Thinking outside of the frame. Ideas for what to do with those old frames

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
We sure did!

I am excited to welcome back my friend Laddie to share with you one of her specialties...frames.
You can see some of her other posts here:
Faux leather finish using brown paper bags
and French transfer dresser

Don't forget to follow Laddie on facebook to see lots of fantastic furniture inspiration.

So as of late I have had a big chunk of my small garage business

dedicated to home decor. Specifically re-using thrift store picture frames.

I had no idea at first the impact they would have on my business nor

did I know exactly how creative I was going to get with them.

Turns out there is a lot more you can do with a picture frame

other than using it to hold a picture!

Thank you Pinterest!

First off let me tell you that in order to find the "good" frames all you really have to do

is look past what is framed. Turns out people frame some really crazy

and down right ugly things!

 (NO wonder they end up at thrift stores)

Also don't be turned off by the scale of the frame or the shape.

These can actually end up being magnificent pieces.

I buy small, large, ovals, circles, squares, rectangles...

plastic, wood, metal, broken glass, no glass...

whatever has some interest in the frame detailing...

I BUY it!

Then I decide on what I will use it for.

My biggest seller...

CHALKBOARDS!!!

These are so easy to make and have a great impact in almost any room and decor.

They are also great just to add to a seasonal decor setting or

a special event like a wedding or birthday party.

For chalkboards I do usually use larger and more ornate or chunky frames.

I give them a quick spray of whatever color

spray paint I am feelin' that day and then start

chalkboard painting.

My favorite product is the Rust-oleum Speciality

ChalkBoard paint...that is also tint-able by the way!!

You can get different colored chalkboard paint if you want it!

This 30oz can is well worth it's $10 and goes

a lllooonnnggg ways!

I use the small $2 roller and paint tray pack for all

my chalkboards. A rolled board will end up much smoother.

Pop 'em back in your frames when they are all dry and voila...

cheap thrift store frame turns into chic chalkboard.

Another way I have used frames is for jewelry holders.

Again find your favorite color of spray paint

and give a couple coats to your frame.

Then you can replace the glass with loose

knit fabrics like burlap or large pieces of lace.

Even strips of lace trimming work well.

Hot glue or staple into place and your

new jewelry rack is complete.

Some other fun and creative ways to re-use your frames are

for dry erase boards.

Cut out a fun print fabric just slightly larger than your glass front

and pop it into the frame behind the glass.

Use dry erase pens on the glass front to

leave messages, make lists or write love notes.

Also use those doilies you found at the thrift

store placed on top of cute scrap book paper to make art...

Use left over fabric remnants and cork board

to make a fab, fun and fresh cork board!

Just cut out a piece of cork board and fabric by

using the glass as your template and put the

fabric over the cork board before putting back into the frame.

Or you can lay this down as a padded tray

on your bedside table to rest your jewelry on.

So, think twice before you give away Aunt Suzie's

framed Christmas card collection or

as you walk by that giant reproduction of

Van Gogh's Starry Night at the thrift store.

Get creative and think outside the box...I mean frame.

There is potential in those old frames you just need to see it!

I got some great ideas for frames and will definitely not be passing up those ugly prints at garage sales anymore!  Thanks for the inspiration Laddie! Do you have any fun uses for old frames?