Thanks ya'll :) No one has even noticed that huge thing right next to the front door yet, I can't believe it! Sal here is a pic of that garden angel. I made it a while back, it's from the GW Christmas clearance stuff, probably paid a quarter for it, don't remember. But I copied this from some one else, and Sweets directions for that "rusty" look. It still smells like cinnamon :) I used the red oxide primer,sprinkled on cinnamon while it was still wet, sprayed more red primer, more cinnamon, and then clear sealer. She's held up quite well. I always figured I'd make her look like a weather vane one day... Here is a link that might be useful:

We pulled this old mail box off of my grandparents farm in AL. I dont need to use it for mail but I want to decorate it and post it in my tiny suburban garden. I can see all of our Junkers and Trash to Treasure gang taking this idea and really running with it. mmebrady- those boxes were hillarious and imaginative. Linda-I already have trouble getting the mail as it is. Now you want me to make my box look like a pistal? LOL That site had some wild ideas that belong in a gallery. Karen- The fairy houses are exquisite and that might be exactly the idea I am looking for. Or I could put wheels on it and make it a mini mobile home for the tiny mouse that was in my garden. I can see a lot of possibilities brewing. I've got plenty of time to do this. Hubs has got to install a gate and an arbor first. Then the post can go in for the box.

Welcome Lynn! Your window must look lovely sitting on your kitchen cabinet. Once day, I plan to paint another window to hang inside my home. This one (pictured)I will hang on the outside of my garden shed. I used a water based Polycrylic spray. The ladies on this site suggested "water based" protective finish because it doesn't have the tendency to turn yellow. You spray a couple of layers to seal the paint for outside. Correct me, please, ladies, if I am wrong. I'm sure all of us on this forum look forward to seeing your beautiful windows. Itching to paint again, Jackie

I had trouble following your description of the problem. If you just want plain square columns why not just replace the current ones? HB&G makes nice stuff - I think they even have a PVC "wrap" that you can put over an existing column.