Just Frames!

A few weeks ago I had found a new flea market that I loved and scored some great items. One of those items were 6 plain wooden frames minus the glass. You can see them in the front of the photo.

I had the idea to create a french country look with them and Just Frames by themselves can make a nice decorating element and that was my vision as I redesigned them.

I'm not a big fan of spray paint but I opted to use it to make this process go much faster. Time is money, so they say. So I purchase yellow, red and black in gloss finish.  As I didn't want all 6 frames to be the same I switched them up a bit so that they were different but would still look great grouped together.  Each frame got a base coat and then after they were dry I painted on a bit of vaseline in areas and then sprayed the contrasting color. With the vaseline trick all you have to do is wait till the top coat dries and then wipe off and it will reveal the under coat. Some light sanding over the whole frame and then they ready for the umber glaze.

So frames were done but they needed a bit more to finish it off. So I tea dyed some muslin & gingham and then with that fabric added the bow in each corner.  I also designed a tag that suggests the use for these Just Frames

  I used one of the Graphics Fairy black and white borders and then just added my text. I like the idea of suggesting uses to my customers.  I also personalized it by signing my name at the bottom. (not shown)

These frames will be at my booth this week sitting in my red Coco Cola wooden case with a price of $6. each.

I'm joining these parties 

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense 
Inspiration Fridays At The Picket Fence
Sunday's Best Par Tay at My 1929 Charmer
Newbie Party at DebbieDoos  

Some Before And Afters!

I love when I get some really cool items at my favorite haunts that just need a bit of tweaking. Help of the kind like some spray paint that changes it from drab to fab or just a change of picture that enhances it's style.

Fruits Before 

These fruits I got at a local thrift store for a price that allows me to resell for a small profit. As you can see from the before picture they were lacking some love. One of the things I do is if I like it when I see it, I also have to like it when I pick it up. So these fruits looked good to me but if I picked them up and realized they were plastic or paper mache I wouldn't of been interested. But they were a type of metal and had some weight to them  so they made the grade. They would come home with me and get a makeover of some silver paint.

A few coats of silver spray paint and you almost wouldn't recognize them.  These guys would make a great paper weights.  So they are ready to go to my booth and I'll be asking $3 each.


I found this frame and picture also at a local thrift store and again the price was perfect for me to resell. The wood on the frame reminded me of a barn board type of wood even though it was painted a light turquoise color. The wood, the color, qualified this for the cottage chic category.

 I was surprised that no one had snatched it up. I suspect the problem was the picture inside the frame.  The frames were screaming "I"m shabby chic" and the picture was telling another whole story. Sometimes you just have look at an item and see what it can be and not what it is.

So I quickly looked on line at the Graphic Fairy's wealth of images and decided on the bird. The bird worked well with  its colors which complimented the already existing color of the frame. A vintage image coupled with the look of the frame I thought was a better fit.  Now little birdie and frame are sitting pretty  at my booth for $12 waiting for it's new home.