Elegant Black Porch Door (& Winners!)

A little over a year ago I was introduced to an awesome company called Modern Masters.  The kind folks there asked if I wanted to review their metallic paints, and I jumped at the opportunity!  I loved getting to use their product, so when they approached me about trying out their new front door paint, I couldn't say yes fast enough.

But there was a catch for me...I didn't want to use the paint on our actual front door.  Instead, I was itching to give our back porch door a makeover.  You see, I've been mentally sprucing up our back porch for well over a year now, and getting the porch door painted would be step one of the vision actually coming to life.

So I scanned through the 24, yes 24, amazing color options available and chose Elegant...a rich, classic black.  I wiped my door down so it was free of dirt and lint, and taped off the edges of the door.  Per the directions on the container, since my door was previously painted, I could start painting without priming. Modern Masters boasts that it takes only two coats for full coverage, but I was skeptical...especially since I was going from white to black.

(I skipped taping off the windows, and decided it'd be easier to scrape them with a razor after.  Clearly, I hate taping.)

Here's where I started (booooooooring)...

After coat #1 (I was a bit scared)...

After coat #2 (that looked a little better)...

After coat #3 (almost there)...

And one final coat for good measure (nailed it)...

Although it did take me 4 full coats to cover the white door, the results were worth it.  The paint dried quickly and has a beautiful satin finish that really pops against our home.  The paint was also easy to scrape off the windows.

If you are antsy to revive your entrance, but scared to take the plunge, you can download Modern Masters' free iPhone and Andriod app to instantly see the transformation this paint can make for you.  And once you fall in love with a color, visit select Lowe's and Ace Hardware locations, or go online to Amazon.com and Modern Masters to purchase!

***I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are 100% mine!!***

*******************************

Winners of the Paisley Print giveaway have been announced here.  Check your email ladies! :)

DIY Christmas Wreath.

I have been a crafting machine this Christmas season!  The Blogger Stylin' Home Tour totally lit a fire under me and had me churning out projects left and right!  Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it definitely upped my productivity this month.

One of my favorite things I made was my Christmas wreath.  I used my holiday inspiration pretty literally in this project.

I started with a blank wreath form and some wide B&W striped ribbon.

I hot glued my black and white striped ribbon into place, and then tightly wrapped the ribbon around the form until I was back at my starting point.  I cut the ribbon and used another bead of hot glue to secure the end into place.

Then I used two different sized sparkly beads I had in my craft stash to create a cluster on the wrapped form.  These beads were pretty heavy, so I held each in place until the hot glue was 100% dry.

Once the cluster was big enough for my liking, I added some greenery using two small pieces from an artificial pine tree stem.  Then I just cut a sliver of leftover plaid fabric and pulled the loose strings off to give it a little worn, rustic vibe.  I tucked the ends of the plaid fabric behind the mirror on our mantel, using the weight of the mirror to hold the wreath in place.

I really love the combo of black and white stripes and plaid in this wreath.  Plus, it's got a bit of shine to it, and if you've been here for a while, you know I looooove me some shiny stuff!!  This is the third wreath I've made for our mantel {here was the first and second} and I love them more and more each time!

Happy Friday! :):)