Pretty as a picture!

Since we moved house earlier in the year, I've found that we have this wonderful thing called wall space.  This is the first house that I have lived in that actually has room to hang more than one picture in each room.  So now I have the little task of filling my walls with beautiful things.  I've been working on two little pictures.

 

 

This first one I've had sat in a box for a long time.  I actually rescued it from the dustbin.  If you see a pair of legs sticking out of a wheelie bin, just Holla!  I just loved the little hot air balloon  The little caption at the bottom says, "THE FLIGHT OF CHARLES LACQUEHAY - 1802 PARIS."  I've always thought that the frame was a bit odd looking (its pine with no glass.)  Pine makes me feel a little sad.  It looks so lovely when its new, but after a few years it goes all funny and orange!

 

 

...So I've given it a fresh coat of cream paint.  Homebase Classic Cream, quick dry satin to be exact.  Lots of things in my house have been painted with this, firstly because if it was a colour I would probably get bored with it and have to repaint, yawn!  Also it goes with lots more stuff.  Lastly I figured that Classic Cream, being so classic and all, will hopefully never get discontinued.  So, I should have a lovely supply of cream paint for many years to come! :o)  It looks lovely above my telly (my massive telly is however not so lovely!) Every time something comes on I don't like, I can just gaze dreamily at my little balloon picture.

 

My second project was a deep picture frame, which had also been sat in a box for many moons.  Enter 3D items, HOORAY!

 

 

This one also got a new coat of cream paint.  I've filled it mostly with items that I picked up from last weekends carbooty!  (I picked up a little basket crammed with sewing bits and bobs for £2.)  With the exception of the tape measure that I've had for forever, which is really worn and part missing between zero and one inch measurements.  Not particularly useful, so in it went!  The doily I picked up a couple of months ago and have been wondering what to do with it as it is too three dimensional to put behind glass and far too delicate to sew onto a cushion.  If I sneezed, it may disintegrate!  Also the backing fabric is a fat quarter from my stash.

 

 

So first of all, holding my breath I pressed both the fabric and the little doily.  No sneezing!  I put the fabric in an embroidery hoop and carefully pinned and then sewed the doily into place using matching thread.  I then taped the fabric to the back part of the frame using brown picture framing tape, making sure that the corners were neatly folded.  I then mocked up a good composition for my haberdashery items and glue gunned them into place.  Put the back onto the frame and secured all with a little more brown tape!