So when I saw this frame at Salvation Army for $5.99 a couple of weeks after our visit, I knew it was a perfect contender for this makeover. I removed the backing, photo, and glass.

But how do I get from someone’s 90’s piano recital to the rustic little red church antique frame??

To age the frame, I was hoping for a downpour or some really nasty weather for me to subject the frame to, but alas, the weather has been so agreeable! What’s a girl to do?! 1) I put some water on the frame and left it outside in the sun for a day. It didn’t really seem to do much… besides intimidate the frame into submission?   2) Next, I slathered creamy-white paint all over the frame. I was not particularly worried about perfect strokes or 100% coverage. 3) Once the paint was dry, I added a layer of DecoArt One Step Crackle. I literally just squirted it straight onto the frame and then spread it out.

Once the crackle dry, I sanded the edges and some surfaces with a fine grit sandpaper. If I sanded back more than I wanted to, I just added back a little cream paint: easy fix! I worked fast and kept it loose.

Next, I added a tiny bit of dark brown paint to a small cup of water and painted it all over the frame so amply that I might as well have just poured it on! Once I got it in all the nooks and crannies, I wiped and blotted it back off with paper towels. It’s nice to leave it in the corners and crevices, where dirt and dust would naturally accumulate over the years.

And voila! In about ten minutes (plus drying time), you can have a hundred-year-old frame, aged to perfection!