A Thrift Shop Frame Makeover With Old Sign Stencils

This time of year thrifting can be slow. Sometimes, all I can find are picture frames. I found an 11" x 14" slightly ornate, gold frame on a recent thrift shop visit. I love how my frame turned out with very little money!
Here is the frame I purchased a couple weeks ago at the local thrift shop for $2. First, I gave the frame a coat of Fusion Mineral Paint in Algonquin, and went back and touched up any spots that I had missed, so the frame ended up with about 1 1/2 coats. I love that no prep or top coat is necessary with Fusion Mineral Paint.
I grabbed my "Vintage" stencil from the Old Sign Stencils' Farmers' Market extension series, and stenciled it on the glass backwards. By stenciling backwards, I will have the paint on the inside of the frame and not the outer glass.
I taped the stencil to the glass with blue painter's tape and used a small roller to apply my black paint to the stencil/glass. I used two coats.
I traced the cardboard back from my frame onto Heat N Bond, and then ironed it onto a scrap of upholstery material. Then I ironed the fabric to the cardboard.
My fabric had a lot of texture and some pattern to add interest and the word "Vintage" floats on the glass like embroidery! Full details for my project can be found on my blog.
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  • Cindy Carley Cindy Carley on Feb 29, 2016
    So cute.....did you use "felt" for the letters?? Love the way you have it displayed!! I have all kinds of frames that I inherited from my Mom after she passed away and are just laying in the basement. You have given me some "inspiration"....thanks!! :)
  • Sharon Sharon on Mar 01, 2016
    Love this! Where did you get the stencils?
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