a little project: framework

desk in the master bedroom


Years ago Dan found this vintage "wheat" lamp at a California flea market.  The lamp didn't have a finial, and I have no idea where I came up with the idea-   this was before the Internet, before HGTV, before Martha Stewart had her own show, and I wasn't particularly "crafty" - but, out of necessity I knew that the lamp needed a very special finial and I decided to  "make" the wheat spikelet/ear to use as a finial.   I went to a craft store and bought clay to make the wheat.  I used a metal cuticle tool to "sculpt" the new wheat to look like the metal wheat original to the lamp.  I used a small wire to make holes in the bottom of the wheat for attachment, baked the clay to harden,  then gold leafed them  (using real gold leaf) to match the wheat on the lamp, and attached the wheat to a finial holder.  To this day, all these years later,  this remains one of my most favorite projects!  It's the little things, yes?!

 

This antique oil painting (signed and dated 1879) resides in the South guest room. 
(What???  I haven't shown you that room yet?  Well, shame on me!  Actually... I'm grateful to still have a couple of rooms to show you as I envision you all making a mad dash to the door after I show you the whole house :)

Dan and I loved the painting for the "what's around the corner?" feeling that it evokes, but I always hated the color of the frame.  It had been spray painted gold (ughhh) and had a chunk of the detailed gesso border missing (you can see the missing piece on the vertical left side,  just under the round dot.) 

One day while out antique shopping I saw a charming antique painting that had an antique black frame- it really highlighted the frame and the painting both, and I thought that would be the perfect answer for this frame.   I love to antique in hopes of finding some fabulous treasure, but I also often shop just for ideas for inspiration.
Remembering my finial on the wheat lamp I decided to use the same type of craft clay to repair the frame prior to painting it.

This is the good side of the frame that I needed to match with the clay repair- the piece just to the right of the "ball" in the center.
(the frame is on an old beach towel to protect the marble island which is one of my "favorite things"!)

A close-up of my clay fix "in progress" (I purchased black clay, but the color choices are endless).  I also made a small piece for a needed repair on the liner.

The finished pieces baked, and glued into place.

I decided to leave the small liner closest to the painting "gold" to offset the black.  I taped off the liner before I sprayed the frame using Krylon in a Black Semi-Flat finish, which most closely replicated the original antique black frame finish that was my inspiration.

So, once again... before.

After!