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Refinishing your furniture with a crackled and antiqued look

Refinishing your furniture with a crackled and antiqued look

Instructions to refinishing your furniture for an antiqued look fast ansteps.
Supplies:
  • Furniture acrylic paints or latex, 2 colors crackle medium
  • 2 foam brushes
  • 1 bristle brush
  • sandpaper
  • tack cloth
  • clear varnish

    Have you ever seen furniture that is old and charming? It has little cracks in the paint and you can see the old finishes. Well, you can give your new or unfinished furniture that same charming look with a few simple steps.
  • If the furniture piece is unfinished your first step is to decide on colors. What color do you want to see through the cracks and what color is going to be the top color? Once decided, be sure to sand the piece and wipe clean of dust with a tack cloth. Using those sponge type brushes, brush on the first coat of paint. Let dry and apply a second coat if you desire a darker color. Let the second coat dry according to the paint directions.
  • Once those layers of paint are dry, you must apply a special coating called "Crackle Medium" which can be purchased at most craft and home decorating stores. Apply one medium coat with a bristle brush and let air dry till sticky or tacky to the touch. DO NOT let dry completely.
  • Once tacky to the touch, apply a light, even coat of the second or contrasting color to the furniture. The topcoat should start to crackle immediately. Be sure not to over brush the top coat as that could cause smearing and it won't crackle.
  • If the furniture is still not aged enough, you can take a medium weight sandpaper and lightly sand the corners and sides of the furniture. Be sure to wait until the paint is completely dry. After you sand some paint off, be sure to use the tack cloth to remove the dust from the furniture.
  • When you are happy with your new "old" piece of furniture, be sure to protect it by using a few coats of clear varnish.

    How to Buy Shoes Online when You Can't Try Them On

    How to Buy Shoes Online when You Can't Try Them On

    HowWith millions of online stores offering anything you can imagine, there is a real trend in shopping online. Shopping online was once considered risky with shoppers being afraid of their credit card information or personal information being available to the public. However today shopping online is easier and safer than ever. Buying clothing and shoes online can help you get items you cannot get locally as well as save money. There is always a store online offering a better price and a better deal, so be sure to check around.
    Shopping online can be difficult however because you don't have the item you want at your fingertips. When it comes to clothing and shoes, you cannot physically try them on. So, there are things you should be much more aware of when shopping for these things online. Use these tips to help you shops for shoes successfully online.

    Know Your Body
    The most important thing you can do when shopping for shoes online is to know your body. Know what looks good on you. If you have short legs, you should know that tall boots would not likely flatter your shape. If your calves are a little larger than most, know that you should beware of tall boots as well. Many people have wide feet, in which you know you cannot wear most skinny heels. All of these things are completely normal parts of a person's body. However, you should keep them in mind when shopping for shoes online. If you have a wide foot, be sure that you are not trying to purchase narrow shoes and vice versa. Knowing what works for you and what you like best will help you make realistic purchases. Remember, although it looks good on the model online, it may not look that great in real life.

    Size Charts Help
    There are too many shoppers who ignore the sizing charts most shoe websites provide to them. These size charts are not put on the site for any other reason than to help you make a successful purchase. A lot of research goes into them so you should take a look. Although most people know their shoe or boot size, some brands will differ greatly. This is essential when you are buying specialty shoes, like sporting or dance shoes. The specialty shoes are often a little bigger or smaller than your normal size. Most size charts will allow you to compare your street shoe size with the size you need. They are very easy to read and are nothing but helpful. If you use the charts, as you should, there should be no problem in the size being wrong.

    Return Policies
    Occasionally you will order the correct size however the shoe you get will just not fit right. It may be too narrow or the toe area may be too small. No matter what the problem is, you should always be aware of a website's return policies before ordering. You don't want to wait until it's too late to figure out they don't take returns. Educate yourself on the policies before you put down the cash. Most shoe websites will allow you to return or exchange your purchase as long as the shoes have no been worn outdoors. This can be a tricky thing however because even if you wear them outside once, you could be voiding the return policy. The best thing to do is to wear them inside a few times. You will know after these trials whether or not the shoe will work for you.

    Along with the return policies, be sure you understand shipping charges as well. Some shoe websites won't charge you additional shipping for returns or exchanges. However, some will charge you for sending the item back as well as for shipping the new pair. You don't want to be caught in this type of fee game, so check it out before you buy. If you use the sizing chart and if you know your body then you probably won't even need to worry about these things. However, there are always things that happen and shopping online will not give you a complete idea about how the shoe will fit or feel on your foot.
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