Office Bling
Hello creative people! It's been a few weeks since I've added a project and I want to share this quick and easy one I finished up a few days ago (even though I started it 6 months ago - geez!)
I have two of these old style ornate frames and wanted to do something cool with them. You can find old frames like this at yard sales and thrift stores for very good prices. I stripped and painted them and had a definite plan for this one.
As a creative person, I can have anywhere from 10 – 15 projects going at once. Sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on one at a time – or I guess I just get bored. :) But that’s the life of a crafty girl!
I was introduced to using a sandblaster last year and it has made my projects go SO MUCH faster! That’s what was used on this frame. It had years of dust and paint chips embedded into all of those tiny crevices. The sandblaster got the job done without damaging the wood. Awesome.
Then I primed and painted with spray paint. A lot of my projects are painted with a chalk paint that I mix myself, but I wanted this one to have an oil-rubbed bronze look with those shiny little gold flecks. I used Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze and sprayed on 3 light coats.
Next I wanted to highlight all the details on the frame so I used a dry brush dipped into Anita’s All Purpose Metallic Craft Paint in Titanium Gold (acrylic) and then wiped onto a paper towel and brushed it onto the “raised” surfaces of the frame. This technique keeps the dark bronze color in the gaps while the gold brings out the details and gives the frame dimension. When I was completely done with the gold and it dried (it only takes a few minutes with dry brushing) I did the same process again but this time with DecoArt Dazzling Metallics Acrylic Paint in Rose Gold. I have a slight obsession with anything rose gold or copper right now. I only used the rose gold in about half the space as the gold so there would be a blend of metallics happening on the frame.
Next I sprayed a couple coats of polyurethane. And this is where the project stopped for quite some time. I used it as a photo op for the wedding and then a few weeks ago I picked it up again. I wanted to make a magnet board for my office. The hardware store sells sheets of metal and we found one that was the exact fit for the frame. If you can’t find one that’s the right size, you can always cut it down or ask someone at the hardware store to cut it for you.
I ironed the fabric I wanted to use and then cut it out about an inch bigger than the sheet of metal.
I cut the corners at 45 degrees so I could wrap the metal without a lot of bulk.
I used masking tape to tape the fabric down. I wanted to make the fabric easy to change in case I wanted to update the pattern later. I pulled it snug but not super tight.
Next, I laid the sheet metal into the frame, looked to make sure the front was satisfactory and then I used glazier points to attach it to the frame. I used a small hammer and blunt chisel to punch them in. I put one every few inches all around the frame.
And there’s the finished product! So pretty!
I decided to hang it in the office. I love having it there for invitations for upcoming events and it also sits next to my easel for reference pics when I’m painting…for when I decide to paint again (that’s another story!).
I hope you enjoyed this post!
All my best,
Michelle