Gilded Frames & Canvas Millinery

The other night when I could not sleep, I had an epiphany. I wanted to figure out a way to use my photography, art, and design in a different way. Why not used my neglected work in my portfolio, to create "clip art" rather than using stock and public domain images? It started with my booklets that I showed you earlier this month and I am working on some more fun ideas and will show them to you as they progress.

For now, however, I am preparing to exhibit my work at an outdoor art show in conjunction with a jazz festival in October. I have been invited to participate in The Arts on Riverdale before, but the timing was never quite right. This year I decided to do it.

So I've been working on my displays and having some fun. I found some old gilded frames in the attic that I had saved from this old house and am adding chicken wire to them so that I can display little art works on them.





The pastel portrait, circa 1939, is of my husband's mother when she was four years old. The frame is of that era too ~ I think some of it made of plaster.

Then I found an ugly frame that I had no idea what to do with until...I thought that I would also add chicken wire to it and flowers around the frame. Because I am working with a tight budget here, I decided to make some of my own "millinery" flowers out of natural cotton canvas, needle and thread, and mother of pearl buttons.

~ couldn't stop, I was having so much fun ~

~ finito ~

~ perfect for my limited edition ACEOs ~

When I had some left over flowers ~ my "Canvas Gardenias" ~ I added one to a clip board so I'll look cute and stylish taking all those orders {I hope!}.

Then I glued some to wooden clothes pins and clipped to some tags I made with sentiments I rubber stamped with copper ink such as, "thank you," "love you," "miss you," and "get well."

The tags I cut from gently used manila folders ~ so I guess you could call them "up-cycled" ~ and then I burnished the edges with more copper ink and added a twine tie. I just gave one to a friend of mine with a "thank you" tag when I returned a magazine she had loaned me. It was a pretty way to return the journal. Personally, I love the contrast between the rough twine and the pearl buttons and the soft folds in the natural canvas. The contradiction in textures and materials makes these appealing for any occasion or for any use.

I'd love to know what you think...just for display, or should I get these on Etsy and Art Fire?

Thanks for stopping by.


Ciao amici,
Suzanne