Don’t you just love a great thrift find?!? I thought this one would be perfect for some backyard decor, and for .99 cents it was a steal! Let’s get started on this thrifted Americana lantern with an easy rust technique.
I picked up this lantern at Goodwill for .99 cents and thought it would be perfect for backyard decor, especially on the Fourth. You can see in the picture below that it has some rust inside, but I’d like to add some rust to the outside too!
The Rust Effect
First, I’ll be using a rusting technique using hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar, and salt. You can find the recipe here. When mixing and using this recipe be sure to wear gloves, protect your eyes, and use it in a well ventilated area.
Now, for this project I brushed the peroxide/vinegar mixture onto the lantern and then sprinkled on the salt. I’ll let it sit in the sun until the rust starts to appear. I turned the can periodically to cover all the sides, so this process takes a few hours.
Light It Up
Next, I grabbed this solar light from Dollar Tree to use inside our lantern with the easy rust technique. The light shining through all those little stars will be so pretty!! It was a little tall to fit inside, so I removed the bottom metal piece.
I want to raise the light up just a bit, so I’ll glue it to a piece of wood with E-6000 and then glue the wood piece to the bottom of the lantern.
Last, I added a fun rag bow for summer! This piece looks so good on my patio and I love seeing the little stars shine onto the table. What do you think? I hope you were inspired to find a thrifted piece of your own to make-over!
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