Picture for Avree

We have had this teddy bear picture for almost 30 years! It hung in our baby girl's nursery. At that time, the 15"x28" frame and the thin beveled mat were a rosy pink!

As time went by, our daughter's room of course underwent several changes, but she always wanted to keep that picture. So, over the years, her sweet daddy repainted the frame to match her "new" decor. The last color before this update, was a navy blue!

It hung in her room, even while she was away at college! But just before starting her final year, my husband was transfered with his job, and we had to get packed for the move. Jen decided it was time to store it away
(but she still didn't want to get rid of it). It went in storage for about 6 months and then up to the attic of our new home, where it's resided for the last 7 years!

Well now our baby girl is having her own baby girl, and my hubby decided it was time to pass this treasure on to our new granddaughter, Avree.
So... he had to update the color of the frame once again.... this time to a pretty shade of raspberry pink to match the "new" nursery.

There was just one BIG problem..... that rosy-pink thin beveled mat had turned to a horrible shade of brown! Oh what was I to do? It didn't match at all..... Well, I first carefully took apart the layered mats to reveal the color it used to be. Then I got out my CTMH ink pads and finger daubers, and proceeded to find a solution.... I thought I'd be able to get it back to some shade of pink that would look okay, but nothing even came close!

I was stumped! So it sat for several weeks in my scrapbook room. I had to walk past it with "blinders on", to avoid seeing my failure! LOL! The only thing I did know, was that my hubby wanted me to add Avree's name to it. So I finally decided that I'd at least tackle that portion!

I decided on chipboard letters that were plain because they were the right size. I just had to "make them over" into something that would at least coordinate with that "new" pink frame.....
..... they say hindsight's 20/20, and it is!... I should have done ALL the renovations FIRST, and then let my dh deal with finding a paint to match 
my final masterpiece, instead of the other way around! Oh well, at least he got to avoid the headaches! Anyhoo....

On the letters, I used CTMH Pearl Paint and Reinkers to make the color.
After several trial colors.... mixing, blending, etc...... I finally came up with this, which believe it or not, has several colors mixed in, including BLACK!... Two coats later, with added 3 Bitty Sparkles on each and the letters were done!  Then it was back to just sitting there.... waiting for me..... !!!

A couple days ago, I finally had an epiphany!... I would cover the beveled mat... with what?.... with FOIL..... Viola! .... I couldn't wait to get started!
I was pleasantly surprised that as I covered it with foil, the foil ended up with a crinkled-look to it, which brought out the bling of the Bitty Sparkles even more! Then I just had to decided to add more bling flourishes, which I had on hand, for the final touch!

I sure hope Avree will love it as much as her mom did! And I hope her mom doesn't mind the changes that we made!!