3D Wednesday is here!

This week I have a super easy --and cheap!-- project for you. This altered frame took hardly any time at all once I decided what I wanted to do with it. And most everything I used came from the scrap bin. Can't beat that, right?

I started with this frame from the Dollar Tree.

I planned to distress it but because it isn't wood, sanding was not an option. Since I knew now that I would have to paint it, I had to figure how to keep some of the pretty carving design and still make it look distressed. Instant brainstorm! I remembered, from a diy home show of some kind I saw years ago, a little trick to this. Vaseline! Using my finger, I merely rubbed vaseline over the areas I wanted to leave 'unpainted'. I didn't have high hopes, but hey, for $1?! If it didn't work I wasn't out anything of value so I forged ahead. After the paint dried, all I did was literally rub with a cloth. The places with the vaseline prevented the paint from sticking so it was super easy to achieve a distressed finish. Here is the 'antiqued' look. I must say I was impressed with my first attempt!

The saying I used comes from My Creative Time, Lots of Love stamp set, which I stamped and heat embossed onto the journaling tag also from My Creative Time. I cut a piece of paper to fit the frame, then added fishtail tags, then my sentiment box.

Now for the fun part! I always love the embellishing part the most. Some of the flowers I used were already on my worktop left from previous projects or just playing around with different shapes and styles of flowers. Lower left corner.

On the upper right, I added hearts and this fab key along with the flowers and flourishes.

So there you have it....$1 for the frame, flowers and embellishments from scrap bits, and a little paint. And nobody needs to know how simple this was to make if you should give one as a gift. Handmade is always the most valuable anyway. :) Thanks for coming by. Hope you'll check out the other designer blogs as well for more delicious 3D goodness!!

Project List:
My Creative Time, Lots of Love stamps
My Creative Time, Journaling tag die
My Creative Time, Stitched Layering hearts dies
My Creative Time, Chunky Jar Accessories dies
My Creative Time, Leaves dies
My Favorite Things, fishtail tag dies
My Mind's Eye, Lost and Found Halloween 6x6 paper pad
Flourishes, flower punches, circle dies, string pearls, embossing powder, dollar store frame, paint