finishing projects

I have done it!  I hung the sign that I made.  I went to Ace Hardware, and I asked some guys what I needed to hang a wood sign.  I showed them a picture, and I thought I explained very well what I was hanging.  They looked at me like I was nuts and tried to give me some flimsy j-hooks on nails.  I told them again and again ... "It's pretty heavy ... like, I will definitely need drywall anchors and possibly eye-hooks and wire."  Finally, they seemed to get the idea, and they got me what I needed.  So, this afternoon, I hung the sign in the living room.  Now, what you will see will still need your imagination.  I will hang pictures all around it in different frames with photos of our families (and our personal family).  Also, we will eventually have a sofa and other furniture in this room ... for now, dedicated as the "Toy Room".

Hung on the wall!

I've been feeling very crafty and accomplished lately.  It feels good!

I, also, took a picture of the frame I repurposed for a picture of Colton.  It used to house a poster of artwork but not anymore!  I hung it above the guest bedroom with these other fine pieces.  A mirror that hung in my grandparents' home and other pictures of our family.  I like how it helps to frame a bed with no headboard.

The frame used to be blue.  I spray painted it white and then I sanded it down.

The collection of things hanging above the bed that has no head board.  I like how it looks.  At least something is hanging in that room now!

Another framing project I have been working on is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, and I just never got around to it.  I finally decided to try it ... anything could be better than what I was working with to begin with.  When Dad H was in Myanmar (Burma), he would get pictures done for us of our family in gems and precious stones.  He did our wedding photo, a picture of Colton, and a picture of Billy and I on the top of Mt. Fuji.  It doesn't matter what picture you give them, you always get the same frame ... brown or gold with a red velvet mat.  I decided to spray paint the frame black and latex paint the velvet mat a creamy color.  It took me three coats of latex paint on the mat, but I think it turned out pretty good!  Now, I notice the picture a lot more and the frame a lot less.  I just have to do it one more time for Colton's picture (since I reframed our wedding photo already).

This is the typical frame and mat.  Gold (the one I painted was brown wood but the same style) and a red velvet mat.

This is how the picture would have looked in the original frame.

This is the new and improved frame!

I spray painted the frame glossy black, and I brush painted the mat a creamy color.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out!