My studio is full of old, wooden window frames that I have picked up from antique/thrift stores over the last few years... none of which I have actually done anything with- until now! This white frame, which has a beautiful layer of green paint peaking through, has to be one of my favorites. In my opinion, it is perfectly distressed and I can just imagine the times it has seen and the many eyes that once gazed through it.
I was lucky enought to acquire it with no glass pane, which made for an easier transformation into a jewelry display for my upcoming show season. I carefully sanded down the entire frame and removed any of the leftover glass chunks. I did not seal the frame after sanding, as I think more natural distressing will just add to its look, but this can be easily done with a polyurethane.
Next, I used vintage furniture tacks to tightly adhere long lines of twine to the frame. These will serve as a fixture to hang my pieces from. These tacks were another one of my amazing (and favorite!) vintage finds. They came complete and neatly adorned on this Atlas Tack Company sample tablet. A few Etsy sellers currently have Vintage Upholstery Tacks for sale in their shops, including this one, ShepsHaberdashery.
I measured and marked the increments from where I wanted my strands to hang. You can do this equally, as I did, or place them at any level you desire. Just make sure that the corresponding tack on the other side is at an equal height. Nail in one tack but only half way. Then, tightly wrap the twine and hammer in the tack to be nearly flush with the frame. Trail the twine across and do this on the other side.
I will be using small wooden clips to hang my jewelry items, as shown. You could also hang necklaces and earrings direct on the twine strands. Another idea for this type of display is to use it to sell note cards or, in the home, to hold greeting cards. I am excited to have a new piece to incorporate into my booth that adds height and fits in with my overall vintage-inspired aesthetic!
