Thrift Store Frames Revamp {Chalk Paint}

I’m alive but functioning at about 50% — not good when you have a dining room in total disarray and company on the way!  I’ve put my indentured servants teenagers to work helping clean and fluff for the grandparents… times like this I love having older kids!  Thank you for your well wishes yesterday – I so needed your words of encouragement.

I was hoping to share a fully completed project today using these thrift store frames, but I’m sharing anyway even though it’s only 90% done.  Forgive me!

I scored them on a flea market/thrift store high fly by several weeks ago for $1 each.  I knew I’d paint them or revamp them, but intended to do so for my booth.  Good intentions.  🙂  I busted out my Annie Sloan chalk paint a couple of weeks ago.

I started with a coat of Old White, but I also had samples of Chateau Gray and Aubusson that I wanted to experiment with.  What better place to play than on a $1 thrift store frame??

I loved the Chateau Gray because once it went on, it had a deep gray-green cast to it.  That’s when I started envisioning them in my newly pale gray-green kitchen (sorry, booth, you’re once again taking one for the team).  But I wanted to add just a touch of elegance to them because they were going to be home to two very special pieces.

Enter Rub n Buff.

I just swiped it on pretty randomly, but made sure I got some in the grooves of the frames and that each frame had about the same amount of glitz.  I wasn’t sure how it would take over the chalk paint but it did so beautifully (duh, it’s Rub N Buff!).

I added a thin coat of wax to both frames and let it dry for what seemed like forever a couple of days.  We were having a lot of rain, so it took a while.  (Note: when I waxed, a bit of the Rub N Buff came off, but not much).  Then I just lightly sanded both frames to pull out a bit of the Old White, too.

It pulled out the teeniest bit of Old White, but mostly just lighted up the Chateau Gray a bit.  I was/am now in love with the results!

I’ve mentioned here before about some of my grandmother’s treasured pieces that now belong to me, like my foyer rug, my dining room buffet, the little slipper chair in my Mom Cave.  I’m also fortunate to have a few watercolor sketches that she did when my grandfather was deployed in Korea.  She lived in Newport, R.I. then with my mom and my aunt and was taking watercolor classes at the historic Redwood Library.   My mom came across her sketch books in her things a couple of years ago and sent them to me, knowing I would cherish them.  I have taken my time finding a “home” for them.  And now, I think two of them will have very happy homes in my freshly painted kitchen.

By no means are they fine art, but there is something so marvelous about knowing that she painted them.  It’s another connection to her that I am so privileged to have!

So, I’d hoped to have them framed and hung before sharing and for my mom’s visit (and I may get there!), but here they are — 90% done. 🙂  I’ll share again when they’re hanging properly.

And, just so you know, I have managed to get 90% of the painting in the dining room done.

If you follow me on Twitter (@heidimilton) or Instagram (heidiopia) you got a sneak peek of the green going away yesterday.  After a lot of Gatorade, a few saltines here and there, and a liter or so of Sprite over the course of the day.  A deadline is a powerful thing, people.

I think I’ll share…

The Cottage Market Thrifty Linky Party

Best of July DIY Party at Beneath My Heart

Happy Friday to you all — back Monday with my Ugly Duckling Dining Room update!