When my parents were visiting, we made many-a-trip to the thrift stores (my poor Dad). We even found a new-to-me Value Village when he ripped his only pair of pants and we had to make an impromptu Moore's run. It was at that Value Village that I found two lovely paintings, both of water, that made me smile. This weekend, I removed them from their frames and gave them a blast of glossy white spray paint before reassembling them. Both frames were a little beat up (and dated) but now are refreshed. One day Hubs and I will make new frames for them (see here for one tutorial, and here for another), but right now paint was all I had time for. It's a cheap fix that made them both look modern, cheery and townhouse-appropriate.
One made its way into the office, replacing a small sculpture my Grandpa made (it will find a new home). The other is adding more zingy colour to the bathroom, replacing a black and white photograph that hung there previously. Things are looking grim on the lakehouse purchase (competition - details soon), so these two paintings might be my only "waterfront view" in the foreseeable future. At $20.00 a piece, these are the better deal (less headache, too)!
In the bathroom, I love the extra jolt of turquoise to tie in the colour from pretty much every other room. My DIY yellow painting has a hint of turquoise and the new painting has a hit of yellow, so they work nicely together. Plus, (is this too much information?), when I have a bath, the water crashing against rocks is my new view. Seeing as this is a windowless bathroom, I'll take what I can get!
How to take frames from blah to bright:
Using pliers, remove the nails holding the painting in place
Lightly sand the frame, to remove any sheen
Wipe clean with a damp cloth, allow to dry
Spray with primer (I chose a stain blocking primer - Beauti-tone STOPZ)
This is a photo of the back before I disassembled it, but I did the same thing: using finishing nails to hold the painting in place (mine are straighter!) by hammering them into the frame alongside the painting:
I am so excited about the DIY agate project I'm sharing today: easy DIY agate art. This framed agate is so easy to make - it's almost as easy as my last agate craft project: the super simple DIY agate slice pendants I made.
You already know I loooove rocks: I have one of many childhood rock collections on display (okay, technically two) and I'm always looking for ways to add rocks, gems, minerals - anything glittering, really - to my home decor. I recently mooned over some ridiculously expensive framed agate art but it was far beyond the reach of my home decor budget, so I patiently waited for the right agate slices to cross my path so I could make my own budget-friendly DIY agate art - for a fraction of the price! Recently I was shopping for a friend's bedroom makeover and I spotted a gorgeous set of large agate coasters, dyed teal and trimmed in gold, at HomeSense. The price? Only $19.99 for the four! I really regret not buying the second set of agate slice coasters HomeSense had (a moody grey with gold trim), but I was trying to be budget-conscious and thrifty...
At least I scooped up the teal agate slice coasters, because $20 is such a bargain!
With my supplies in had, it only took a few simple steps to whip up this easy DIY agate art - bumping the agate slice pendants out of top spot for my favorite DIY agate slice craft project!
This DIY agate is really a super simple art project, but the secret is in the supplies.
Gel Epoxy (designed for slippery surfaces, like stone)
Glue stick
White cardstock paper and cardboard
Toothpick
Patience (just a little!)
Pottery Barn Wood Gallery Single Opening Frames, 5 x 5”, Modern White - $25 each
I'm a huge fan of LePage Gel Epoxy and have used it for a whole host of projects, including my DIY agate pendant necklaces and my DIY tile trivets. This time we bought the epoxy formula specifically designed for glass, ceramic and stone. Ask the folks at your local hardware store for their recommendation for the best epoxy or glue to affix agate slices, if you can't find this:
The How to Make DIY Agate Art:
First I created a backing for the agate by gluing two sheets of white cardstock paper together and then to the cardboard backing that came with the frames. I liked how sturdy the cardboard was, but I wanted the backing to be white. I kept the glue to the area behind the matting, in case it crinkled or stained the paper. I added some packing tape to be doubly sure, but I think this was a touch neurotic. It's tricky to photograph, but you can see the backing here:
You could also just use something like foam core, and skip this step!
Next I held up the agate slices to a light source to figure out where to apply the epoxy. Although it dries clear, I wanted to be sure no gobs of glue would be seen through the less opaque sections of the agate.
I mixed together the two-part epoxy and applied it with a wooden skewer (a toothpick works too) to the most opaque sections of the agate slice, keeping away from the edge to avoid squishing epoxy out the sides.
I eyeballed the center of each matting and gently pressed the agate in place, wiggling it a little.
I very patiently waited a whole 48 hours before hanging my new DIY agate art over the new dining room cabinet:
I want to keep the surface of the cabinet clear, for use during dinner, but it needed...something. The quirky placement of the agate art below the pass through, and at eye level when folks are sitting, means they can be admired during dinner and they also add some character (and purpose) to the new furniture, creating a sweet little vignette and making the dining room decor seem more thoughtful and intentional.
Doesn't my new DIY agate art look perfect in this quirky spot?
The frames from Pottery Barn are really good quality - the corners are perfect, unlike some inexpensive white frames I've picked up from a certain Swedish big box. These frames really fool people into believing I bought these agates framed - and didn't make this myself!
Love the look? These agate slices from Amazon look very similar to the ones I used, but I also rounded up some other sources below. I personally purchased from the Hollow Geode, linked below, for another DIY agate craft (my DIY agate wreath) and I highly recommend the shop!
Disclosure. The four frames for this DIY agate project are courtesy of Pottery Barn, but I wasn't asked or encouraged to write a favorable review. I'm actually thinking of ordering another set of four white gallery frames to replace my framed enamel artwork and elevate that sentimental art with better quality frames.
Remember the enamel art I bought at the Christmas Fair when I was in Budapest? I still love how each piece is the same Hungarian landscape in four different seasons. Since I have now officially spent time in Hungary during each season, these mean a lot to me. The original framing was a bit traditional and bulky, so I asked if I could purchase them without frames to save some money and also to make them easier to pack. Honestly, they never would have fit in my suitcase like this:
BEFORE
I knew they'd fit in simple, white Ikea Ribba frames, but I figured I'd have to spring for
custom mats. When I got them home and bought some frames, however, I
realized custom matting might be tricky. In addition to not being
square, each piece is slightly convex. The original matting was imperfect too. Not to worry! Hubby & I came up with the genius
idea to avoid custom mats but still create a polish look: paint the cardboard mounts!
Here are the enamel pieces, unframed and mounted on their cardboard backing:
Using a really small angled brush with firm bristles, I carefully painted around the enamel with some leftover paint (the same blackish greyish mystery mis-tint I used for the railing, the custom frame for the black white painting, the dipped stool and about a million other DIY projects. I love this magic colour). Here's what they looked like when I was done painting the cardboard mount:
I let the paint dry a few days to fully cure, then I popped the enamel landscapes into four Ikea frames. I love, love, love the result. The little strip of almost-black makes each piece POP and keeps them from getting lost against the white frames, mat, and walls. I opted to hang them in a vertical row between the curtains. That space always needed something.
Even from a distance, these little gems still pack some punch and I like how they connect the cooler and warmer colours in both the living and dining room. Plus, the black makes sense with the black accents splashed around both space, including the frame of the new dining room painting and the curtain rods. I'll definitely consider just painting a backdrop (even if I have to mount it on some cardboard myself) the next time I have some art that needs a custom mat.
Even though sometimes it's ultra embarrassing and I'd really rather not, I'm honest about my DIY feats and failures. I shared the drippy bottle bomb and the two-for-one paper mache and gift wrapping fails. Remember when I tried to paint all the original frames for my vintage silhouettes? I don't know if the paint had gone bad or if there was a problem with the "wetware" (what my Dad, in the computer biz, calls people because we're largely made of water and often the source of computer probs). Whatever the problem, the frames turned out so gunky I had to scrap them and, head hung low, buy new ones.
Despite DIY successes like this and this, I failed DIY 101: spray painting!
When another silhouette crossed my path (for only $3.99 - my best find yet), I bravely decided it was time to face my silhouette-frame-spray-painting fears . . .
Ok. If I'm being honest, I had to work with this frame because store-bought sizes didn't leave room for the awesome description of the silhouette artist who has cut over 1.5 million silhouettes, including silhouettes for folks like The Pope of Rome at the Vatican (1927) and President Hoover!
Supplies:
If the magic is in the materials, here is what I used: Rust-oleum Painter's Touch primer in white and Krylon Dual Paint and Primer in Matte Black spray paint(leftover fromthis chair makeover).
Steps For Avoiding a DIY Bomb:
Before and after my bomb, I successfully spray painted many a thing, so I just did what I normally do - although I was a bit over-cautious this time, what with the double priming:
I waited for a perfect weather day - not too cold, not too warm, not too humid, not too windy
I used a shallow cardboard box to protect the grass
Then I carefully sprayed on the spray primer
I sprayed one side, let it dry for a few hours, flipped it over and then sprayed the other side
I let it dry for 48 hours (to be extra, extra sure)
Then I waited for another perfect weather day and carefully applied the spray paint
I applied thin, even coats following the can instructions to the letter
And?
The frame turned out beautifully and the faux, exaggerated wood grain really pops with the new darker paint.
It looks perfect with the rest of my (growing) collection. Plus I'm happy to report I am still loving my magnetic board!
