Trash Frames.

Ju

I was passing a house one day, and noticed these two,  really large (22x28") frames just leaning against the trash can... "You know I could not leave them there"!  They were in great shape, heavy and had very old prints inside....
My first thoughts were to use one of the frames for a  "Lithograph" I have had just rolled up in the closet for a few years.. (It was framed, but that frame was broken during our move to Florida)

           This  "Lithograph" was something I have had since my brother passed away in 1986... it was very special to him and I was fortunate to get it from his belongings. It is a copy of a famous painting , "He ain't heavy Father, he's my Brother", he bought it while on a visit to "Boys Town" in Nebraska... I'll tell the story behind this another time.

Well, I changed my mind about using this frame for the lithograph,  it was a bit too large. Then got the bright idea to make a "Collage" from the many photos I have collected over the years.


I'm sure many of you remember the "Vintage Cameras"... how we took the 'Film' and put it into our cameras, then took the film to the drug store to be developed!  We ended up with many photos, in both albums and boxes, put in storage some where! I remember the one or two prints that were 'mistakes'.  You know the ones, of the floor, or someones shoulder and not their face... How we didn't  want to toss them, so into the box they went...

The funny part of the process, "We all ended up with many photos in one roll, that we just did not want!
I went through my photos.. some were my moms, some my sisters, what a large amount I had.  Today all my favorite old photos are kept on my "Hard Drive" just in case!

The frames were in great shape but the wood was rather faded and needed a 'face lift'.. I simply used the sandpaper to smooth and remove the grime of the years.  As for the 'glass' in the frame.. I washed them well with dish soap and ended up with teeny tiny cuts on my fingertips.. they were sharp!

I then mixed  a bit of brown craft paint in glaze and painted the wood.  Wiped off a bit where it was much too dark... turned out perfect.


The next step was to 'park myself' on the living room floor, with my favorite "Soap Opera" on the TV.   With scissors in hand,  away I went through the 'Box of Photos"... 

It was sorta fun, "Cutting  all those photos", saving only the image of the  person I wanted to see!

Now many of you might not like the idea of  "Cutting the old photos"  but I thought "These photos have not been seen in years,  "Get them out of the box"  
I told my oldest daughter what I did and her reaction was what I expected, "You cut all those photos!"

I made "two", of these "Collages".. I rather like them and took one up on the landing of the stair case. I simply stood  it on the bookcase, until I can get them hung on the stair case wall. (bit too high for me).

The new "Digital Cameras" are a wonder to me.. "No more Film"!!  You know, I found 5 old used cans of film that were never developed,, "I simply closed my eyes and trashed them"... after 9 years in the drawer, I really did not care to know or pay for what was on them!  Oh Well!
What the heck,, let me see if I can get a chair high enough to hang these myself,  may be a while until I can get anyone to do this for me.

Don't you just love other peoples "Trash"!

I'll be linking to these parties

 Met Mondays

Market yourself Monday 

Just Something I Whipped Up 

Tools Are For Women Too 

It's So Very Creative 

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday 

 Trash To Treasure Tuesday