New batch of small frames. 50% OFF sale reminder.

I typically prefer to gather and re-vamp BIG wall size picture frames, but it’s been pretty slim pickin’s on those lately, so I’ve started rummaging through the smaller frames at thrift stores and estate sales of late.

 Here are some from my most recent batch of made-over frames.

Just aqua paint and some hand sanding on them all.

I look for frames with interesting embossed details.

Sometimes the details are ‘just’ in the corners.

Other times, the whole frame is detailed.

Even just repetitive grooves add a lot of interest once painted and distressed.

I was in a hurry to get this batch done and into my booth, and decided to forego the ‘pictures’ in most of these frames.  It really doesn’t COST much to add some kind of a picture to them, but it is TIME consuming.

But I still managed to add a ‘little something’ to a few of them!

Sometimes I do varying shades of aqua / turquoise when I do a batch of frames.  Since each frame was so unique I went with all the same color on all of them this time.

Really DEEP frames are always a good find too!

Not so fond of how this one turned out.  Just might have to repaint it white.  We’ll see.

I think I actually liked it BETTER before I repainted it!  You can’t tell in the picture, but the brown part of the frame has a crackled texture to it; kind of looks like alligator skin.

An old, newly repainted berry basket stand was ‘called up’ to serve as the display for the gathering of all the smaller frames.  ( a few of them are from a previous batch)

Layers of frames; a study of contrast.
This small and sweet vintage metal frame was perfect ‘as found’; I just added a picture.

This batch of larger ‘wall frames’ had originally all been repainted white and distressed.  Alas, they had been sitting in my booth for TOO long without selling, so I brought them home for another make-over.  A quick dry brush with aqua or turquoise paint and a bit more sanding.  Back in my booth just in time for the HALF PRICE SALE.

I SO wish I had more wall space available so that I could actually ‘display’ them instead of just plopping them on the floor.  Frames are probably my favorite decorating accessory and they sell so much better when ‘properly displayed’.

Although there is another dealer who has one of those big ole canvas cargo carts in her booth and she just piles all her frames into it.  I constantly see shoppers curiously rummaging through them, hunting for a treasure to take home.

REMINDER:  EVERYTHING IN MY BOOTH IS 50% OFF THROUGH LABOR DAY MONDAY.  Sale signs are posted in each booth, (and in all 3 stores!) with varying % off.  Perfect way to spend a rainy Labor Day weekend.

I’ve got lots of vintage little gold frames too!

Stocking up for my next project marathon . . .

After quite an extended ‘shopping hiatus’ while I got packed, moved, unpacked and settled into my new place . . . . I’m finally at the point where I can start shopping for projects again!  Here are my latest finds:Small three drawer chest (about 12″ tall) probably for jewelry.

At first I thought the butterflies and flowers were decals.  Nope, just paint and fairly easily sanded off.

Another little one, about 7″ x 9″.  Little cupboards and chests of drawers always seem to sell well for me.

sigh.  I so wish the insides were not painted bright green!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ‘three shelf’ spice rack.

Gold frame.

This is the angle that I saw this piece at at a garage sale.  Unfinished, so easy to paint.  Add some backing and it would be a cute little night stand.

Alas, if I had bent down, even just a little bit, I would have seen the dowel rod near the top.  So, it’s actually a ‘doll wardrobe’.  Oh well.

Super icky . . . and consequently super cheap!

Apparently it had been used as a plant stand.

But the drawer ‘innards’ are nice and clean.  Painted even.  Albeit a very ‘muddy brown’ paint color.  A little paper on the drawer bottoms will take care of that.

I’ve got two of these foot stools; the other a little smaller.

This one had the top already removed, but it was a very FLAT top.  Gonna have to add some batting or foam pad to it.

The smaller one had this needle point cover on it.

Little glass jars.  One of them has ‘IKEA’ on the bottom.  I find jars with this type of lid quite often and in various sizes.  Spray paint the lids black and embellish with some pretty paper labels.  Always good sellers for me in my booth at Stars.

Initially I thought this was a ‘part’ of something.

Nope.  It’s a candle holder.  I’m sure I have something that I can add to it to turn it into a finial.

Repainted picture frame

Found this frame at Ross.  Marked way down and I could tell WHY!  Where the black and white paint meet is just SLOPPY.  Nothing a little more paint can’t fix!

Hard to tell in this picture, but I painted the whole thing aqua and distressed it.

NOW you can see the color!  I like to add ‘something’ to the frames I sell, even when I am just selling them ‘as a frame’ for the buyer to add their own picture to.   I just added a picture cut from a post card mounted on an old dictionary page; anything ‘cheap and simple’ to fill the void will do really.

I really like how it turned out; especially with some of the undercoat being white and some black.

Just another ugly frame given a second chance at life with a little paint and elbow grease!

Just stocked that frame and lots more in my booth st Stars.

Some without glass and backings, and some with!

Frame projects

I KNOW!!  Perfect color for me, right?!?!

But I decided to paint it white and distress it!

Some of the aqua shows through in the distressed areas.

I glued the key onto a piece of grey card-stock, then put the glass from the frame behind the key, sandwiching it between the card-stock and backing.  That way it can still be used as a photo frame if someone wants to.

It has gone to my booth at Stars.

A couple of 5×7 frames.

I resisted the urge to ‘add something’ to this little frame, other than a pretty piece of paper.

White satin spray paint over the originally gold frame, then sanded to distress.  Easy 5 minute project (not counting paint drying time!)

I painted that other one white as well, distressed it and tied on a big old cast iron skeleton key.

Great big bow!

ALL of these frames are in my booth at Stars.

Just in: Big batch of painted frames in my booth at Stars

Even in my diminished capacity with a bum right foot, I really HAVE to still maintain my booth at Stars.  

I had started painting the big batch of frames I recently procured pre-plantar fasciitis.  Got a few more done in the brief window of when physical therapy lessened the pain and before it made it worse.  Then I suffered through finishing up the last few a little at a time . . . then took a 2 hour nap to recover!

I really have not been able to work on much other new stuff for my space, or really even go thrifting; so I really needed something NEW in my space.  The frames did the trick.

Did a little bit of rearranging in my space to make room for all the frames.  Since they usually sell out very quickly, I just propped the majority of them at the very front on my booth.  Easy to flip through and see them all.  Easy to grab for purchasing.

I  scattered a few of them throughout my booth also.

I really PREFER to hang them on the wall, but I have so little wall space and they sell so quickly and I only get in to fluff my space once a week  . . . . so ‘propped on the floor’ it is for now!

I ended up going with black on those two vintage gold frames; the ones I was having trouble deciding what to do with.  The coat of black paint then a good sanding really brought out the details.

Here’s a better look at them.

And a few of the smaller white frames prop nicely on the hanging candelabra.

I also rearranged the back corner of my booth, as shown here.  Putting the Pottery Barn cubby shelf atop a shelf; and the BIG cubby atop an old drawer to raise it up off the floor.  Then filled it all with vintage white dishes.

This white furniture was in front of the table, where the frames are now stacked.

And I moved the beach decor stuff to the table at the front. (and added a lot more of it!)

These two turquoise wood shelves were at the back of the booth before.

WISHING ALL THE MOM’S OUT THERE A WONDERFUL MOTHER’S DAY TOMORROW!!!

LOTS of frames just stocked at Stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shabby beach cottage framed seashells

Boring old plain brown frames . . .

Painted them my fav color of beachy blue.

Then distressed them.

And usually I just sell them like this.  Which is fine, and they ALWAYS sell quickly.  But I’m readying product for a special trunk show at a friend’s shop and I wanted something NEW and exciting to offer.

I was trying to think of something that could be hung in the center of the frame.  Oh!  OH !!!  OH!!  I have a few BIG shells that I got at a rummage sale a while back!  I wonder if they’d fit?!?!?

TA ~ DAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

To say that I LOVE how these turned out (especially THIS one with the starfish, my ONLY starfish!) is a total understatement.  This is in the ‘top ten’ of my most favorite things I’ve ever created.  Maybe even at the TOP of the top ten!

I just used some e6000 adhesive to attach the shell to the frame.

I have a few more of thee scallop shells, but that starfish was my ‘one and only’.  I’m hunting for more, if anyone has a good source for buying them they’d care to share with me.  I’ve been searching the net for weeks for starfish.  I want some BIG ones to frame and some little ones to add to my little ‘candy’ boxes of shells and sea glass.

I’m on the hunt for some more frames like this too; thick sided with small openings.

Definitely at the TOP of my top ten favs!

Recent thrifted finds

Still pretty much in ‘recovery mode’ from the extra work of the spring show AND being sick; but starting to feel a little better.  Doing a LOT of napping; much to the delight of the cats!

Here’s what I found on my last thrifting trip:

These babies are HUGE!!!  You can see the edge of an 18″ platter at the bottom of the picture.  Thinking these will get GLITTERED and then displayed under a cloche or in a bowl of snowflakes for next holiday season.

Shabby chic platter.  I just may leave it ‘as is’ and hang it on the wall.

Large, light weight resin urn with a HOLE already drilled in the bottom to use as a fountain.  May try selling it ‘as is’ too.  And if it doesn’t sell, use it as a base for a little table.

HEAVY plaster statues. 

Pretty banged up.

Will work on giving them an ‘aged concrete’ look and maybe adding gazing balls.

Vintage CLOTH maps of Scotland.  (WHY in the world did they put STICKER price tags right on the front?!?!?)  I figure they’ll get used OPENED UP and hung on a wall, but still!!!

Pine shelf and stool.

The seat comes right off!  Will be super easy to re-cover.  I’m leaning towards BURLAP!

NO IDEA what I’ll do with this one yet!  Feels like solid brass.

ALWAYS need more frames!

Now if I can just feel better enough to get back to work!

Refreshed ~ Restocked ~ Rearranged!

It’s been a VERY busy first couple of weeks of February at Stars!  Of course a lot of Valentine goodies were sold, and FRAMES!  I always stock a lot of empty frames, but nearly sold out of ALL of them in the last two weeks. 

 

  

I went in on Monday to pull the Valentine leftovers, and restock.  Brought LOTS of new frames:  

  

How cool is THIS frame!?!?  

  

Some beachy~blue frames.  

  

SO many frames I was running out of creative ways to display them!  Hence, several of them just ended up on the floor and propped against a wall .  

  

Three MATCHING white frames.  It’s very seldom that I find matching frames.  I personally prefer the ‘mixed look’ as opposed to the matched look.  But every so often a project calls for matching frames, so I grab them when I can!  

  

More white frames and some pretty pink ones.  

  

Mixing black and white for a classic look.  

  

I really need to get this LONG turquoise frame hung up.  It’s such a great size; about 4′ long!  Would be awesome hanging on the wall and filled with a collage of other frames photos or art.  Due to minimal wall space, it’s just tucked behind the table for now.  

  

I’ve even resorted to DOUBLE hanging some of them!  

  

Turquoise accessories.  

  

Hand folded and hand cut vintage book paper shred.  This stuff looks SO awesome stuffed into jars and bowls.  Handcrafted, one of a kind shabby chic  treasure chest.  

  

Can you see the paper shred in the jars here?  

  

  

Vintage book pages wreath.  

  

  

Lots of vintage bottles; some with repro vintage labels.  

  

  

Sweet little apothecary chest.  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Finials and faux garden statuary.  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

   

  

  

  

  

  

No such thing as “Too many frames”!

A recent windfall on vintage frames.

Lots of different shapes, sizes and styles.

Even a fun little sconce shelf!

Decided to paint them ALL white.

A little bit of sanding for a distressed look.  (sorry, the distressing does not show up very well in the pics)

And here they are on display throughout the store: