Gilded Polka Dot Vase

I'm of the belief that one can never have too many flowers in the house; by extension of that, I suppose I also believe that one can never have too many nice vases in the house. Small vases are personal favorites of mine, because they take the place of the water glass for those sweet, impromptu, lookit I picked you some flowers arrangements that little people are so fond of.

Recently I saw some gorgeous vases by Emily Reinhardt, and feel in love with their small stature and golden polka dots. While the Emily Reinhardt vases are beautiful works of art, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a do-it-yourself kind of person. At the very least, I like to attempt things.

Combing a $1 vase from a thrift shop, some enamel paint, and my very favorite Martha Stewart gilding liquid, I was able to create this vase. It definitely not an exact reproduction of the inspiration piece--I wanted smaller and more scattered dots, and a more airy feel--but that wasn't my intent, and for a simple, three dollar project, it was absolutely worth the work.   

Supplies
   Inexpensive vase
   Enamel paint (comes in a variety of colors; I chose white)
   Gilding liquid

Instructions 

1. Paint the inside of the vase with a coat of enamel paint. Let dry. Repeat until opaque. 
2. Treat enamel according to package instructions. This paint required 4 days of driving time, and then baking it for 30 minutes. 
3. Apply the gilding liquid to the outside of the vase. I found that for the very fine points I wanted, the wooden end of the paintbrush actually was better for making the polka dots. Gilding liquid may run, if you want avoid the dripped look, you may have to apply small amounts of the liquid over a longer period of time. I chose to embrace the handmade look. 
4. Fill with flowers!