This is how it arrived. It is a shiny black plastic cow head stuck on a plastic plaque made to look old. It would have been alright if the plastic look wasn't so obvious.
After it had been stored away for quite some time I had a thought. Maybe I could improve the look of it and use it after all. So I pulled out my Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Luckett's Green.
Funny how the paint looks yellow in powder form.
As soon as you mix it in water it turns this lovely shade of green.
I scuffed up the finish with a sanding block and then painted the entire piece with the paint.
I was hoping the milk paint would do its magic and peel. It did on the red base, but not on the head so much so I simply sanded it in places.
I then waxed the entire piece and buffed it and this is how it turned out.
Now I am happy to hang it in the kitchen.
I love the transforming!!!! Georgeous !!! I love you blog!!!
ReplyDeleteThat looks great!
ReplyDeleteMuch better:) It looks like aged brass now. I need some of that paint to give it a try.
ReplyDelete:-) Looks great Kim.
ReplyDeleteYou know I passed up on a large bull head last weekend. Now I want to go back and get it.
Cheers, Gee
Looks 100% better! You are one clever lady!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so much better Kim! And the color is perfect too! Good to know I can use milk paint on plastic too!
ReplyDeletexx
Anne
Looks much better, Kim. Your motto should be: if it sits here too long, I will paint it. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteMUCH better!! Isn't it wonderful what a good coat of paint can do? Now your cow looks great!
ReplyDeleteso much better!
ReplyDeletekeya
Kim, I love this! It looks like it was made for that spot and has a great patina to it now.
ReplyDeleteSoo much better!! I have got to try that paint! I love that color great choice! Come visit my blogs sometime! Hugs
ReplyDeleteToodles-
Sarah
Much better Kim...its amazing what a little paint will do!
ReplyDeleteWhen life gives you lemons... Love the transformation.
ReplyDeleteInstant (almost) patina...love it! And it looks fabulous in your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteYes, way better!
ReplyDeleteLove the green paint. I will hang vintage 60's plastic mirrors but they are not shiny like he was. Well done Kim.
ReplyDeleteWow, so much better! It looks like an aged copper piece now! Great job!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Great job, Kim!
ReplyDeleteSo awesome! I love how it looks super old and patinad now. Love that milk paint can go over anything!
ReplyDeleteThis guy came to your home because he knew you would give him the loving touch which he so needed.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a job well done !!
No offense, Kim, but that guy was ugly!! He looks much better now. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteOh yes much better. I love it! It is very hard with online purchases, but luckily some things look better with a face lift :) Nice job.
ReplyDeleteMuch better!!!!! And you know I love Lucketts Green. Can't go wrong with that! Big improvement!!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are seriously the queen of paint! Only you could make all of us want to go out and buy a cheap plastic cow head so we can have that look too :)
ReplyDeleteYeah- I wouldn't have hung it before either, Kim. It did look very PlastICKY. Love it now though- You would never know it was the same bull...and that is NO bull! xo Diana
ReplyDeleteLooks great! I need to try some of that milk paint,
ReplyDeleteThat is an improvement. It looks like aged brass or copper now. I have to laugh at NanaDiana's comment, PlastiICKY hehe.
ReplyDeleteKim, the newly added green looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteWow, Kim! You worked your magic once again and it looks great!
ReplyDeleteI love the transformation of the bull head, Kim. It looks great. I bought some Luckett's green too, but haven't used it yet. This project is inspiring me.
ReplyDeleteThey sold you a " whole lotta bull," but you took it and made it really nice looking- as if it has aged patina! Paint is truly your friend. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love how you are NOT afraid of anything....ok, except SNAKES....LOL. Awesome transformation.....that is why I love you and your blog.
ReplyDelete~ Lisa ~
You totally took the "bull by the horns," Kim!! Wink, wink.
ReplyDeleteIt looks moo-tiful!!! Okay, I'm going to stop now. :)
Blessings from Oklahoma City,
Meredith at www.thepolkadotshoes.blogspot.com
(Come on over and see me. I love WUW!!)
Fantastic makeover! I agree it looks much better now. I've had a few disappointments with Decor Steals and Antique Farmhouse too. The bad thing is all sales are final. It's a good thing you were able to salvage that. It looks so cute in your kitchen!
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference. The cow looks so much better. It's magical what a little paint can do.
ReplyDeleteWhat a transformation! Great job, Kim!
ReplyDeleteYou turned her into a beauty Kim!!
ReplyDeleteOh my.....sooo much better! Great job Kim!
ReplyDeleteMuch better. Amazing what a little paint can do.
ReplyDeleteYes much better Kim. That was a clever idea. Thanks for sharing. I fixed that other link too btw. Not sure if you knew but last week I featured your napkin rings.
ReplyDeleteAmazing what a little imagination, creativity and a little paint can do! Looks great!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! You really changed it up. I agree...it looked cheap before, now it is so unique and fabulous. I tried MMS milk paint for the first time this weekend. I used it to paint a galvanized tub that someone had painted hunter green. Now it is a perfect chippy linen, and my Christmas tree is nestled inside...just perfect!
ReplyDeletethat's a nice save! Paint makes everything look better.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely much better. It's just too bad that Antique Farmhouse promoted and sold something that looked so cheap. I'm assuming it wasn't returnable?
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the before, but the after is Amazing!!! Love it now!
ReplyDeleteDoreen
Great transformation, Kim. You are a master with the art of milk paint.
ReplyDeletebrilliant! i would have sent that bull to goodwill,
ReplyDeletebut you made him beautiful.
I can't believe the difference after you painted your bull. I have never seen Miss Mustard Seed paint. I checked to see if there were any local distributors, but I don't see any even remotely close. I hope to try it out someday soon.
ReplyDeleteOkay,I gotta tell you....when I read you were going to paint it that green I was a little on the fence!!!! It seemed really bright....however the results are amazing and it looks fabulous!!!
ReplyDelete~Des
Kim, This poorly made cow really worked to your advantage! If it were not less than acceptable you would not have painted it and you would have not ended up with a cow with a GORGEOUS patina! I love the new look! You are a marvel with a paintbrush!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! You would never guess it's origins! x Sharon
ReplyDeleteawesome.... you inspire me soo much with your DIY.
ReplyDeleteAakanksha
http://decor-gharaana.blogspot.com/
Looks like aged copper! Love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing transformation! You did a fabulous job! I love a good paint project. Looks wonderful on your wall!
ReplyDeleteAh, the downside of ordering online. The upside: it looks so much better now! And very pricey I might add. =)
ReplyDeleteJeanine
I saw that at AF and wanted to order it too but saw that it was made of resin and was afraid it would look like plastic. I LOVE the way you transformed it! It looks fantastic! Now I might actually order one if it ever shows up again because I'll know how to make it look awesome. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Kim! I live 20 mins from Lucketts Store and I am amazed at how the color of the cow in the first pic does look exactly like the store's exterior paint color! I would say the cow definitely got the right treatment but then again you always make things better with paint! I have to get over there and check out her paint.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving
Sincerely, Jeannette
The
Well, the paint master turned that "homely thing" into a real gem!!...Looks great on the wall Kim....you definitely turned a lemon into lemonade!!
ReplyDeleteI almost bought that, but didn't. You transformed it, what can I say? I think it looks pretty awesome now. It's amazing what you can do if you have paint and know how to use it! Great job Kim.
ReplyDelete