Framed!

About a year ago, while leaving a garage sale, a picture frame caught my eye.  It was laying on top of a pile of ragged blankets and moldy books slated for the trash.  On closer inspection I realized it was a 'Gesso'.

 Gesso is a preparation of plaster of Paris and glue. (Or many other combinations)  It is used as a base or surface for painting.  It can be molded and applied to wood...As on a frame.  Vintage Gesso's are highly collectible and decorative.  A Gesso on it's way to the trash!  I had to rescue it!

This poor frame had been treated with great irreverence.  It had been spray painted a tingy brown. It's backing was burlap and those funny 'pods and stems' people paint gold and display at Christmas time were sticking out and glued all over it's face.  I was embarrassed for it.  I offered to pay the owner a fair price.  He looked at me and laughed.  I took it home.

Here it is...A large 27 X 23 oval.  All sanded, painted a creamy ivory and slightly distressed.  It got tired of waiting for the black and white photo of my Grand-girls I had hoped to put in it.  So, it's up on my wall, empty.  It looks beautiful!

As a side note:  Today I picked up this 'just tacky enough to be Chic', black vintage paper mache vase with bright red artifical flowers.  The base is a huge 17 inches wide!  Overall height is 23 inches! Someone is going fight  me over this !!