08/26/2026
There are many new followers here so I thought it was time to re-introduce myself and talk about the process of painting my barn quilt ornaments. My name is Colleen and I live in Sale Creek, TN. I paint barn quilts, make and paint barn quilt ornaments, and teach classes. I am also a Registered Nurse and Volunteer Medical Supervisor with Remote Area Medical (RAM) - setting up and running free Medical Clinics around the US.
I have been painting barn quilt ornaments for about 5 years. Originally I ordered them from another crafter, but was limited by the patterns available. About 4 years ago I purchased a laser, and began making my own. I continue to create and add new patterns and post helpful tips.
Up until this year I painted my ornaments with craft paint - Deco Art, Apple Barrel, CraftSmart. It was more work, but I wanted my ornaments to look like they were painted - not colored. Over the years I tried many different brands of paint pens, and just wasn't happy with the results. Recently I found a brand of paint pen that works great and is reasonably priced. I am happy to recommend them to paint my ornaments. - Artistro 72 count paint markers (fine tip and dot tip).
To paint my ornaments I I like to work from the inside out but it's not always practical. I use the fine tip point to go around the edge of each shape, Then I fill in the rest. If the ornament has a lot of white I always paint that first. White is more difficult to paint and most times requires more than one coat of paint. When I am finished with the white, I take a sanding sponge (usually 400 grit or finer) to smooth it out. The "dot" tip is larger and perfect for painting the borders. The fine tip end is great for small touch ups also.
After painting, I let them dry thoroughly. Then I take the sanding sponge to smooth them out. A brown paper bag or Kraft paper also works great to smooth out paint. I use a soft cloth or paper towel to wipe any paint dust off them. The Artistro paint pens don't seem to leave as much paint dust as craft paint or other paint pens. Also, if your paint is really dry - it doesn't smear and discolor the other areas when you sand.
At Christmas time I tend to use metallic paints and glitters to give my ornaments an extra pop. I love the Folk Art or Deco Art metallics and glitters that are carried at Walmart. They come in 2 oz containers and last forever. I always put a base coat of the color I am painting on first, and then the metallic or glitter over the top of that. Artistro makes metallic and glitter pens that I have just purchased, so will be sampling them soon and let you know the results.
After painting the fronts, I seal my ornaments. Sealer tends to make the ornament colors "pop" and makes them look more finished. I have used several different sealers over the years. Some that I use now are: Minwax Polycrylic Spray sealer and Waverly Wax and Varnish found at Walmart. If you are a barn quilt painter like I am you probably have Varathane Spar Urethane that you use to seal your barn quilts. This is what I use the most. All are water based, safe and non-toxic for children, and easily available for a reasonable price at Walmart.
After the fronts of my ornaments are sealed I finish the backs with Waverly Brown Antiquing wax (also available at Walmart). I just wipe on with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. This helps your ornaments to look more finished and professional. Then I use 1/8" double sided satin ribbon to make a bow hangers on them (I did a small tutorial at this link).
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Please reach out to me if you have any questions or would like to order. My goal of this post is to help you paint beautiful barn quilt ornaments! ❤ See less
