Pimp That Frame!

Afternoon crafters!

Well normal service is being resumed shortly - read: I have been flat out getting a bookazine ready for Christmas and now I have been tempted off the path of sewing virtue by painting a frame.....
As I say, normal service will resume shortly and I will be digging once again into the scrap basket as promised.

However, whilst we are waiting, I would like to show you what I have been up to (when I should have been working).

I am in love with the DecoArt Chalky Finish paints at the moment. They come in all colours of the icecream rainbow, they are easy to use, water wash up and, well, I just love them. 

Photo frames have come under the ol' radar this time. I have heaps of out of date ones which actually look awful and have been around for a long time. But I am not going to throw them away. The glass is good and they fit the photos. Let me show you a particularly ugly specimen...

Isn't it dreadful! Too dark and too old fashioned and not in a good way. A dark frame closes in the photo too much. A lighter one allows you to focus more on the subject of the photo. So, what to do about it.

Well a painted photo frame is not a new idea. But I have had two brainwaves today! Number two was to make a mat for the photo out of a floral fabric - one which complimented both the photo and the frame colour. It looks wonderful. 

Start with the frame anyway and take the glass out. Trace around the glass and cut the piece of paper out. now decide how wide the mat has to be and measure it carefully. cut the centre of the paper out to reveal the paper frame. put this aside for now.

I have chosen 'Vintage' as my colour. It is the palest, slightly smoky blue and goes nicely with the photo that was in the frame. paint the frame all over. sand back the high points once the paint is dry to distress the frame and then take another fab DecoArt product, Metallic Lustre in Gold Rush and then rub this over any texture or details. This will make them stand out.

Here it is, almost finished. Now clean the glass really well and mat the photo. Assemble it all and then see the difference!

This is a photo of my lovely Mum and our cat, Checkmate in his role as Master of the Universe. As you can see, the frame is softer in a country French way and it retains all of its original details. Easy peasy too - mainly finger painting.
This frame used to have a hideous apricot mat and it just looked dated. And it is not the only one around. Have a look in thrift stores for old frames too. If the glass is gone, a sheet of acetate will protect the photo until you get a new pieces of glass. I am off now into the loft to see if I can dig up any more treasures!

Before I go, have a look at some of the others that I made this morning....

Here is another example of a lovely floral border softening a very plain wooden frame. looks wonderful with black and white.

This is my college formal photo and the frame was a mid tone pine. That worked once but it looks better picking out the dress colour.

Pink and gold this time with the grey tones of a black and white photo. Really brings out the subject rather than the frame. This one was almost black.

This time some happy sunny colours and some Weathered Wood Crackle Medium (DecoArt). Use the photo as a guide when choosing colours so that the whole thing compliments itself.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and hugs
Debs
xxx