pinteresting: thrifty candlesticks!

so, i know spray painting a candlestick from goodwill is not exactly craft-blog rocket science. but i thought i'd share what a difference a spray makes... i'm so in love with the power of spray paint to transform almost anything, especially the power to make old junk into something beautiful and new!

it started [of course] with an inspiration photo from pinterest:
[by the way, the original pin was just the picture, no website source. i found it later on a blog but forgot which one. if you know/are the original source, please leave a comment to let me know so i can give credit! thanks!]

i loved the green/cream/black mix and was looking for something for my super-boring mantle. now that we're storing the t.v. in the cut out above the fireplace, i've lost my mantle as my seasonal decor spot. i thought some tall candlesticks like these would add some color & drama on each side of the t.v.

i saw lots of cool diy ideas, including making some out of lovely table legs or stair spindles [which i may still have to do to get the third pair tall enough] but my budget was, as usual, next to nothing. crafting on a dime, here, literally!

i first found these golden wonders for free at the student share shop & thought they had great shape! but of course the glittery gold had to go. i picked up a can of a lovely shade of green [eden by rustoleum- been using it everywhere!] & ta da!
then the hunt was on for 2 more pairs in increasing heights right off the bat i found some lovely brown ones at goodwill! i had intended to paint anything i found, but the brown color of these was great! the only problem was they were small at the top for tapers [complete with yucky wax residue of all random colors!] not exactly the look i was going for!
but the price was right:
[sidenote: i'd love to find out one day what the pricing rules/strategy is at goodwill. is it up to each salesperson who sorts it to slap a price on there? or is there a big chart in the back or something?]

so i glued on 2 of these wooden rounds from michael's & stained them brown with minwax dark walnut... & they match almost perfectly! i can see the difference, of course, but not enough that it bothers me.
pretty darn close! and i'm so happy with how they look together, nice and balanced on each side of my mantle:

i'm still on the lookout for a third set that i'd like to be the tallest that i'm thinking of painting a distressed white [the ever-favorite heirloom white probably!]. those are the ones i may have to use a little table leg or stair spindle for.

so... before:
& after... not to shabby for around $6 right? yay!