A few months ago, I shared this old black milk can and asked your advice about what the heck to do with it. This milk can was a gift from my husband via his parents. It's about three feet tall and weighs about thirty-five pounds. It's not a baby milk can. It's the real deal from a dairy.
You see, I love old milk cans. Love them!
But not old black and red milk cans.
I love milk cans that are rusty and decrepit and kind of beat-up,
like this one at Blissfully Content.
like this one at Blissfully Content.
I wasn't sure how to get from black and red to grey and rusty, so my milk can sat outside all spring waiting for me to get a clue.
I finally mustered up some courage, made a plan, bought some paint, and just went for it. After all, could my milk can really come out any worse-off than it already was?
No.
No.
I started out by priming and spray painting the whole milk can satin nickle.
After it dried, I dry-brushed a little white acrylic paint on the larger surfaces, then I mixed
some metallic copper and black on a plate and applied it, also with a dry brush, where rust might develop naturally. I used the rusty milk can in Blissfully Content's photo above as a
guide. Finally, I sealed it all with an outdoor waterproof sealer.
These are the products I used.
And here it is all finished.
Though I was a bit scared to get started, it was actually pretty fun to do, and I'm happy with how it turned out.
It's the next best thing to having
a real McCoy rusty, decrepit, and beat-up milk can.
Thanks for stopping in to see my old painted milk can.
I hope you like old rusty decrepit beat-up yardjunk art, too.
I hope you like old rusty decrepit beat-up yard
Have a great week!
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| What to do with an old milk can |
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I love it! You really did a great job! Why do people always want to know if we are going to restore stuff - Heck no, I'm going to make it look even older and more beat up :)
ReplyDeletePretty! I like it.
ReplyDeleteYou did an awesome job and I agree, the black/red variety are not so desirable. he he Too bad the beauty standards for 50+ women weren't the same as they are for old milk cans. A little rusty and worse for wear I can do! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat job! It looks old and crusty :) (and I mean that in the best possible way!!)
ReplyDeleteLove how this turned out. The finished can looks like a beautiful aged patina. Thanks so much for sharing your resources.
ReplyDeleteWow. I am impressed! Excellent job. Love, love,love it! Looks perfectly aged!!!
ReplyDeleteLaurel, I love how your milk container turned out! The way you mixed the colors looks so real and vintage. The coppery red looking parts are my favorite. It really does look amazing!! If I ever try and do this myself I'll be contacting you for your expert advice. Have a great week! ~ Jamie
ReplyDeleteLaurel, your milk can came out GREAT and it looks perfect in the garden! Great tips...Well done!
ReplyDeleteI guess I should have finished reading this post before I linked to the old one and commented there! lol
ReplyDeleteYou did an amazing job on this!! I wonder if the same technique would work for my can with the picture of the farm & animals on it? I think it is some sort of print pasted on...I'm going to have to look closer and see if I can't get that off, then paint like you did!
Debbie :)
You did a wonderful job creating the distressed & worn look on this can!
ReplyDeleteBeing scared is the mother hood of getting what we want. Does that make sense? LOL....anyway.....love the transformation of your wonderful old milk can. I found a fabulous old metal milk box not too long ago. ...... the kind that was left on the front porch for the milk man to leave the milk in. It even had the name of the dairy farm on it. That sold pretty quickly. Hope you are having a sweet cooler week. xo
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! Awesome job, it really looks like an old milk can that has aged naturally!
ReplyDeleteWow, you totally fooled my eye...No one will ever know, great job!
ReplyDeleteCarol
Great makeover, I would never know how to mix and match all those colors and techniques,
ReplyDeletethanks for the how to!
The change is amazing, you did a wonderful job, Hugs,
ReplyDeleteLura :0)
Oh, Laurel! You did a magnificent job with this milk can! It looks just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI love the finish on it! Just beautiful!
What a difference a little paint and time made! I love how you aged it. I'll remember that for my next project. Thanks for sharing your secrets!
ReplyDeleteWOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW you rocked this milk can my friend! it is AWESOME!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!! I wish you were next door to help me with the one junkin joe came home with -- i think you have found a special calling because this is FABULOUS!!!! sending tons of hugs!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're always coming up with these fabulous ideas. This one is fantastic! I love the old milk can but, it needed some new life to it. Great job!!! Thanks for stopping by with your inspiring comments!
ReplyDeleteJody
Love the change ... it looks great !
ReplyDeleteNew follower ,Francine
Ps also following on pinterest :)
You sure nailed it with your technique. Aren't you glad you just went for it and gave it a try? So worth it!
ReplyDeleteLiz
Wow! You did a fantastic job! It really looks great.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like it, I like it... ;) Amazing job - well done!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Australia♥
~Pernilla
More years ago than I care to recount we lived on a farm. Those milk cans were put out at the end of road to be picked up. A gleaming silver tanker pulls up at the next-door dairy farm and collects the milk. Not much romance and charm there. You absolutely nailed the look - right to the back wall!! Virginia
ReplyDeleteWow, this looks really great! I am so impressed!
ReplyDeleteWonderful job...it's just lovely.
ReplyDeleteWow! It REALLY came out great! And I love the photos you took of it. GORGEOUS!
ReplyDeleteSmall world that we both lived in Saratoga - such a beautiful place.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs,
Zuzu
Wow Laurel! I am jealous!;) It turned out fabulous. Thanx for coming to THT!
ReplyDeleteThat is very nice and it looks great in a garden! Thank you for stopping by and for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDeleteSherry
Your milk can looks great! I have the old rusty kind...I use it in the garage to hold some mops, broom, etc. Mine doesn't have the lid.
ReplyDeleteYou did a super job!
gail
Great Job ~ that turned out AMAZING!!!!
ReplyDeleteBoy does that look AWESOME!!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog tonight and love it!!
Plan on following you along!
Smiles,
Beth
What a wonderful garden accent with a beautiful finish!
ReplyDeleteFabulous, Laurel! You did an amazing job on the faux finish of your milk can. It looks fantastic now. It looks so good, as a matter of fact, the inlaws might just want it back. lol
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining Time Travel Thursday. Hope you'll join the fun this week. Be sure to stop in tonight, and see yourself featured. ;)
Blessings,
Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage
Thanks so much for sharing this creative technique on Simple & Sweet Fridays. Love how it turned out!
ReplyDeleteJody
Very timely for me to find you. Saw your feature on a party I liked at and just today I posted the very same question to my followers on two milk cans I have. I'll see what ideas they have, but I think it's going to be hard for them to top your paint job!
ReplyDelete~Bliss~
Pinned it
you did a very good job on the transformation of the milk can , looks great
ReplyDeleteI found you on The Brambleberry Cottage
Great job painting that milk can! I had the same thought that you did when trying to decide whether or not to paint a piece of furniture...why not...I don't like it the way it is now. I saw your great tutorial over at Stone Gable blog...congrats on being featured there.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful job, wonderful project, it's really awesome, thanks for showing how you did it, I want to try it. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love your style! This milk can is amazing!! New follower!
ReplyDeleteYou really did a great job! I love your style!
ReplyDeletePam
Laurel
ReplyDeleteI just found your milk can above and I Love, Love, Love IT. I actually have a 5 gallon can and was looking for something unique and original to sit by a small camel back trunk that I am restoring. This is absolutely perfect. I see these posts are older, but I hope you get this. I just really got started into Pinterest about a year ago when I retired and it is awesome. Oh and I love Boise....I was born and raised there so it was great to read where you were from. I will be following you from now on. Thank you so much. Sherri
I have the opportunity to buy 2 milk cans & 1 smaller cream can (all with lids) for $35. However, they have been sponge painted in the worst possible way :( Now, with your tips I see I can buy these cheap cans and still have a gorgeous finished product. Thank you!!!
ReplyDelete