What 'cha Working on Wednesday?

It seems like the snow and wind have, at least temporarily stopped for a few days, so I took my spray cans and splatter to the back yard and finished up a couple of things.  I finally got the train case finished:

I've also been working on some candlesticks and salt and pepper shakers that I thrifted.  I like to make the candlesticks into angels and the salt and pepper shakers into snowmen.

I love using crackle medium.  It gives wooden pieces a worn, yet elegant look.  If you have never used it before, I can give you some pointers.

1. Some people are really stuck on using a particular brand of crackle medium.  I'm not so picky, but I say buy the size of medium that is suited to your job.  For instance, if you are like me and use it occasionally on crafting items, buy the small size that you can find in a craft store.  If you are doing furniture or walls, however its best and more economical to buy the larger sizes like you might find in a home improvement store.  
2. Always use a darker base coat.  On this particular angel, the candlestick was already a dark brown so there was no need to repaint.  However, I also purchased a couple more candlesticks that were unfinished so they had to be painted first.  If you want your outer color to be dark, for instance a navy blue or bright red, you would want your base coat to be a lighter color.  The main idea is for the "crackles" to show through.
3. Apply your crackle medium evenly throughout your project.  Don't glob it on!  And when you are crackling a surface such as this angel, with a whole bunch or rings and grooves, make sure you don't leave bubbles in the crevices.
4. Let it completely dry.  This is the most important part.  I always let my medium dry overnight.  If you try to rush it, it will not be pretty.
5. Paint the over-coat quickly and evenly.  If you go back to retouch, it just will not look very good.  I always try to work in small sections.  If you have some small area that doesn't have adequate coverage, you might have some success with pouncing or dabbing small amounts of the over-coat on.  You don't want to put the paint on too heavy either.  You will end up with drips and areas that will not crackle.  
6. Spray a sealer once your surface is completely dry.  Overnight drying is nice, but usually not necessary if you are using acrylic paints.

Hope that helps to get you started on your own crackling journey.  If you want to turn candlesticks into angels, follow these directions for the base.  I completed with a wooden ball for her head and embellishments such as lace and pip berries.  The wings are made from a wood cut out that I found at a local craft store. I sprayed the entire piece with glitter blast and then a sealer.  I know you can probably think of some really cool ways to create your own angels.  I'd love to see them!