A Wee Bit O' Ireland

While organizing my mother’s papers and cards I came across these two postcards.

Two 4" by 6" postcards with 2" by 3" photos surrounded by white border

  She bought them on our trip to Ireland and kept them these many years probably with the intention of framing them. I’ve had them on my bedroom side table for awhile hoping to see a good frame for them.

Also lying around were these two frames which I recieved at the same paint seminar that supplied the clock I redesigned here.

Green and brown frames are 11.5 inches square with 4 by 6 opening.

 They’re very cute and green (very Irish) but not my style exactly.  I toyed with the idea of covering these with maps, decoupage, paint, ribbon, etc. Then I realized the little postcards fit the frame opening exactly.

The postcards needed something dark to set off the bright red so out came my trusty metallic charcoal spray paint which I used on this bench, this bell and this bistro set.

I roughed the frames up a bit with sandpaper.

Sanded with 100 grit sandpaper

 I found some old (really old) red enamel paint

Tiny bottle of red enamel paint for the edges

 and painted the edges.

Inside and outside edges are painted red.

 Then both frames were sprayed with Metallic Charcoal (my favorite).

First round of spraying

 Unfortunately the former design showed through the new coat of paint.  I guess I should have sanded more of the original finish. I sprayed many light coats until they looked like this.

Sprayed with 3 to5 light coats until totally covered.

 I used 220 sandpaper to sand the inside and outside edges until the red paint showed through. Finally I lightly sanded the metallic gloss on the entire frame until the finish looked like slate. (The photo below is a a good indication of the true color.)

The red edges complement and repeat the red in the photos.

 The frames are ready for the pictures to be inserted.

Irish postcards framed.

 Now I need to find a place to hang them.  I might wait until the renovation for the perfect spot, until then how about right at the bottom of the stairs?

On the wall at the bottom of the stairs now hangs the Irish cards.

 Have you found something recently among your things that you’d forgotten about?  Did you use it?

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