Hubs wanted Sis to have a big family photo in her room, so I set off this week in search of a frame suitable for the project.

I found a good candidate at Goodwill for $9… Which, actually, is way more than I’d usually pay… But it had glass, double matting, and was in good shape, so although it wasn’t as beefy and chunky as I like, I grabbed it anyway.

Like most frames pictures of this ilk, it had a paper backing (already removed here–just tear it off), some sort of picture backing (cardboard on this one), matting, glass, frame, and LOTS of staples.

So I just took that all apart by using pliers to pull out staples…

…and then slipping out the cardboard backing (with the original picture spraymounted to it), mats, and glass.

Then to visually beef up the frame, I painted the frame and the outer mat the same powdery pink color using simple acrylic craft paint. I squirted the paint straight onto the frame and mat and spread it out with a foam brush, dabbing the frame as needed to get in all the nooks and crannies.

I just slapped that paint on–you won’t get perfect coverage with the first coat, but by the second coat, it will start looking good.

I painted the corners of the mat like a wood miter by beginning each foam brush stroke at a corner on an angle. This adds to the illusion of a thicker frame.

So it was starting to come together.

I had our favorite family photo printed out “poster size” at Walmart photo online for about $5. I used blue tape to secure the mats and picture in place. I used the original image as a guide for where to secure the new photo.

Then I taped the back back on and added a sawtooth hanger (the same one I pried off when I began).

This entire project, excluding dry time, took under an hour.

Now Sis can wake up to her family laughing with her. I love that.

And since thrift stores always seem to have a bevy of frames in their stock, this could be a great way to build an interesting gallery wall with frames of varied sizes, like the ones I’ve been pinning lately.

I could add in these little pretties too!

Yay, I love a simple, cheap, and fast makeover!