The Mantel Project

When the Hunnie and I moved into the condo, this is what the cute little fireplace area looked like.  I enjoyed it, I really did.....but it was a little small to set anything on.  So, I got an idea to change it! 
I had the Hunnie measure it, and we once again ran to the Home Depot to get a piece of wood that would fit on the little ledge, but hang over enough so I could decorate!

Because all of our furniture accessories (tv stand, coffee and end tables) came from Ikea and were a beautiful brown with a nice black glaze on top, I had to figure out a way to make the wood piece we had cut match what was in our living room already! 
So, I basecoated the wood piece Folk Art Dark Brown, and let it dry and season a bit before I went on to my next step.

I used a palette knife to add quite a bit of Folk Art Glazing Medium to Licorice acrylic paint.  I mixed it well......

and brushed it over the Dark Brown color quickly.  I let it set up just a couple of minutes and wiped it with a soft, clean cloth.  I went back after it was dry, and re-applied the glaze mixture where it had been rubbed a bit too much, or hadn't adhered the way I wanted it to. 

The Hunnie attached it to the little mantel ledge with large screws for me. 

And this is what I ended up with when it was finished!  I'm so happy with how it all turned out.  I can set some candles on the mantel now without worrying that the man upstairs will walk too hard and they will fall on the floor causing probable disaster!  I'm a worrier, what can I say?  What do you think?  Easy project to do, and easy to remove when the Hunnie and I find another place that we can make our own.