Epic fail with a happy ending...

This is the story of what my 5-year old brother-in-law would call an "epic fail", but with a happy ending.
It started with trying to find a temporary way to jazz up the boring Target frames that were  hanging in my living room, but ended with a very permanent solution, using good old rub n' buff...and yes like a 12 year old, the name rub n' buff makes me giggle...Here's the end product:

Fun, right? 

Here's the very long journey, that got us here:

These frames have been hanging on our walls since the day we came back from our honeymoon...which means they've been hanging here for four+ years.

In fact, I half expected that when I took them down there would be a faded square on the wall where they hung...there wasn't.

In any case, I was over them. I love the wedding pictures, and the vast span of wall they fill, but the frames themselves were starting to bore me. Just weren't doing it. And with them being along the same visual line in my great room as my DIY sunburst mirror, I felt like the dark wood was a little heavy. The problem: good frames are super expensive. I wanted to add something to them, without spending money, or taking them down. Enter spray paint and tape...yes you heard me right.

I spray painted the painters tape (there's something I never thought I'd say) a metallic gold.

And, yes I do know that they sell metallic gold tape, but I didn't have any on hand, and was not in the mood to put shoes on...what are ya gonna do?

My plan was to use the tape to cover each corner. I was hoping to add a little glamour without doing anything permanent to the frames. I figured, if I got sick of it, I could just peel it right off.
 I attempted to use them to cover the corners of the frames:

And, yes that is wine in the background...starting to see a pattern in "my process"...

I finished up all four corners with the tape....

And I hated them...

If  I had a picture I would show it to you, but sadly, as I've said before, I'm a bad blogger..

It looked great hanging from far away, and even a couple feet away, but because I sprayed the tape it wouldn't stick well, and kept bubbling up. Plan B time. 

Same idea but with Rub n' Buff, again because I already had it, Frog tape, and a ruler...and of course wine.

I was too frustrated to care that this solution was permanent, so I just used the gold rub n' buff directly on the frames...and I'm glad I did.

I love them. The rub n' buff makes them look aged, and I love that it doesn't look painted on..

Rub n' buff tip: it says on the package to use a brush or sponge, but PLEASE if you only get one thing from this post, let it be this: USE YOUR FINGERS, no gloves , but just your bare finger...

I especially love, that they reflect the 

brass hardware I added to the corners of my Expedit bookcase.

What about you guys, any small frame updates out there? Anyone else find the need to spray paint tape? Any other "brilliant ideas" go bad for anyone else this week? It would probably make me feel better if you could share...and in the same token, I'm sharing this over at:

and
Keeping It Simple's Motivate me Monday