Upcycling a Cheap Plaster Thrift Store Find for Outdoor Use

Sometimes when thrifting you find something that is almost what you want it to be.

I found this classic pinecone (or pineapple depending on who you ask) shaped plaster piece.

 It wasn't terrible at all, but it was chipped and since I wanted to use it outdoors I decided to try something new.

A concrete wash.

I don't even know if that's a thing but I loved the shape of this piece and wished it was concrete. Not wanting to lose the detail I decided to water down even more of that premixed concrete from this project...

and this project...

to give it a concrete surface. I also toyed with the idea of buying some concrete, mixing it up and filling the hollow interior, but that seemed like a lot of time and expense. Y'all know I adore a "use what you have" project. 

I used a little of the concrete and some water then added a bit of Jolie Legacy to the mix to give it a bit more age than just the plain concrete color. Why even have anything that doesn't look like it's a gazillion years old? 

After a thorough mixing, I used a brush to apply it to the pinecone in a thin coat. Remember I loved the detail and didn't want to lose it by being too liberal with the concrete.

After that was dry to the touch I used a bit of Miss Mustard Seed Boxwood with a little of the concrete mixture and made it into a really thick chunky paste. I wanted this to mimic some ancient mossy goodness in all the nooks and crannies.

This little project literally took minutes apart from drying time and covered up all the places where the plaster was chipped. I still don't know how waterproof it will be.

I'm currently debating whether to seal it with a waterproof sealer, but for now, it's on the porch.

Side note: This makes the third project I got out of one tub of the premixed concrete. I'll use the rest of it to reinforce some weak spots in the salvaged bird bath. If you pay full price anything can still be a really good deal if you use all of it. Now if I could only apply that to my refrigerator situation. 

Also, are we loving this Marie Kondo trend or what? 

XOXO Y'all!