"Love" chicken wire photo display

I loved this project I created for my son and daughter-in-law and it's always fun when others agree with you.  I just found out that this pattern is featured in "8 Old Picture Frame Crafts" by Fave Crafts. Be sure to stop by there and check out my project and all the others in the collection.  

Looking for a fun way to display photos with a vintage feel. Creating this rustic, chicken wire photo frame is a cinch with Plaid Craft paint and finishes. 

Materials List:

Wood Frame (purchased from thrift) 
Plaid Crafts Folk Art Metallic Acrylic Pure Gold 
Plaid Crafts Folk Art Chalk Paint-Bavarian and Tuscan Red 
Plaid Crafts Folk Art Crackle Medium 
Plaid Crafts Folk Art Antiquing Wax 
Plaid Folk Art Paint Brushes 
Chicken Wire 
Protective Gloves 
Wire Cutters 
Needle-Nosed Pliers 
"Love" wood cutout 
2 yards of 3" Burlap Ribbon 
Burlap Flowers 
Wood Clothespins 
Soft Cloth 
Scissors 
Hot Glue Gun/Glue Sticks 

Instructions

1. Remove picture and glass from frame if necessary, Clean frame well. Paint Frame with Plaid Crafts Folk Art Metallic Gold Paint and allow to dry. When dry, using paint brush, cover frame with Folk Art Crackle Medium using even brush strokes, be careful not to overdo it. The thicker the coat the thicker the crackle. Allow to dry. Apply a top coat of Home Decor Chalk in Bavarian. As the paint dries the cracks will appear.
2. While frame is drying paint the word Love with a coat of Plaid Crafts Home Decor Chalk Paint in Tuscan Red allow to dry. When frame and "Love" are dry, apply a coat of antiquing wax over the surface of both using a brush. Use a soft cloth to buff away the excess and bring to a sheen.
3. Turn frame over and measure the chicken wire to cover the back opening. Trim as necessary using wire cutters. Be sure to wear protective gloves. Secure chicken wire in place on back of frame covering the opening. Secure chicken wire in place with staple gun. Turn sharp edges of wire under using the needle-nose pliers.
   • 
4. Face the frame front again, Glue the word love in place. Embellish as desired with burlap flowers. Run a loop of Burlap Ribbon through the top of the frame and chicken wire on both sides and tie in a bow. Trim ends if desired with scissors.
   • 
   • 
     
5. Use clothespins to secure photo (s) hang frame by bow.

There you have it, a cute way to display some favorite photos! I especially like the photo I have selected as this is my son and new daughter-in-law! 

A special thanks to Plaid Crafts for providing the paint and finishes for this project!

Vintage Pie Safe Inspired Shelf Restyle

My kitchen is getting a "makeover" but unlike the TV show...I'm on a very limited budget! This being the case imaging my excitement when I was at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show this past January and was given some amazing supplies to create with at the Fave Crafts/Prime Publishing Blogger Event and they "just so happened" to be perfect for this project.

Twenty years ago, my husband made me this wood shelf for my canned goods. It has served us well, never complaining as we double stacked soup, or fit more on the shelf by turning cans on their side so they would fit. It's time though had passed and it's new home was the basement. It was stained, and a back piece was loose, the side was even splitting a bit and needed repair. The shelf was good enough for the basement cause no one looked there.

But then inspiration hit! I wondered if I could spruce it up with some paint, and add doors, maybe with some tin panel and make a pie safe? After cleaning it up, repairing some parts, and using some 1"x 2" pieces to create a frame I started to think this just might work!  I collect red and white enamelware and thought it would be fun to have a RED cabinet as a focal point in the kitchen.

I talked to my friends from Plaid Crafts and asked about their Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Ultra Matte Paint. I had worked with this at the show and loved the finish it gave, they were good enough to send me some to use. This paint has a nice creamy texture and is super easy to work with. I started with a base coat of Cottage White, and then allowed that to cure and topped with Imperial Red. I then sanded the top coat, to reveal some of the white underneath. I used the Folk Art Home Decor Clear Wax to seal the surface.

Then it was time to add "metal to the doors." Most pie safes have tin punched metal covering the front, this allowed for the pies to cool, while keeping bugs and other creatures away from the baked goods. I didn't want another heavy closed piece of furniture so decided chicken wire was the way to go! My friends over at MD Hobby and Craft had some chicken wire designed for crafting. It came in smaller more manageable pieces. After grabbing my electric staple gun and suiting up with metal working gloves, I attached a double layer of chicken wire to the door frames, I offset the second layer from the first to give me a "3-D" look with the honeycombs of the wire.

All that was left was to install the hinges and handles. These I easily picked up at a local hardware store.

I LOVED the look of the finished piece and it looks even more adorable FILLED

 

Fave Crafts, challenged Bloggers at their event to come up with a craft from the goodie box items we were sent. These crafts could then be submitted to their "Fave Crafts, Best Blogger Craft Contest." I am entered, and would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE,  your vote! But there are lots of amazing entries! The top prize is $1000 cash!!!  

 

My entry is called "Restyled Red Shelf " by Betsy Burnett.

To vote in the contest and find further instructions....please visit -----> http://www.favecrafts.com/contest/Blogger-Contest