8" x 10" Mixed Media Shabby Chic Picture Frame

Happy New Year

Hello everyone!!!  I hope everyone had a very happy Christmas and are having a good start to the new year.

Today's project is a mixed media wood frame.  The frame is a very inexpensive one that I found stored in one of my closets.  So I decided to remake it.  I first took off the back of the frame.  It is made of
chipboard so I decided to use it for my background.  The completed frame is below followed
 by instructions to complete the mixed media texture to it. 

To start, you will need the following:  wood frame, heavy gesso, and a stencil.  I used the Prima "bamboo" stencil.  I first applied the gesso completely onto the frame itself and the chipboard backing with a spatula.  I wasn't fussy will my application as I wanted lots of texture.  When the backing was dry I applied a generous coat of the gesso with my stencil.  Let the complete frame dry.

I then took Prima white crackle texture paste and randomly applied it to the backing and here and there on the frame.  You can use a heat gun to dry this faster.

I then adhered the backing to the frame using a hot glue gun.

I had a large cotton thread doilie in my stash.  I cut this in half and applied one half going over the frame to the top left corner and the bottom right corner.  A hot glue gun can be used.  I applied the white gesso to the entire surface of the doilie so that the sprays would adhere better, which is the next step.

  I used my favourite colours, turquoise and seafoam with a hint of green here and there.   I sprayed onto the doilie areas, the background and the outside frame as well until I got the look I wanted.  I dried between each spray colour.   Below you can see the crackle paste after the mists were applied.

With a stamp and black staz-on ink I stamped randomly here and there to give even more texture.

And then finally, my embellishments.  For the bottom right section, I first adhered cheese cloth and kept it loose around the frame section.  I added paper to the back of the frame then made a small collage on the left side of the frame.  You could put a picture into the frame if you wanted.  I added flowers in different colours, punched butterflies sprayed to match the flowers, a bit of lace, leaves and a loopy bow with some cording.  At the upper left corner I added a fussy cut flower from a patterned paper that I had along with a couple of leaves then added more flowers down the side with butterflies.   At the end I inked around the outer edges of the frame with a brown distress ink for extra accent.  Below is closeups of the corners.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and give it a try.  It is a great way to use up some items from your stash.  Before I sign off  I have some exciting news right now.  A friend of mine and I are going to Anaheim, California tomorrow morning (bright and early) to attend the Prima Art Venture workshops.  We are so excited to be able to attend.  Workshops will be held by Frank Garcia, Anna Dabrowska (Finnibair), Canada's own Vicki Boutin, Sharon Laakonen, John Petersen and Sandra Evertson. And of course we will do some touring.  I hope to have lots to share with you.

Until next time,  this is Donna wishing you a happy and healthy new year.  

"HAPPY CRAFTING"

"To the world, you may just be one person....but to one person, you might just be the world."