Art Was Framed! Part 1

What could I do with faded and worn artwork and a slightly scuffed frame? Make new fresh and fun art!


I had a 20-yr-old 18" x 24" black and white pointillism piece of three azaleas and leaves that suffered from fading ink, yellowing paper, and staining. I didn't want something so damaged on my walls, but I did like the subject matter. So, I cut out the best-preserved portion of the image to fit a frame I recently purchased. (I reused the original frame for better artwork - a Hugh Syme lithograph.)











The new frame had some scuffs, so I bought some acrylic paint in a nice bright green (Folk Art #503 Yellow Citron), slightly lighter than the frame's original color. If I wanted a smooth surface, I would have used spray paint, but I wanted a little bit of brush stroke texture to the frame, so I used a 1/2" art brush. (I decided not to use the matting.)
















I painted the entire frame, with long strokes running the entire length of the side I was painting. I let the green paint dry thoroughly, then let my creative side take the frame design to another level.


















Using a cream-colored paint (Anita's #11323 Cream) and a very small-gauge brush, I continued the artwork onto the frame with small dots, imitating the pointillism style of the art. Alternatively, I could have used black paint or black art markers.


















For just a few dollars for the discounted frame and two bottles of paint, I will be able to enjoy this pretty azalea for many years to come.

Recycling Electronics Is Getting Easier

In my March 30, 2008 blog post, I discussed the issues and methods of recycling electronics.

As more retail stores, equipment manufacturers, and local governments open or expand their recycling programs, it is getting easier for consumers to recycle computers, televisions, media players and cell phones.

In the June 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, they answer the question "Why recycle?" by explaining,

"The cathode-ray tube in old-style TVs and computer monitors contains 4 to 8 pounds of lead, a neurotoxin. Cell phones and other electronic gadgets can contain mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and brominated flame retardants. Those toxins can leach from landfills into groundwater."

Read the full article.

We had an old 19" standard-definition, non-HD-ready CRT television that we no longer needed and could not find a friend or neighbor who wanted it. The TV worked fine, but even selling it on Craigslist was more problem than it was worth. We decided to recycle it. Houston has recycling centers that accept glass, electronics, motor oil, and paints. We went to the closest center and dropped off the television with the workers. We explained it was a functional television, so in case they or someone else wanted it, they were welcome to have it.

If you have an old cell phone, check with your local women's shelters or other charities to see if they accept cell phones for their clients. (Some cell phone or office supply stores collect cell phones for this purpose.)

Even scratched or defective CDs can have a new life as the face of a clock, or as reflective hangers to scare birds away from your fruit trees.

If you are recycling a computer that still has its hard drive, be sure to not only delete everything on the computer, but also to reformat the drive. If you can remove and (safely) damage or magnetize the drive, you can prevent anyone from finding sensitive information you may have had on the computer when you were using it.

Recycling keeps dangerous chemicals out of our soil, our water, and our bodies.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Totem Media & the Environment

Everyone at Totem Media believes in minimizing our impact on the environment. Here are a few things we do.

1. We use natural light during the day. We use the minimum number of lights necessary at night. Our light fixtures are fluorescent.

2. We turn off our computers and monitors when they are not in use.

3. We recycle paper, plastic, glass, tin, and aluminum.

4. We use canvas bags when we shop. When we get plastic grocery sacks, we reuse them.

5. We use fans and localized air conditioning in the summer, instead of cooling the entire building.

6. We buy organic, when possible, and compost our vegetable scraps.

7. We combine errands requiring driving and drive during off-peak hours.