Pinterest Challenge - Yard Sale Portrait Makeover

I mentioned last year that heading out to yard sales early on Saturday mornings, with my Dad as my wingman, has become one of my favorite summertime shore traditions.  I love looking for bargains and unique things and I think he gets a kick out of seeing the things I buy.  He's not normally a patient shopper but hitting up a few yard sales  (usually when the grandkids are on the verge of a meltdown) seems to suit him just fine.  I love taking him with me too because he doesn't judge my purchases or ask what I will do with them or where they will go (aka making me second guess myself - Mom and Scott) instead he usually does the opposite - whipping out a couple dollars to pay for my latest find!

Onto the title of this post.  I found, among a few other treasures, this portrait of a Native American girl over the Memorial Day weekend.  Yard sales were few and far between because of the rain but so were shoppers which was good for me!  I love portraits and this frame was really lovely but what drew me to this piece was the little girl's eyes.  They were haunting and sweet and vaguely familiar.  After bringing this back to Maryland my friend's Mom said they actually reminded her of my girls' eyes.  Bingo!

Trust me I did my research and found out that Artistic Interiors, the now defunct company who sold this type of art wholesale, provided inexpensive art for the many.   There isn't a high value or demand for this type of art anymore.   And I couldn't find any information about the artist.

Scott isn't a big fan of having people we don't know hanging on the walls in our home, which I understand but I knew this portrait needed to live in our house. So after a bit of brainstorming I remembered this popular pin from awhile back and thought this would be the perfect piece to try something similar out on.

I taped off the top half starting right below her eyes.

 

 

A couple of coats and I left it to dry in the sun.

Tape removed and 24 hours to "gas off" before coming inside.

 

 

I think this look perfect in our living room/kid's library.  That empty wall needed something to brighten it up and I think this little piece of art did the trick.  Except when Scott saw he said "great now I have a strange little girl peeking at me."  Oh well!  I love her: )

 

 

 

Have a wonderful day!!

xo!



Kendra