French Inspired Picture Frame

At the end of last year I found this black picture frame for $1.00 at a thrift sale because it was missing the cardboard that goes behind the glass.  The glass was taped to the frame and I still need to remove the sticky tape residue from that glass.

I instantly thought it would be so pretty painted in a French gold and white style.

I wanted the details of the scroll work to make a better showing on the frame.  All black it doesn't show it's beautiful details.

Plus there were a lot of chips and dings in the black paint.

I gave the entire piece a coat of off-white chalk paint leaving the recessed areas black to give the piece more dimension.

Again I brush over the raised areas on the frame but this time with a gray color.

Next I hit a few areas with aqua colored paint.

Then I brushed a few areas with pink.  And distressed the edges lightly around the frame.

My final coat of paint was a brilliant white.  Again just hitting a few raised areas on the front of the frame just to tone down the aqua and the pink a bit.

The last thing I applied was a liquid gold leaf to some of the scrolls on the frame.

I just wasn't getting the effect of the gold on the frame in these shots.  I was lucky because today the sun was shining brilliantly and outside I went.

Here you can see a better overall view of the finish.  It appears to be white with only a hint of the aqua and  pink.

A very shabby chic finish.  I think I will add this to the downstairs half bath as soon as I have time and energy to repaint that room.  It will coordinate perfectly with the small oval bisque plaque I bought last time I went to the Vintage Market.

Right now that bath is painted a dark color and since it has no windows the room seems even smaller.  

Can't wait to change it up with a new coat of light paint and add some light accessories to that room including this frame.  Now I just need to decide which picture to add to the frame.

Happy Crafting!

Shabby Chic Christmas Deer

Awhile back I found these 2 little wooden deer at the thrift store.  I paid $.50 each.  I thought I would make the pair of shabby chic momma and baby deer.

The first thing I needed to do was to remove the glue from the larger one.  That was a tough job.  I ended up, very carefully, using an Xacto Knife to carve and chip away all the glue.

Next I gave both of them a coat of white chalk paint.

Then I choose a rose patterned napkin from my stash and carefully separated the top printed layer from the bottom to layers.

After that I cut and tore the motifs I decided to use for the project.

Then using Mod Podge I glued the roses and buds in a pleasing design.  

I also glued three flowers to the back shoulders of the momma deer and 1 flower by her ear.

I gave them both a complete coat of Mod Podge and let them dry.

For their eyes I glued teardrop shaped black crystals to the baby and 2 black heart crystals for the momma.

Happy Crafting!

I Love Roosters

Yes, I love roosters.  I have them in my kitchen.  What I don't like are bright colored roosters.  Mine are all in pastels.

 My rooster love started when I was a toddler.  My mom had them in her kitchen.  One of my favorites that she had was a rooster lamp.  But like most roosters it was dark wrought iron and bright colors.  I have it hanging above my sink.  I did repaint it in pastel colors to match my kitchen and decoupaged the lampshade in florals.

So, when I found this plaque at the thrift store I knew it would work perfectly in my kitchen.  Not the color but the shape.  

Don't be afraid to buy something if you like it, especially if the ceramic doesn't have a high gloss finish, it is easy to repaint to match your decor.

This plaque measures 7" square.  It's cute but just not the right colors.

I started by painting the entire piece white.

I decided I was going to use aqua, pink, white and Parisian gray.

For the background I dry brushed aqua and gray.  The tail is aqua and blue, the comb I painted pink, then dry brushed a little bit of the gray on the white feathers.  For the basket at the bottom I used gray dry brushed a little heavier on the high points.

To give it a little bling I added pieces of gold foil then when everything was dry I gave just the rooster a coat of Mod Podge for contrast to the matte finish background.

before

And here is my little shabby chic rooster ready to hang in the kitchen.

after

Happy Crafting!

Shabby Chic Basket

Alright, it actually managed to get hotter today.  Supposed to be 103 degrees today and cool down a couple of degrees tomorrow.  Wow, now that is a cooling trend, Not.

So while hibernating in the AC today I decided to give a basket a make over.  Have been planning to do this for quite some time.

I have a few of these baskets.  I just love the shape and the fact they have lids.  They are also quite large.  

I plan to use mine for storage.  Possibly to store napkin rings.  Hum, will have to give that some thought.

I began this project by spray painting the basket white.  Then I choose a scrap of fabric from my stash to line the inside.  Once I had the shape I wanted I used my hot glue gun to glue the fabric to the top edged.  Then glued a row of ruffled lace at the top to cover where I glued the fabric to the basket.

fabric glued inlace before lace added

I glued a doily to the handle for decoration.

Then on one lid I added a couple of pieces of lace fabric and topped that with a variety of flowers, hat pins, pearls and crystals along with a big satin bow.  I also glued a row of ruffled lace along the outside top edge.

 I made tag from from several different layers  

of paper and images glued to one another, punched a hole, added bakers twine and tied this to the handle.

On the opposite lid I added another fluff of lace fabric and to this I glued a few more flowers. On the basket top between the lids I added 3 metal embellishments topped with flat back pearls.

And here is the finished basket ready to go to work as a cute storage basket.

Happy Crafting!

Rescued Little Table

Wow, we are having our first really long heatwave of the the summer.  So no outside projects this week.

I lost my mother a few years ago and I am just now starting to incorporate some of her things into my home.  

This little table is one of the items I am moving out of storage.  It started out as a beautiful little table, but one day my mom had her window open and the sprinkler accidentally sent water through the window.  She didn't see that it had hit the table.  The backside suffered water damage to the finish.  And the leather top had seen better days, too.  I brought it inside and cleaned it well.  

 I knew one day I would change the finish and here is how I did just that.

sitting on a box to make it easier to paint

I began by turning it upside down on a box to make it a little easier to paint the legs and center column.

On this part of the table I am using a light gray chalk paint.

I painted the trim on the tabletop gray, also.

Next I painted the top and sides with a cream colored chalk paint.

I ended up with a crackle finish on the top.

When the gray was dry I used a dry brush to lightly brush on a silver paint on the tops of the legs, feet and center column.

I ended up using 3 coats on the top of the table and when those where dry I used the gray and silver  and stenciled a medallion in the center.

I painted the inside of the little drawer a pretty shade of aqua and then stenciled another silver/gray medallion in the center of the drawer.

And here it is finished in front of the fireplace.  Now I need to refinish my 2 chairs to match and my little spot for tea will be complete.

Happy Decorating!