diy ikea hack...stainless bowl turned brass beauty

Last week when I reminded you it was time to plant your paperwhites, I mentioned

I'd share my planter idea that I'm using this year. I loved the last inspiration photo

 in that post with the collection of ornaments at the base of the paperwhites, but

 I wanted something a little more modern than the traditional silver urn.

 Ikea's stainless steel bowls with a quick coat of liquid gilding were the ticket...

Ikea Blanda Blank 11" Stainless Steel Serving Bowl - $4.99
Ikea Blanda Blank  8" Stainless Steel Serving Bowl - $3.99



You can use any miscellaneous item as a base, I used lighting parts I found in my
 junk drawer. Here are a few things I collected to give you some ideas. If mine weren't
already gold I would have painted them. I had leftover liquid gilding from my
Ikea Hack - Faux Ostrich covered Rast Dresser

I taped off about an inch (secure the tape well so you don't get any bleed under the edge)

and using my new favorite, Martha Stewart gilding liquid, painted it on. Remove the tape

immediately. One coat with good coverage is best. It tends to get a little thick and not

as smooth with a second coat. 

Disclosure: Highly likely due to my impatience in waiting for it to dry and the fact

that due to daylight savings time it was going to be dark at 5:00 and I needed to get my

project photographed for you!  :)  

When the gilding is dry place your bowl on top of your chosen base. 

Since these don't have drainage holes I added a couple handfuls of gravel to the bottom

before adding my potting soil and paperwhite bulbs. I put 10 bulbs in the large bowl,

 and 6 in the smaller one. If you've never forced them before you can follow

my instructions from last year here.

I'll share them in my Christmas decor in a few weeks!
(Oh my gosh, you guys I can't even believe I just wrote that)