Butterfly Picture Makeover

I promised you yesterday I would show you how I made the butterfly frame in my spring tablescape.  This is the butterfly frame when I started.  I picked it up at the thrift store for $2.  It was this wonderful shade of apple green.  Not a bad color at all but I just didn't like it for highlighting this butterfly.  So I brought it home with the intent to remake it.

The backing looked just like a brown paper bag.  I peeled that off and this was what was left.  It has this velvet hanger with a brass ring too, which is really nice.

After I dismantled the picture and frame.  I covered the velvet hanger with tape and I spray painted the frame several times.

While the frame was drying, I took the cardboard insert out of the frame and used it as a template to cut a new backing for the butterfly out of this calligraphy print.  Now, I am going to tell you all about this calligraphy print and where I got it on Friday.  I have another big remake on Friday and I am so excited I can't wait to show it to you!  Okay, back to this redo.  I Mod Podged the calligraphy with just one coat of Mod Podge and I didn't cover the top of the calligraphy with it at all.

I had to put a new butterfly in the frame because the other butterfly fell apart when I removed it.  Now your asking yourself right now where did she get that butterfly?

The kids and I have had this entomology  project going on for the last two summers.  This is my father's 4H entomology project that he had from the 1960's.  The kids and I have found a few butterflies and moths and replaced the old faded ones in the case.  So, I had a duplicate and that is the one I used in the frame makeover.  You can find butterflies farmed and sold for mounting on the internet.  I don't make a practice of catching any butterflies that are now dwindling in number such as the Monarch.  The one in this case is from the 1960's.

I also roughed up the frame with sanding sponge a little so it looked chippy and old.  

Here is another frame where I used the calligraphy as a background mat.  This is with a pressed fern out of my garden.  When the ferns come up I will be showing you how I did this  and possibly some other projects with the ferns .   I will be linking up to Faded Charm's White Wednesday, and Blue Cricket Design's Show and Tell Wednesday.  Take a look at these parties and see what projects bloggers are coming up with for spring.