Creating With Flea Market Finds

Flea markets are a GREAT place to find interesting things with which to create.  They offer the unusual, which requires some imagination to envision a creative application, and the truly antique and unique, which are beautiful in and of themselves, but still can be individualized by you.  Recently I found 3 small wooden plaques for $2.00.  On them, someone had painted some tomatoes, corn, and carrots.  I was able to negotiate the price down to $1.50 (another benefit of flea markets!) and brought home my "treasures".  My family thought I was absolutely nuts for purchasing something that did not at all go with the decor of our house.  However, I had big plans.  First, I put on a good coat of gesso.  Then, after the gesso dried, I applied a coat of Distress Crackle Paint in "vintage photo", using a true sponge applicator.  After, that dried, I then applied a minor coat of Distress Crackle Paint in "antique linen".  The effect was wonderful!  At a used book store (another GREAT place to shop!) I had purchased a book of true vintage photos of children with their dogs.  I tore around the edges, and further aged the edges using Distress Ink in "walnut stain".  I used decoupage to adhere the photos to the wooden plaques, but also added textured copper brads to add interest.  I also had a book from my favorite used book store that was full of quotes about dogs.  I chose 3, and cut them from the book.  Since the paper they were on was bright white, I aged the paper with the antique linen.  I then tore the edges, and aged them with the walnut stain.  I adhered the quotes near the bottom of the photos using decoupage (all with a glossy finish) and went on to decoupage the entire project.  Results - a finished project that my whole family agreed was "cool", and will be hanging in the house!

Embrace the creative life!

~Rebecca