Don't have the money? Improvise!

    I love pretty things. I can muck around in cow manure all day, but I love to come home to appealing, and comfortable surroundings. I try not to decorate my home with too much feminine flair as I really am not the type, and I have four boys, and a husband that share my dwelling. We are building a log cabin, and I have had my eye on wrought iron chandeliers for lighting. I love the heavy duty look and the craftsmanship that goes into these pieces. I really appreciate the hard labor and the skills used to create such fine art work! Some day I would love to compensate a blacksmith for time spent handcrafting me the chandelier of my dreams, but while raising four boys and building a house, sadly it is not in my budget. They range in price from hundreds of dollars to thousands! My dad has a small forge, and it is fun to help him create needful things for the farm, but chandeliers are a little beyond our expertise! So what is a farm girl to do? Well, improvise, of course! I hit the junk shops and yard sales until I found just what I was looking for. The tag said $22, but that was more than I wanted to part with. I walked away with this exciting new project for $15! Oh, I knew this was going to be fun.......
                   

My yard sale purchase before......

    To achieve the wrought iron look, I purchased two cans of flat black spray paint. Then, I got to work. The results were just what I was looking for. This will hang in the living room of my new log home. I think this chandelier will do until I can someday purchase an authentic work of art. 

After a can and a half of flat black spray paint.