Revitalizing Framed Artwork

When Adam and I first moved to Philadelphia, we were young, in love, and surrounded by a lot of empty space in an apartment we couldn't properly furnish. That resulted in furniture and decor purchased in haste. Recently, with my purging and organizing at the start of 2011, I've taken to reflecting on what I have, what I love, and what I don't.

Over the weekend, I gathered some supplies to make a small, but impactful revitalization on a framed print that I've always loved, even if I haven't loved the frame it was in.

This Bret Harper print hangs in a lonely corner of our living room, and the black Ikea Ribba 17" x 21" frame wasn't enough punch for this lovely print:

I had an old, larger (21" x 25") frame and mat on hand. I painted the dreary frame a fresh cream (Martha Stewart Living paint in "Pip"), which only highlighted the aged, yellowed mat.

Pretty bad, huh?

Then, a flash of brilliance: why couldn't I use some natural linen to cover the matting?

And that's exactly what I did. I used Aleene's Tacky Spray and pulled the fabric taut.

With the fabric secured, I began wrapping the edge around the frame.

Certainly not professional quality, I used clear packaging tape, which held up quite nicely.

I carefully snipped the fabric on the inside of the frame and repeated taping the fabric along inside edge.

And here it is!
The amaryllis has a mat and frame appropriate for its loveliness. It feels more substantial now, and I'm so, so happy with this quick revitalization.

Happy Monday, everyone!