Day Twenty-Six: Ikea picture frames (sigh) - updated

I thought today was day twenty-seven, and that I would only have two days left. But then I discovered that in fact, it is day twenty-six only. WILL THIS NEVER END. Discovery: I don't like doing things for thirty days. Especially when it's hot outside and I'm moving.

Anyway. I don't want to buy any more stuff, so I'm down to using what little I have left in my craft box. Today this meant painting Ikea picture frames. I have a bunch of pictures that I want to put up in my new apartment, with the picture frames painted to correspond - I'm sure it will look neat when it's all put together, but I forgot to order the pictures until just now so you can't see it put together until at least tomorrow. So for now it's pretty uninteresting.

Materials:
- frames
- paint
- paint brush

I learned that I really enjoy mixing primary colours together to make other colours. It's like an adventure! You have to be a colour detective. "Is teal more blue or more yellow than olive green? How many drops of red are allowed until it all turns brown?" It's very exciting. Except that I didn't end up making teal at all. I did it once before, when I painted that frame for my white board, but my directions for colour use weren't technical enough that I could re-create it.

This is what I started with:

And this is what I have now:

I'm fairly certain that I don't need to outline the process.

I have a vision for these frames and a mirror in my long front hallway. I'm sure it will look great. You can come visit, and decide for yourself!

Day Twenty-Six Highlights: being a paint detective.

Day Twenty-Six Lowlights: I'm pretty sure this barely constitutes a craft. That's a lowlight. Also, not being able to make teal.

Tomorrow: who knows. Who the heck knows.

UPDATED with the pictures inside them:

It does look better. Oh good.

Day Eighteen: whiteboard

I was just about to type "Hey it's a real craft post finally" but then realized that it is not. It's not a new idea, but it is the completion of one of my unfinished projects. And, as I had to change into painting clothes and as I got paint all over my hands and the table, I think it qualifies as a legitimate craft day.

So, remember this? I was unhappy with the yellow border, since I am head over heels for damask and don't want any of this solid paper nonsense interfering with how beautiful it is. I'd mentioned going to Ikea to buy a new frame, but the whole point of making a whiteboard was that I didn't have to purchase one, thereby leaving my pocket lined with a little more coin. My brilliant idea was then to go to Value Village and buy a cheaper frame, hopefully one that was interesting-looking. I finally managed to get to Value Village today (I could have gone on Tuesday, but Tuesday is Senior's Day and I've learned to AVOID that location on Senior's Day), and almost bought a lovely, old-looking frame for $10, then realized that for that same price I could have just bought a whiteboard. So I settled for a different frame that was simple, but also only $5.

Here are they both side by side:

Materials:
- paints
- paint brush
- newspaper to lay down so you don't get paint on stuff
- old frame

My first step was to test a white board marker on the new frame to make sure it erased properly, and I was pleased to discover that because it's glass and not plastic (like the original attempt), the white board marker came off super easy. So, tip: use a glass frame.


Then I took out my paints and mixed colours together. When I began my painting career (hoping that I would be unexpectedly ridiculously awesome at painting -- SPOILER I was not), I only bought red, white, black, blue, and yellow. This is because during my practicum we had this fancy art lady come in to teach everyone how to do art, and she said that from those colours you can make any colour in the world, since they are the primary ones + lightener and darkener. (If you are going to do this, I will pass along to you the tip she passed along to me: make a LOT of the colour you end up using, because you will not be able to create it the same again if you run out.)

I started with blue and a bit of white, then a bit more white, then lots of white. Then I put the damask paper up to the frame and realized it was too blue, so I added two drops of yellow to make it greener. Then, since I love purple (even if it's secret purple), I added one drop of red. This is what I ended up with:

It looks a little gross from the picture, I realize now. Also, you may notice that I have a TON of paint. I had a lot left over, but I didn't want to run out because it took me so long to find the perfect colour. I painted the whole frame, and then came the hardest part of all for me - the waiting for it to dry part. I watched a tv show I had taped, ate watermelon, washed the paint off my hands (yes in that order, by accident), sat outside with my dog, windexed the glass part of the frame, and then the paint was dry! So I put it all together and voila:

I will include a close-up, because I really like how the colours worked out together.

When I put the back particle board on to close it all up, I discovered that it was an Ikea frame after all, only I paid $5 for it, with a picture inside! (The last time I used a frame that already had art in it for something else, a friend of mine commented, "I feel bad for the other art!" So do I, so I will try and find a use for the art that previously occupied this frame. It's not so bad, I guess.) Also, it's not one of the cheap-o Ikea frames I normally buy, since the clear part is glass not plastic, and the backing is particle board not cardboard. What a steal.

Day Eighteen Highlights: finishing an unfinished project, mixing paints, getting good stuff for cheap.

Day Eighteen Lowlights: not being unexpectedly ridiculously good at painting, getting paint on my mom's table... :(

Tomorrow: I promise I will take out the last unfinished project and TRY to work on it, but I can't promise I will finish it.