salvaged cast iron refinishing!

when i started monkey and squirrel, my etsy shop, the idea was for it to be mostly small paintings and picture frames. as kind of a last minute add on i decided to post a few of my favorite cast iron finds that i had hand painted over the previous few months. little did i know that i was discovering an untouched niche in the etsy world... or so it seems. these cast iron pieces have become my best selling items. in fact i would say that approximately 95% of my sales are c.i.g (cast iron goodies, as i've come to call them). i thought i'd share the process with all y'all that each of these pieces goes through.

it all starts with the hunt! there is a huge antique/salvage shop out in the sticks of NC where i find my c.i.g's. they're all sitting outside in piles. some organized, some not. often they are covered in rust and dirt, generally not looking so hot.

once i get them home i sand off all the crud, scrub off the dirt and see what lies underneath. it's amazing how much better they look after just this step alone. i often think about leaving them in this stage and just giving them a clear coat... but i rarely do. then i chose a color, or in some cases two, that best suites my newly cleaned up piece. i paint it and once i've got it looking brand new...

i take the sand paper to it! these really do look best slightly distressed so you can tell that they were once in the trenches! they all get finished off with a clear coating and voila... a lovely little goody for your home! one of them is even featured in an etsy storque article! yippy!!!