decoupage for Grandma

This whole project started with a beat-up frame I thought was boring and one of those ugly lithographs of a pond and some trees.

'why would you have things you consider so heinous?', you might ask.

It's because I'm predictable and I always snatch up any of the $1-$3 picture frames that are 'save-worthy' at the local thrift store.

I removed the picture from the frame and my sweet G. painted it gold for me. Then I mod-podged some 'leathery' looking scrapbook paper onto the backboard; so later, when I wanted to use it - I'd have a 'blank canvas.'

Let me just say that in the beginning, painting it gold - sounded like a fab idea to me.

LoL but once it was gold .. I thought it was just 'too fakey shiney' to be used.

having just seen this post from TRHBC ...

I decided to 'distress' that shiny little atrocity.

I was nervous as crap, but I jumped in head first.

I 'grunged' the entire frame with an oil based brown paint before I could think twice.

go big or go home ..

After I slopped on the brown thoroughly, with my brush - I took a rag and wiped the frame randomly, leaving some brown but showing some gold.


no real science ..

I just wiped the frame until I thought it looked cool, clear-coated it & walked away.

Once I tossed the 'leathered' piece into the ''new'' frame, it appeared very Oriental to me.

all of a sudden .. this frame had a purpose.

My grandma has been on my mind even more than usual lately, because of the time it took me to write the tutorial to make her delicious Gyoza.

So, I found a picture of my Grandma and a Japanese book I bought at a garage sale years ago for a quarter;(cover your eyes, book-lovers) which I tore a few of the pages out of.




I don't have a cricut or a sizzix or some fancy vinyl lettering tool thingy to make pretty letters. So, after miserably failing at cutting out printed paper letters, I scanned a bookpage into my computer and printed my words onto it.

(cover your eyes again, book lovers ... )

I tore the pages into pieces and mod podged them onto the board

with her 'name page' at the bottom

Then, I put her gorgeous, timeless face over top and modpodged it all.
Then, I stood back and waited totally impatiently for it to dry



when it was all done .. I couldn't have been happier.
this is my first official decoupage ... anyone reading remember theirs ?