~PICTURE PERFECT~

 

 Over the past few months I've collected over three dozen petite picture frames from our local thrift stores and today I'm giving you a sneak peek at their transformation!  Just a handful...but boy are they sweet...

 I never pay much for old mini frames...fifty cents to one dollar is about my speed and if I can snag them on half-off day, well then, all the bettah!!!!

I love it that this one still has the original JCPenney tag.  You can't see it in the picture but the original price was .39.  WOW!  I'm guessing this one came from the mid 1960's or so!

This one is the newest of the bunch.  Not my favorite, but I loved it more after it was painted!

 

 My favorite are the older frames that are ornate in design.  Most are made of pot-metal and sometimes an early resin.  This one is just gorgeous to me!

 Here it is with a picture of my paternal Grandma Bethel with her big sister.  I made copies of my old prints and love it that you can cut~cut~cut~away without worry of ruining a vintage or antique original!

 Love this frame even though it's newer...probably from the 80's.  I remember selling some like this in hunter green back when I owned my own store.

This frame is also from the 50's or 60's.  I paid a quarter for this one because it was missing the back.  Since I plan on hanging them all on my Christmas Tree this year it didn't matter to me if it had a back or not.  I made a new one out of cardboard.  This picture is also of my Grandma Bethel...she's in the front on the right.  I think my Miss K really favors her (but maybe it's just me!)...

Here is my handsome father back in 1955!  He was in the Navy and this is what he looked like when he met and married my mother.  Swoooon....  This sweet little frame was actually a mirror so I had to use a plastic sheet for a cover!

My maternal Grandparents, my Grandpa Philip and my Gramma Bertie.  Both of these photos were taken in 1945.  My grandmother had this picture taken at the request of my grandfather while away serving in the Army Air Corp.  He said he wanted to show all the young boys what a beautiful mature woman looked like.  She was 29 years old in the photo...  The frame holding her photograph came from Hobby Lobby!  It was $2 after the 50% store sale!

  Here's what I did to get the look...

First I primed all the frames with Zinsser Primer.  Then I spray painted them all white!  After they were completely dry I wiped them down with Annie Sloan's Dark Wax and then quickly wiped it off.  Too yellowy for you?  Put some alcohol on a soft cloth and gently wipe over the surface.  This will leave your paint in tact, but remove the hazy yellow you sometimes see.  Don't leave it on too long or press too hard or all your paint will come off or wrinkle up! :(

Can't wait to put up our Christmas Tree this year!  I'm going for a new look and I'm excited to get started...

Don't forget the deadline to enter my FREE PILLOW GIVEAWAY ends tomorrow!  Check it out HERE if you are interested.  SOMEBODY is going to win SOMETHING FUN!

Hope your Wednesday is fab!  Sharing today with 
IVY and ELEPHANTS for 
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY
and
The Brambleberry Cottage for
TIME TRAVEL THURSDAY
   
Love to you...

~FRENCH FARMHOUSE WHITE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS~

  Just a quick post today to let those of you who are my website customers know that I uploaded the first of several French Farmhouse Christmas Ornaments today!

  Thanks for being patient with me!

A few will have sweet embellishments, too!

 

  Here's a wee little peek at what some will look like!  Several more to finish...glittery and sweet and perfect for a Christmas Tree fashioned in neutral tones!

I'm face deep in studio work and having fun creating new things for the holidays.  When you are self employed and a ONE PERSON SHOW (Eeeek...I guess m Mr. AGPMan DOES HELP SOMETIMES!!!) you must start early!  The weather is soooo gorgeous here...perfect for painting!

Hope your Tuesday is wonderful...more soon!

Love to you...

~A SWEET GATHERING...Train Case Makeover~

When you don't see me listing new things on my  A Gathering Place Website it's because I've taken special orders and those always keep me busy!  I'm always grateful for the sure-to-get biz and these days I don't hesitate to push custom orders to the top of the line! 

I finished the makeover on this sweet vintage Train Case (Gathering Case) late last week and today it's being shipped to it's new owner.  I've lost count how many Case transformations I've made over the past twenty years...I can almost do them in my sleep now.

The pink rose fabric used for the interior continues to be one of the most popular prints chosen!  This Case has a soft pink ground with hand painted pink roses!  Vintage lace trim, old ribbon and a bit a bling help to make it a keeper.  Hope the new owner loves it (thank you, G!).

Over the weekend I finished up a huge batch of Christmas Ornaments for my online shop and Etsy and eBay!  Hope to have them on sometime this evening...maybe in the morning.  Sugared with glitter I'm loving how the vintage images shine!

They started out just blocks of wood!  After a bit of work they turned out like this: 

 I don't have them photographed yet, but tomorrow I'll show you the ones made using soft white paint and vintage French images and graphics.  Soooo fun!

Hope your Monday is great!  Today is my mother's 78th birthday!  My daughter, Adrienne, and I are taking her to lunch at Mimi's so I have to scoot!  

Love to you...

~~~~A SHABBY FRENCH PARIS BOOKLET~~~~~ and a little bit more...

 

 ~PINK ROSE DRESS FORM~

Paris Chic

One of the fun things I worked on early last week was a collection of little French Booklets showcasing an altered art dress form filled with pink roses.  Initially I was a bit disappointed in the way the coloring of my image transferred onto the cover.  Seemed a bit washed out at first, but once I had the Booklets finished I was more than pleased with the final outcome!  

~SWEET AS ORNAMENTS~

The coloring isn't quite as vivid as the greeting and note cards I sell, but I really the love antiqued look and feel overall!  They look time-worn and totally shabby!

 ~VINTAGE STYLE PAPER INSIDE~

The inside is full of aged, lined paper and a tassel, cording and ruched ribbon come attached to the left side!  I only have five of these ready to upload onto my website.  I'm going to put them into the Christmas Ornament Category because for now that is where they best fit!

~PINK ROSE EIFFEL TOWER~

Last Thursday I also finished a few (I mean like six five/I'm keeping one!) of these charming Pink Eiffel Tower Christmas Ornaments.  They are hand painted with a soft sugary pink paint and come graced with four tiny roses as the base...

 ~SHABBY FRENCH CHIC~

The ornaments are hand blown glass and come with an attached ribbon in pale pink.  They are dipped in real ground glass and coated with a bit of shimmery glitter, too!  These will be on my website sometime this evening as well!

~VINTAGE STYLE 'WINDOW'~

While out running around last week I found this amazing window-looking-thingy and I just fell in love with it!  Reminds me of an antique stained glass window frame from a 1930's church!  It's made of aged wood and metal and came as you see it!  YUMMO!  Isn't it fab?

Not sure where it's going to end up but for now it's to the right of our French Doors going into the backyard!  Very shabby-romantic looking to me and I love it!!!

I'm back in my studio this week working on more new product.  I'm fairly caught up even with being away over the weekend...  I'll be out and about checking out what you've all been up to in the next couple of days...

Hope your week brings good things your way!

Love to you...