I still don’t know what I think about this owl. I know one thing, I like him a zillion times better than I did when I found him. Brace yourself, it’s creepy…
It killed me to buy this owl. First of all, it was $10, a huge amount when the very sight of something makes you want to drop it on the parking lot of the goodwill in hopes it will crash into a million tiny shards. Secondly, did I mention it’s ugly and evil and those TALONS and those eyes and that orange and brown and yellow and cream?
Thirdly, he is HUGE. That’s my hand grabbing for him hoping to get to crash him to the tile floor in a million tiny shards.
BUT.
But, I knew a can of spray paint held great potential. And there are some pretty owls out there. And ten dollars is a small price to pay to further school oneself in deepening the knowledge of makeover results. If I never take a little risk and see what happens, I’ll never learn. I’ll never be able to look at something in the thrift store and say YES, world, I can make that beautiful. And really, you never know for sure until you do it anyway.
So there he is back there all perched up on my library table ready to use his talons and carry my children away, not to worry, if he tries anything I can smash him. And don’t tell him but I kind of like his regal, unassuming massive self. White spray paint is the Botox of the design world.
ohmyword!!! my grandma had one JUST LIKE THAT~ it’s eyes used to pop out though and my brother and i loved taking them out, which my grandma would always say.. “one of these days i’m going to glue those in good!!” ah. *happy sigh* this post brought back some fun memories.
and spray paint as the botox of the design world.. haha!! love it. if only it worked on my FACE!! ;)
Oh I LOVE him, simply BECAUSE he’s such a big old owl! I’d put him on the porch with some white pumpkins for Halloween!
He’d scare the heck out of my cats! LOL!
The white is definitely an improvement but I can’t help but want to see him in a tone of aqua or green so that he stands out a little more.
I love your owl more than any owl I have ever seen.
Confession: I force my husband to listen to dramatic readings of your posts when I find them particularly entertaining. As I finished reading the “owl saga” his comment was, “Paint is her answer to everything.”
at Dana@AdoptionJourney – actually made me LOL… truth be told, i’m envious of the Nester and what she can do with paint. One day, I will try.. one day, I will.
at Dana @ Adoption Journey…
*Dana waves to Dana*
I confess, I, too make my husband sit through dramatic readings of The Nester.
And, I find that I use the phrase, “Nester says…” WAAY too much.
All the best,
The “other” Dana
I love that owl! I did something similar with a pair of ugly owl bookends. I painted mine black and they turned out fab!
So, when you blog about something like this, do people suddenly start giving you owl-themed decor? I used to like elephants, but only tiny 1-2 inches ones that I found on vacation…suddenly, I have elephants coming out of my ears, thanks to friends and family! Now, I have a bird collection that I never set out to have. Can I send you an owl? (kidding!)
Seriously though, that owl looks great painted. Scarey before.
I hear ya! Remember the black and white cow fad? Yeah, I recieved cow clothing, barettes, earrings, underwear, slippers…you name it! And it all started with a cow cookie jar in my kitchen. :)
Funny, because I just spray painted one of mine this week too! There is something strangely creepy, yet cute about these owls! You should have an owl linky party!!! Yours is by far the biggest one I’ve seen!
Cindy.
I’ve never posted a comment here before, but must my grandmother, an owl collector, received that owl as a gift from my brother, sometime in the 1970s. I remember it clearly because that owl was the catalyst that ended her owl collecting. No.more.owls. It was the owl to end all owls. I need to check with my Mom, but I think she gave it back to my brother after Gram died. I love the paint job–my Gram would be delighted!
utterly hilarious… every bit. I enjoyed your owl post… ha ha ha, the talons! the size!
can’t wait to read more of your adventures…
I just painted my own owl from Goodwill!!! And he’s white!!
Although I’m not 100% sure I would want him in my house every day, I totally agree with Colleen P – I love the idea to use him with Halloween/Fall decor!
Um, he’s freaking INCREDIBLE lady! Agreed, he was a sad mess with all those ill placed colors when you rescued him from Goodwill but now…ahhhh – he’s a delight and is graceing your nest just perfectly. Im totally jealous at this score.
This owl reminds me of the candles I used to make from a kit I got for Christmas as a child. I recently downsized my parents and found the thing again. What a Hoot! (pun intended)
This candle kit was given to me back in the days when you could take ceramic classes to make the infamous olive green speckled kitchen frog with his mouth open wide waiting for a gross goober encrusted scrubbing sponge. Hey – didn’t I just see those back on the shelves at HomeSense recently?
Love your blog – as a decorator who specializes in ReDesign ( “use what you have” decorating) you inspire me with your fresh ideas for making the most of what we’ve got on hand.
I love it — I want you to come shopping with me :)
Yes, “white spray paint IS the Botox of the design world”-love that. I was a Chi Omega and used to have TONS of owls. Too bad I got rid of them all since they’re so back in fashion…
Okay…I consider myself a little bit of a junking visionary and NO WAY would I have looked at this in the thrift store and seen it’s awesome potential! I bow at your creative feet. :-)
Lorrie @ http://www.fluffyourstuff.com.
Also, can I repost this (with credit of course) on our Facebook page @ http://www.facebook.com/fluffyourstuff.
My grandmother collected owls. Interestingly, we kept none of them. She may have had one like yours but smaller. *shudder*
If he still creeps you out, why not sell him on ebay? You might get your $10 back.
My grandma had one exactly like that when I was little! To This DAY it is still sitting in the exact spot it was. Crazy! She collects owls and has like a million, but this always was my favorite! Hahah!
My mom has a cat that’s painted in the same creepy way. The wonders of white spray paint never cease :)
Super project, super find, super fun site you have, but: http://thingsthatneedtodie.com/2010/08/29/its-vs-its/ :-)
Saw this on pinterest and absolutely had to send you the link, given this most recent post. LOVE your blog and read it dalily. Let me know if the link doesn’t work– it’s a fab white owl lamp from west elm.
http://www.westelm.com/products/owl-table-lamp-w570/popup/preview-colors.html?active=3&sku=2624385
Oh, I totally want him for my kids modern/woodsy playroom. He’d really pop on their orange built-ins. If he ever creeps you out too much give me a holler and I’d love to give him a new home. Apparently I need to keep at eye out for one of these treasures.
so, i was at home goods last night and thought of you – whom i don’t know, is that weird? – because there was one lone, large, , glossy white owl perched among all the ceramic’s. he looked freakily similar, just had both feet/talons facing forward. wish i’d had something with me to snap a photo. anyway, point is, i wouldn’t have noticed him before but you got me thinking outside the box once again.
Yikes! That’s a huge owl! I think it was a wise choice to paint him white! He was sort of scary in color. This may sound like a stupid question but I have to ask: What shade of white spray paint do you use and are you consistent with that color?
Love your blog!
White spray paint is the Botox of the design world…
This line is PRICELESS.
You need to copyright it asap!
I learned to create a home wielding cans of it!
My blog is named
White Spray Paint.
Enjoyed visiting-as usual-
Laura
I just found a trio of owls in my parents basement that I am going to spray white. Please share where you found your light over your table. It is just what I have been looking for.
Debra
Growing up in the 70s, my mom had a set of canisters in her kitchen that were mushrooms that were painted that same ugly brown and orange. Maybe even made by same company. I don’t think the white paint would look as good on the mushrooms as it does the owl. He was very scary before but cute afterwards.
still wonders never cease what paint can do! looks great! you did it a great service! well done!
I love owls! My husband thinks I’m in danger of having too many…
I think your owl is adorable!! I love your blog.All your thrifting is fabulous.I too decorate my entire house with thrifting,garage sales, estate sales.The thrift shop is my favorite.I love everything you did on a budget.
Kathy
I have done 2 owls too!! not quite as big. just posted about them on my blog. my newest one I weighted and it was also kinda 70′s looking.
It does look a million times better, but I still don’t like owls. Even the cutesy kiddie ones give me the creeps. Yours is…well, he’s pretty scary, but his botox makes him less so.
Wow, er…he’s really big. But add me to the owl love, always and forever. Lock him down, though…
Sherry (http://www.younghouselove.com/) may just steal him.
” White spray paint is the Botox of the design world.”
nary has a righter thing been said.
hee hee.
this cracks me up! i showed my mother in law and she gasped then said OMG I so had that owl!
I like your owl!!!
I am loving me some owls! Have to be careful we don’t end up with an owl “collection”! It is scaring my grown kids!
Such a funny, great post! And just looky what’s now for sale at West Elm! http://www.westelm.com/products/carter-cunningham-owls-c297/?pkey=cdecorative-objects
I think you’ve started a talon trend!
My mom had his portrait hanging on our family room wall for the bulk of the late 70s and early 80s. He perfectly accented our cream, gold, and brown floral couch.
I just wanted to pop in and tell you thank you for the tip about cooking oil as paint remover. It has truly changed my life. And olive oil works even better.
I LOVE the owl. My friend and her girls bought me an owl clock, I think it’s a couple owls on a branch…it is the cutest kitschy colours but I think it will look even better painted all white and I plan to redo the clock face, too.
I like the owl. I LOVE your line, “white paint the botox of furniture”. I may have to borrow that line.
I love it!!! I have been buying old ugly creepy owls and painting them white also. I just did one in a glossy orange and he looked cool. Very Anthropologie like. Love yours, he is HUGE!!! Score!
I think I found your owl’s twin!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/53015680/vintage-owl-wall-hanging
You’re not alone!
Let me just tell you that I have a ton of owls sitting, no – sprawled, in a box in my garage. They came from my Mom, who collected them back in the 1970s. And, believe it or not, I was just in the garage (checking on something I painted) and spied one of the creepy owls. Spray paint came to mind. And, based how decent yours turned out, I’m headed out there now to see if I can turn that flock of creepy owls into a flock of not-too-creepy owls. :)
Ha! I love this owl. You are 100% right, it is ugly, but you really made it better. I have a soft spot in my heart for ugly ceramic things. For example, I have a hippo that is gray with orange smudges…SO UGLY….he guards my door. I figure sales people will be disgusted with him they won’t knock.
Just wanted to let you know that on “One Kings Lane” Today they have an owl similar to yours for sale for $29 but down from $110! I think it looks great!
https://www.onekingslane.com/product/11611/391651
Is it time to spray him gold yet? Yes, shiny metallic gold, which is what my sister sprayed everything in the 1960s. Nothing was safe, not the plastic roses nor the rubbery fake grapes. All got the golden spray treatment. Since mid-century is the look, well, that was mid-century in her room.
This post inspired me. Bought my own owl at the thrift store. He’s the plastic kind you put outside to scare other birds away from your garden. Well…I was in a hurry, and am a novice with spray paint, so I just grabbed the first can I found. He ain’t looking so purty these days, but seeing this post again gives the the go-for-it feeling to go out and get the “right” kind of paint and try again.