Look at the design! Can you imagine how long this project took? It is actually made from tiny pieces of gravel. This art form is known as mid century gravel art! Who knew??!!

It is a mosaic, of sorts. How cool are the colors?!

After some research, I found some other examples of lovely authentic MCM gravel art. You can see them at the very end of this post.

Well, I scooped it up several years ago with the intention of using it around Thanksgiving. We had a flood (one of many) while I still had my store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment. This item was water damaged. From sitting over the years, the backing on the frame had deteriorated. I suspect this is a Vintage piece that someone created back in the 50s or 60s. At any rate, my love for the artistic design prevented me from trashing this piece when it was damaged.

It’s time to salvage this thrift store art and upcycle it into something fabulous. What better time for up cycling, repurposing and renewing items than Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday!

If it’s Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday, that means it’s the second Wednesday of the month! With crisp air and falling leaves all around us, I expect to see some wonderful fall projects in this month’s roundup. At the end of this post, you will find all of the teams projects.

Game Plan

My plan is to remove the artwork from the frame and discard the damaged background fabric.

The frame will need repair as it is quite loose.

I need to determine what type of new background to use for the gravel mosaic. I will attach that background to the frame backing board and secure the mosaic onto that. The final step will be to repair and reinstall the frame around the artwork. Here we go…

Remove the Thrift Store Art from the Frame

Step one is to flip the frame over and remove the backer board from the frame. I used a small screwdriver to pry the staple heads up above the wood surface and then used needle nose and regular pliers to extract the staples from the wood. Sometimes frames use small nails to hold the backer board in place. I find that needle nose pliers, usually do the trick in removing those buggers.

After removing the backer board, the frame was very unstable and actually fell apart. I set this aside to secure later and moved onto removing the background from my mosaic.

This background is a seagrass or grasscloth fabric. As I said earlier, it is vintage art and the grasscloth backing was very fragile and tore easily. However, because it’s fabric I needed to cut the excess grasscloth from around the edges of my mosaic. I used fabric scissors, and a very small set of curved scissors that were very sharp.

I believe these little curved beauties are also vintage sewing scissors.

The curves on these tiny scissors helped get as close as possible to the mosaic when cutting off the grasscloth.

Fortunately, the tiny stone pieces were very securely glued to the fabric, which allowed me to simply cut around the design. I was left with one large appliqué, if you will, that was ready to be remounted in the frame.

I used some Old English for dark woods to touch up the sides of the mosaic appliqué since the edges were white.

I used a paint brush. You could also use some brown paint or stain. Just be careful to allow the edges to dry completely before you glue the mosaic appliqué to the backer board.

Touching up those white edges made a huge difference on the dark backer board.

She is ready to go.

Selecting a New Color for the Background

I moved on to determine what color my background should be. Since I did not have any replacement, grass cloth on hand, I decided to go with a natural or darker wood look for the background behind the mosaic. The backer board on my frame is nothing but a traditional backer board with a very very dark color. The more I handled it, the more I like it. However, I thought I would try to lighten it a bit. So I mixed a solution of one part water to one part bleach and wiped the entire surface twice.

While it did not lighten the backing, it did clean things up and even out the surface so that it wasn’t streaky. The result was a rich chocolatey color. I’ll try this dark background for my appliqué.

Attaching the Mosaic Appliqué

I grab some E6000 adhesive to secure the appliqué. This little tube has tiny applicators that help to get to small places.

I used the tube around the large parts of the appliqué and used the skinny applicator on the smaller parts. After applying the E 6000 to the back of the appliqué, I placed it carefully onto my backer board and pressed it securely into place. I placed a crate on top to hold all of the corners down as the appliqué is rather thick and some areas did not want to lay flat.

The weighted down crate helped apply pressure across the entire surface where needed so that the mosaic applique dried flat. I allowed E6000 to dry for about four hours. In the meantime, I worked on rebuilding and securing the frame.

Repairing a Frame

The frame was in four pieces. Here are the corners where they should meet to form the 90 degree angles.

The repair process is quite simple, in theory.

• remove the old hardware (staples or nails)
• glue the corners to one another and allow to dry
• reinforce the corners

But, if you’ve every tried to repair a frame, you know that the process is quite complicated and frustrating. So let me show you how I managed to stablize the skinny pieces of wood and form beautiful 90 degree angles with the end result of a sturdy frame for my thrift store art.

First, use your pliers, flathead screwdriver, and wire clutters to remove all of the old staples. Grab your wood glue (Elmer’s works in a pinch). You will also need a few clamps. I like the ones with the squeeze grips but I also use the clip clamps as well (they resemble a clothes pin with a spring). And you will need a small block of wood with a nice 90 degree angles (to ensure that your frame ends up with perfect corners). The block doesn’t need to be more than 4 inches long x 1 inches deep x 1-2 inches long. It is just a guide for your corners. You can use a smaller or a larger size.

There are clamps that are made specifically for 90° angles that are perfect for securing or building picture frames or repairing. However, I have not splurged on any of these yet. Hmm, this is the first item to go onto my Christmas list! I will rely on old-fashioned ( cave man style) engineering skills. I used a wood block (with perfect 90 degree angle) and secured one edge of the frame to the block with a clamp. I applied some glue to each of the two frame pieces that would fit together to create the corner and layed the pieces into place at the corners. Then I grabbed another clamp and secured the other side of the frame to the wood block as well. This provides a sturdy support for your frame as the glue dries. A third clamp was placed directly over the 90 degree corner. I need to make a video of this process. Until then, hopefully these photos help.

Once the glue had dried, I used my Ryobi airstrike stapler to staple each side the corners.

I used the crate again as a support for my frame while I set the staples into place. It kept the frame steady and helped me get the staples into place perfectly. Then I repeated the entire process for the other 3 corners of my frame.

And here is the frame!

Reinstalling the Frame

The final step was to place the artwork back into the frame. The best part about reusing the original backer board is that the fit was perfect. I simply laid the board into the frame and stapled it into place.

Isn’t she lovely???!!!

I do like the change in the dark background. I think it really makes the colors so much more vibrant. I will be sure to display this in a room with much light to accent the colored gravel.

She will make a beautiful addition to the mantle. I can picture her with a beautiful potted mum on either side for a very simple yet elegant display.

Somehow, after this sweet project, I know there will be many more thrift store art work upcycles to come!

Thrift Store Decor Team Projects

As promised, here are the other projects from my fabulous Thrift Store Decor Team members. Take some time to enjoy the creative talents of my fabulous friends. Enjoy!

Painting A Thrift Store Lamp My Repurposed Life

Thrift Store DIY Upcycle Petticoat Junktion

Minnow Bucket Pumpkin With Dollar Tree Stencil Organized Clutter

Updating a Rolling Cooler With Spray Paint My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Updating Fall Thrift Store Art Shop At Blu

Boho Pumpkin with All-Natural Craft Supplies Sadie Seasongoods

DIY Velvet Pumpkins Domestically Speaking

Vintage Wooden Bucket Makeover House of Hawthornes

And here is the compilation of lovely MCM gravel art pieces that I found on Etsy:

Can you guess which one of these I just ordered…..???

The post Updating Seasonal Thrift Store Art – Fall Edition appeared first on Shop at Blu.

It is Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday! What better time to share a fabulous creative project! As is the case every second Wednesday of the month, at the end of this post you will find links to all of the team’s creative upcycled projects for this month.

I had seen this type of project maybe 15 years ago around Christmas time. Here are a few samples I have seen on Pinterest and Instagram.

Someone had created glorious artwork by arranging vintage brooches and jewelry in the shape of Christmas. It was mounted on velvet and I remember my awe in the regality and festive aura of the creation. While I still would like to make a Christmas tree, with Valentine’s Day approaching, why not focus on a heart theme? Part of the joy of creating is taking older projects ideas and reinventing them. So that is my goal for this month’s Thrift Store Decor Team project.

Select a Vintage Picture Frame or Twelve

You can start small with a tiny frame or go big with a larger frame. Of course, I will be making all of the sizes. Smaller frames can be a little more challenging because you need to keep your jewelry on a smaller scale. With the larger frame, you have a broader canvas to work with so sometimes this is easier.

I gathered a nice collection of smaller frames from my garage. Being a former antique store owner, I’ve still got a huge supply of items that are totally useless for daily life but perfect for a brainstorm of a project, just like this. I also grabbed a few larger frames. The smaller frames range in size from 3″ X 5″ to 7″ X 8″ and in a variety of shapes from square to oval to rectangular to diamond. I covered all of the proverbial geometric selections! Sister Pauline would be proud. The larger frames are 14″ x 17″ and 16″ X 19″. So I have a good variety. .

The most striking examples of brooch artwork creations had a rich background. So I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some velvet. At $17.99 a yard, I selected just 2 colors, black and red, and bought just 1/2 a yard of each.

I also gathered some other materials to use for the back of the frames including some fuschia crepe paper, assorted flannel fabrics, and even cardstock. Use whichever speaks to you. It is your creation.

Here are some other items you can use instead of brooches:

• Earrings
• Buttons
• Gemstones
• Coins
• Necklaces

Prep Your Frame

Most of my frames come from thrift stores, yard sales and garage sales.  Sometimes the frame assembly is in great shape.  Often the backs or glass fronts are missing.  You can find replacement glass at the thrift store!  Simply take your measurements and head to the local store with a tape measure in hand.  You are sure to find replacement glass and or backs at a great price. 

You can also make your own backs for your frame.  The side of the back facing front will be the base upon which you glue your jewelry. I use spare cardboard. 

In a pinch even cereal boxes will work.  Simply measure your frame and cut out a replacement back so that it fits snugly inside of your frame opening. Select a piece of cardboard that is sturdy and has a flat even surface. Bumpy or flimsy cardboard will make for a sloppy and disheveled backdrop for your art.

Add Your Fabric or Paper Backing

Once you have your back ready, apply some spray adhesive to the front of the cardboard (let’s call it the cardboard mat).  Since I am using a heavier fabric, I gave the mat a liberal spray and allowed it to set for a minute. 

Then I simply laid it on top of the back of the velvet, flipped it over, and smoothed the surface.  Instant background!

I repeated this process for each of the frames using my desired material to cover the mat. Time to piece together a design!

Create Your Design

This is the fun part!  I laid the first mat on my desktop so it was completely flat. Then I just started adding jewelry to created a heart. Play with your designs! 

I usually start with the larger pieces of jewelry and then fill in with the smaller pieces.  I use different sized beads as fillers.  Just keep playing until you get the look that you love.

Once you have achieved your desired shape, secure your jewelry and beads with glue.  I use E 6000 which is a crafters’ glue and can be used on all types of materials.  You can find it at craft stores, hardware stores and even Walmart. 

Because the dark velvet is rather unforgiving, I squeeze a small blob onto a paper plate and either dip the larger pieces into the glue or use a toothpick to apply.  Just lift the jewelry piece from it’s staged point, apply the glue and set it back into place.  Move to the next piece until you have glued all of the pieces onto the background fabric. I also used my Ryobi hot glue gun but mainly on the larger jewelry pieces.

I allowed the creation to dry overnight.  Then simply pop the entire piece into your frame.  Secure with a bead of hot glue or a few staples or nails inserted into the back.

Here is a link to another similar project where I created some artwork in the same manner as the vintage jewelry hearts but with buttons.

You know I couldn’t stop at one! So here are a few more but a little simpler.

I even have a few frames left over. I know there is an entire vintage suitcase filled with more jewelry somewhere in my garage. Gotta save a project for a rainy day!

I can’t wait to decorate for Valentine’s Day with these beauties!

Thrift Store Decor Team Projects

As promised, here are all of the projects from my talented friends on the Thrift Store Decor Team! We are so very excited about another year of bringing you monthly upcycled thrifty projects! Enjoy!

How To Hydro Dip Using Spray Paint My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Vintage Jewelry Projects Shop At Blu

Updating and Decorating with Thrift Store Art Our Southern Home

Get Organized With an Updated Magazine Rack My Repurposed Life

Updated Rattan Wicker Lamp Domestically Speaking

Washboard Cabinet Makeover Organized Clutter

Hanging Necklace Holder Petticoat Junktion

Wooden Sleigh for Winter Decor Sadie Seasongoods

Upcycling Junk – 3 Easy DIY Ideas Reinvented Delaware

The post Vintage Jewelry Projects appeared first on Shop at Blu.

First, a little bit about Vintage Market Days.  This is  franchised market that it popping up all over the country!  If you love vintage markets, you need to check out the website Vintage Market Days for a venue near you. We are in central Alabama.  There are now THREE VMD events near us. The next show is in Decatur AL.  “Southern Picnic” is April 21-23 at Celebration Arena.  Mobile will host another August.  And Birmingham’s first venue is November.

Admission is generally $10 and covers all three days!  Birmingham has not had many vintage markets so I was simply elated to browse through all of the glorious vendors.  Vendors must submit an application with photos, as “Vintage Market Days® is an upscale vintage-inspired indoor/outdoor market.  featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings and a little more. Vintage Market Days® events are so much more than a flea market. Each Vintage Market Days® event is a unique opportunity for vendors to display their talents and passions in creative venues.”  (quote from website).  

Here are some photos of The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment Vintage Market Days® space from Vintage Market Days® of Mobile:

If you’ve been to my store, you know I like to cram alot of happiness into one space.  The more to see, the more to buy!  Right?

My friend Dennis, formerly from The Yellow Building (I miss that store) hand paints incredible signs.  Call me to order ANY sign.  Dennis is also a super talented portrait artist!  How bout that chippy door?  I did a post on how to get this chippy look!

We had a nice mix of vintage, antique, and collectibles as well as our usual JUST FUN STUFF!

My friend Nancy is the Upholstery Queen!  Her chairs were a big hit!

One lucky lady went home with the beautiful antique rocker that was reupholstered with a 1942 Australian army blanket.  Simply lovely!

This show was a great success for us!  And so many folks promised to visit us on their next trip to Birmingham!

Speaking of Birmingham, we are planning on doing the VMD of Birmingham this winter…it’s the weekend BEFORE the Iron Bowl (if you aren’t from Alabama where all scheduling of life activities revolves around college football, it’s the weekend before Thanksgiving)!  Stay tuned as I will be posting some of the goodies we will be bringing to this market.

The post Our First Vintage Market Days of Mobile appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I thought this next one was crab apple, but I like to properly identify them.  It’s fun to research.  It’s always a bonus to be knowledgeable about the details on highly collectible items.

I did a quick google search of how to identify Blue Ridge Pottery patterns and was amazed to find hundreds!  Here is the link I found most useful.  In this guide alone there are 247 patterns!  Right??!!!  Who would guess that there are so many patterns for this pottery.  And apparently there are more patterns because my first two patterns above were not on this extensive list.

Usually, when I need to identify a pattern, I refer to Replacements.com.  This is a service that will purchase individual pieces of china or complete sets.  They have a quite extensive list of china, porcelain, pottery by manufacturer.  Most items are accompanied by a photo so is easy to identify you pattern.  This is by far the most extensive reference I have found for identifying china.  And guess what?  They do have the two patterns that were missing from my first search.  The first is Anemone and the second is Ring O Roses.  While Replacements.com’s list is not as extensive as blueridge-sp.com they did have several patterns that were not listed on blueridge-sp.com.

Below are some of the more common patterns that we see here at The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment:

I was very surprised to learn that patterns BRP34 and BRP37 are in fact Blue Ridge Pottery patterns!  These are very common patterns among estate items.

I have found that different manufacturers will produce similar patterns.  Here is pattern similar to Blue Ridge Pottery BRP34 and 37.

This is in fact a pattern by Taylor Smith, Taylor USA #5431

Here is a similar Taylor Smith pattern #10631:

Have you ever wondered how to identify china?  Usually it has a “mark” or a stamp on the back of each piece.  The stamp contains a Maker or Manufacturer’s name and a pattern identification, usually a number.

Here is an illustration of what this stamp or Maker’s mark means:

I have seen these china pieces with pastel florals and gold ornate trim many many times.  Usually, they do not have a stamp.  But now I have an idea of maker and age thanks to this little dip into the world of China!

I hope this has been helpful.  The next time you are at a yard or estate sale, you will have a reference on how to research and identify china patterns!

The post How to identify Blue Ridge Pottery and China Patterns appeared first on Shop at Blu.