of a shelf tucked behind some wicker baskets? You guessed it! The perfect globe for me!
Well, it was almost the perfect globe for me. I loved that the base was brass, it was also the exact size that I had wanted, the color of the globe was antique looking and it was in great shape with only a few minor scuff marks. And the best part of all… it was only $20.00! What a steal for sure!
So what was the problem then? I just wasn’t loving the color of the brass. It was way too shiny and it made the globe look so cheap. I wanted it to look like an antique that had been sitting around in someone’s study for a long time collecting dust. I wanted its finish to look almost like an old penny.
After bringing it home and giving it a good cleaning, I contemplated about what I would use to get the look I was going for. Why not use my favorite Rub n’ Buff in Spanish Copper?
Have you ever used Rub n’ Buff before? If you haven’t you are missing out! This stuff is amazing!
Amaco’s Spanish Copper Rub n’ Buff
You can even tell by my sad looking tube of Spanish Copper above that it has been well used.
You know the one important thing that I forgot to do when working on my globe? I forgot to take a before photo showing its shiny brass finish. Oops! You can still see a little bit of its former self near the left arrow above. Don’t you just love it now that it has received a little makeover with Rub n’ Buff?
Spanish Copper gave my globe a gorgeous aged patina. It only took about five minutes of my time to achieve this new look. Time well spent for sure!
If you haven’t had a chance to try out Rub n’ Buff yet, it is very easy and straight-forward to use. You just do what its name implies… You rub and then you buff. That’s pretty much it! I made a set of tips for those of you that are interested. In case you think you might mess this up somehow. Believe me, you won’t. It is that easy!
Two things that I forgot to add to my list above was to make sure to give your piece a good cleaning before applying the Rub n’ Buff just to make sure all of the grimy spots have been taken care of. Also, a little bit goes a long way with this stuff. You need only to use it sparingly.
Finally, to protect your finish you may want to consider adding a coat of wax over top or if you are applying to something that will be getting a fair amount of use and handling, you will want to seal your finish with a few coats of a protective topcoat.
I just love my globe now!
I also picked up this little wooden cutie that Saturday as well. I was thinking about painting it white or cream but I think I may leave it just the way it is. What do you think?
It must have taken someone a lot of time to carve this.
I hope I have inspired you to give Rub n’ Buff a try sometime. Maybe you have some bright, outdated brass candlesticks, light fixtures, picture frames or ornate mirrors that could use a little bit of Rub n’ Buff.
So far my absolute favorite color out of the 16 colors Amaco offers is Spanish Copper. I also used it to give some interest to the hardware for my thrifty dresser transformation HERE. Other colors of Rub n’ Buff that I have collected are the antique white, the autumn gold and the silver leaf. I have used them to give some patina to many items in my home.
Until next time,
Disclosure: All of the thoughts and ideas expressed in this post about Rub n’ Buff are 100% my own and are of my honest opinion. I have not been asked to give my opinion on this product nor have I been compensated in any way.
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