Learn how to paint anything to look like antique brass bells with this easy DIY method! This effect works on nearly any surface and always results looking like real antique brass, including on plastic bells, ornaments, jingle bells, etc. Here’s how!
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If you’ve scanned today’s Christmas decor lately to any degree, you’ll already know how incredibly popular decorating with with antique brass bells (see lots HERE) is! It’s a classic look that is especially elegant tied in with wreaths, garland, or as decorations on a Christmas tree.
I’ve priced them now and then, but the desire to splurge on store purchased bells has always held me back. Antique brass bell decor can be pricey. However, DIY Christmas bells is quite another story!
Being that I’ve created my share of Christmas DIY ornaments in the past, I figured I could come up with a way to make my own antique brass bells… right?!
So when I came across some cheap plastic and glass bells at the thrift store, BINGO! I felt I could create the look of antique brass bells with paint and a perfect finishing product that is a must to stock anyway!
Not only did the faux antique brass bells turn out looking super authentic, this is a very easy and believable technique to do!
However, think well beyond just bells… I experimented with round ornaments and even a jingle bell and the same EPIC results transpired each and every time.
So today I’m going to show you a Christmas craft that flipped cheap, chipped red plastic bell ornaments to look as if they are authentically aged antique brass bells that were found from some collected treasure passed down for years!
Let’s get crafting! Here’s how:
Painting DIY antique brass bells for Christmas decor
Supplies I used:
Bells made from anything (I collected plastic, glass and metal ornaments and bells)
Fusion Mineral Paint in Chocolate and Iron Clay
Jar of water
Painting a base coat on your chosen bells
1. Gather your collected objects you wish to paint to look like antique brass.
I picked up some super cheap red plastic bells, a few china glass bells and tried a couple of metal jingle bells from my local thrift store. However you can use this paint method on anything you want to look like brass, as long as the object can be painted.
2. Base coat all your objects with a terra cotta tone of choice. I used a terra cotta craft paint, however today I would use Fusion Mineral paint in Iron Clay. However most any gingerbread or terra cotta paint tone should work.
Creating a Chocolate paint wash for antiquing
3. Create a paint wash of Fusion’s Chocolate with water, then brush on your bells.
The goal is to have the paint watered down just enough to be able to be removable, yet thick enough to hold some colour on your bell.
4. Before the paint dries, use a rag to either dab or rub the chocolate paint wash off unevenly along the raised areas.
If your surface is completely smooth, you can bunch up the rag and dab your object to create an intentional mottled effect.
How to apply Rub and Buff for an authentic brass finish
5. Dab a tiny bit of Antique Gold Rub and Buff onto your gloved fingertip, then glide your finger over the raised areas of your bell.
If your object is smooth, simply use an uneven rubbing effect with either a rag or your finger.
6. To create a little more dimension, keep layering and rotating the chocolate paint wash and rub and buff until you achieve the final results you like.
I left some heavier chocolate paint blotches here and there so the bells looked authentically old.
Aren’t they stunning?!
Painted and antiqued bells and ornaments
Then repeat these steps on all your pieces, to create your own one-of-a-kind antique brass effect on anything you wish!
All these items are a mix of plastic, glass, and metal. And every single one is incredibly amazing!
The mix of 2 tones of paint and the rub and buff is quite stunning! Can you even believe this is the same jingle bell?
Then hang with ornament hooks or gold thread which adds a special vintage touch!
Antique brass bells and ornaments decorating a small Christmas tree
I then pulled out an old ammunition crate, placed a small faux Christmas tree seedling inside, covered the top with a piece of cut burlap, and decked out the tree with all my new favorite antique brass bells and ornaments!
I mean, look at those brass details! You just can’t do this effect wrong. It turns out amazing on everything!
See how cute a couple of china bells look hanging from this jug of fresh evergreen branches?!
Video tutorial: Painting DIY Antique Brass Bells
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View above to see a short video of the brass bell painting process!
And the best part of all?
This little tree ended up on my kitchen island decked out with fairy lights and it’s just the cutest! I’m already looking forward to seeing what else I can antique brass-up next!
Think you’ll head to the thrift store to try this antique brass bell effect on a few items?
Other unique Christmas ornament projects:
How to paint Christma ornaments
Pallet style wood Christmas ornaments
Wood slice snowflake and Buffalo Check ornaments
See ALL my Christmas projects on one page HERE
Painting DIY antique brass bells for Christmas decor
Supplies:
Instructions:
- Coat the bells and ornaments with a base coat of Iron Clay.
- Create a paint wash with water and Chocolate. Paint over the ornaments, then remove most of the wash, leaving some antiquing effects behind.
- Using a gloved finger, spread some Rub and Buff over the ornaments.
- Go back and forth between the wash and Rub and Buff until you get the desired look you want.
- Allow to dry, then hang where desired!
Donna, these are GORGEOUS!
You’ve mastered the art of transformation, and they went from plain to absolutely elegant… the bells with the raised designs look positively antique. Bravo!
So pretty!