So sorry I’ve been MIA. Food poisoning. ’nuff said. But I’m back, so here’s the latest in the Christmas posts for this year. If you have ornies (that’s ornaments for the unenlightened) that have seen better days, here is an easy way to update them. This works on older glass (not plastic) ornaments, those made prior to 2005. (I just picked that date arbitrarily.) I’ll get to that point in a minute. But, yes, this is easy, peasy.  Remove the tops and wash them with hot soapy water! Who knew?? Well, now YOU do. Hold your ornies by the stem UPSIDE DOWN under hottish water (as hot as you can stand). I usually squirt a bit of dishwashing soap on them (sometimes I don’t even do that). Rub gently and the old paint should slide right off. You may have to use your thumb nail on stubborn spots but really it’s that simple. If you find that the ornies are slipping from your fingers and smashing to smithereens in the sink, try wearing latex gloves.  WARNING: Do not get water inside the ornament. It will remove the “silvering” from the inside and you’ll be left with dingy clear ornies, not exactly the “updated” look you’ll love. After washing just dry with a soft cloth and put the top back on. You’ll be left with silver ornies that have little speckles of the old paint or even better, with some areas of discoloration that lend that old mercury glass look. Of course the ones pictured here in the “after” shot don’t have those discolorations. sigh. But the next batch probably will. After this post is published.

If you don’t like the look of the  hanger top, you can paint it by dabbing gray or brown craft paint on it to age it. I usually don’t bother with it, but some may find it more appealing to age the top as well. That’s it. Now back to that arbitrary date. I’ve found that ornaments made within the last 5 or 6 years may scratch a bit but the finish will.not.wash.off. For those, back when I needed silver ornaments and was really determined, I used acetone or once  even paint stripper. But those products are stinky and the process is messy. So I don’t. Because really, I’m lazy and I don’t like stinky. Plus I don’t want to wear a mask and rubber gloves just to update an ornament. I send those to Goodwill cause you know, they don’t fit my “look” anymore and there are lots of people who don’t care about a few scratches. They use them in other ways, like those wreaths with a bazillian old ornies glued on. Just turn the scratchy part to the back.  I now own boxes of updated “old” silver ornaments. I may never have to buy new ones again.

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