The $3 Frame Gets a Makeover

It's Ten on the 10th again and I'd like to thank Carol from Blue Sky at Home for hosting.  This month we are talking about yard sales and this frame was a great find.  I paid $3 and knew exactly what I was going to do with it.  The goal was to spend little to no money, and  I can honestly tell you, I  succeeded!

The details were lovely and the actual frame was large and light.  At 3 feet tall, I expected it to be heavy, but it was light as a feather.

It also contained a lovely painting, not my style, but it was well-done.

The first thing I did was remove the painting.  It was a thin piece of luan held in place by a few finishing nails.  It wasn't the best piece of wood, but I had plans for it.  So I set it aside and grabbed my jar of Peacock chalk paint.

After two coats, it was already looking better!

Here's a close-up:

I did some distressing with 220 grit sandpaper and sealed the entire frame with a clear spray.

Now, what to do about that painting.....I kept it of course!  I simply turned it over, sprayed some primer on it and then gave it a few coats of chalkboard paint. It was 'seasoned' with chalk and it was time to write on it.

You can see from this close-up the wood has a noticeable grain to it.  I thought about buying a better piece of luan and cutting it to fit, but, I wanted this to be a bargain, so I kept it.  I can always change my mind at a later date, right? 
The back of the frame had hardware for picture-hanging wire, so I grabbed a piece and added it.

And, as you can see, the lady is still there - on the back.

So, what did I do with my new chalkboard?  I used it for inspiration in my Craft Room!

I can't tell you how many tries it took me to get the lettering (relatively) straight!  Even as a teacher, I couldn't write on the board without my writing going up or down hill - lines on the board were my saving grace.  After being retired for a few years, it's worse than ever.  I can honestly say, the writing was the most challenging part of this makeover!

   

The entire project came in at under $9.  

Frame:                 $3.00

Chalk paint           1.62  I still have half the jar left!

Chalkboard paint 3.98
Total:                   $8.60   

I already had the primer, picture wire, and clear spray. 

This is Ten on the 10th so you must visit my fellow bloggers to see their yard sale finds.  Everyone is linked below:

Carol at Bluesky at Home

Ann at Apple Street College

Kim at Exquisitely Unremarkable

Patricia at Pandora's Box

Tammy at Patina and Paint

Susan at Homeroad

Katie at Let's Add Sprinkles

Terri at Decorate and More with Tip

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