DIY Shabby Shimmer Glazed Frame

This would be my 3rd glazing project... ever.

But also my third glazing project in 2 months time.

I think I might be hooked.

I happened to come across the perfect picture for above my cabinet (click the link to check the cabinet out... It's my first glazing project and I am so IN LOVE with it. I have so enjoyed the ease of crafting, scrap-booking, sewing, and preschooling that this thing provides me.)

The picture had the right colors. It evoked feelings of peace and sanctuary (this is very important in my home ha!). It was marked 50% off of $40.00 (this is also very important. My budget is SMALL). Only problem: at 16x20 above a massive cabinet, it wasn't quite big enough. My solution: a wide, chunky frame.

Can I afford to pay for custom framing? That would be a big, fat NEGATIVE.

So...

I hit the thrift stores once again and found this for $4. (Swoop!)

The frame came with a sweet hummingbird picture... that I knocked out of there. Sorry Hummingbird. I liked that the frame was thick, it was made of wood, and, most importantly, it was made for a 16x20 picture.

I knew I wanted to to something subtle but still wonderful to the frame. So, I thought I would play around with glazing again. This time I wanted to try out a shimmer effect... mostly because, well,  I am a girl, and I like all things that shimmer and shine. What can I say?

I started out by masking off my frame. Blue tape is great for projects where you need a clean paintline. Do use your fingernail to seal the tape to the frame so there is no bleeding.

I mixed burnt umber (a deep brown) with a little black just to darken it. A little black goes a long way so do add a little at a time. I used a spongebrush to put on the base coat because it is faster than a bristled brush.

For my second coat, I mixed Folk Art's Champagne Metallic Paint with Deep Base. Deep Base is what paint stores use to make dark colors as it has no color of it's own to lighten the colorant. It looks milky when wet but dries clear (if you aren't using Behr brand do double check at your paint store that your brand's deep base dries clear... I imagine that they all do, but I am not positive). Because Deep Base dries clear, it can be added to paint to make it more translucent. This will allow some of the base-coat color to come through. I did a 1:1 ratio for paint to deep base and then added water till I was able to hold my stir stick up and paint come off in a steady flow (not runny, but not clumpy... smooth flow).

I used a small angled brush to apply the glaze. (Glaze is just a fancy term for paint that has been made more translucent).

As I applied the glaze, I took my chip brush and brushed it against the wet paint to remove some of the glaze and give it a "brushed" look. For a small project, like this frame, extender is not needed, but if you were glazing a large surface you would need extender. Extender is a product that you can purchase at a paint supply store to keep your paint from drying as fast so you have time to apply the glaze (like in this case, brushing it on and then brushing some of it off).

By the way, free-bie kitchen tip: these bad boys make excellent basting or pastry brushes . I discovered this in my mother-in-law's kitchen (she is an AMAZING cook). I opened one of her drawers and found a couple chip brushes lying in there; I was disturbed thinking that my husband and father-in-law had placed their used  paintbrushes in her kitchen. Nope, only ever used for very strict and official kitchen business. (By the way: they are around $1... way cheaper than the brushes labeled "basting" or "pastry" brush in the kitchen area of your department store).

For my 3rd coat, I used my angled brush to apply black paint that I had thinned with water into the grooves of the frame. As I applied the black paint I went back over it with my chip brush. I made some long, sweeping brush strokes on the frame in random places with my chip brush. I did this with very little black paint on the brush.

Notice the way the brush is angled in the picture above. I did this to get black streaks almost like scuff marks.

For the fourth coat, I used the brown-black I had made up earlier. I thinned it a little with water. I put a light amount on my chip brush and made big sweeping brush strokes all over the frame (I followed the direction of the wood grain). I applied a lot more of this than I did the black. I wanted places where my frame was brown, places where there was just a little bit of shine coming through, and places where the shine hadn't been covered at all. It gave it a "shabby" chic look.

For still more interest, I added a fifth coat: just a tiny amount of the blue glaze I used on my cabinet. I applied it the same way as the 4th coat... only lighter. This was a great idea. The frame by no means looks blue. You'd have to look up close and very carefully to see the blue streaks, but, sitting above my cabinet, the frame seems to pick up on the colors of the cabinet and the cabinet picks up on the frame. They look like they were meant for each other.

By the way, the paint must be dry to the touch before adding another coat. If your project is small like this one and you don't care to take any breaks from your work, keep a blow dryer handy.

I decided to further freshen up the frame by painting the matte and gold trim. I made a 1/2 white and 1/2 antique white color. (I think I may be a bit color picky... but the white was too bright and the antique white was too dark...) I also made up my own "gold" color. I hated the orange-y gold on the existing frame, but the champagne shimmer I had was too light. So, once again I mixed my own gold color. I used champagne, antique gold, yellow and like a drop of black to dull it (all by Folk Art).

I know I am picky but check out the difference in gold colors:

Who likes the top one? I do! I do! (Okay, just make me feel better and agree with me. Ha! I actually like the original gold color, but it didn't match the brass pieces I have on the cabinet.)

I had to take my angle brush and go back over some spaces on the matte where the gold paint bled through. Did I stress the importance of running your fingernail over the edge of the tape?! Learn from my mistakes!

To finish up my project, I installed the picture hanging hardware. (Just picked this up at Lowe's)

This was seriously my favorite part. I totally enjoyed playing with paint colors and glazes... but not as much as I like playing with a drill! Power Tools! :) (I am not ashamed to admit that upon marriage, I had no clue how to get the drill bit into the drill. I kept looking for a button. Ha!) 

The finished project:

Cost:
$20- Picture
$4- Frame
$4- Champagne Metallic and Umber Acryllic paint
$5- Chip brush and small angle brush
$2-Picture Hanging Hardware
Already had other paint colors, deep base, and foam brush

Total: $35  

That's less than a 16x20 matte picture at regular price... without the frame! Yes! I win!

I love the way it turned out. It is subtly wonderful. And since it resides above an obviously wonderful cabinet (if you read about the cabinet project, you know I earned the right to refer to it in such a boastful manner haha), it's wonderfulness really should be subtle. It doesn't take away from the cabinet or the picture. I think it adds to it. Once again: I Win!

Side note: It's kind of fun to say: "I Win!" Try it.

I hope I inspired you to try your hand at glazing... though I warn you, it is slightly addictive ;)
xo



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