I'm not sure if this is off topic or not - if so, please reply to me 
privately so as to keep the list uncluttered.
Can anyone give me a web site that can tell me how to go about cleaning and 
restoring some old picture frames. They are oval shaped and have decorative 
flowers carved at random around the edges - and in some chipped places there 
appears to be a layer of plaster of paris or some other white hard substance 
on top of the wood frame. The decorative flowers may have been molded from 
the layer of plaster of paris. I know one of the frames is at least 100 years 
old (it has a photo of my Paternal grandfather who died in 1897), and the 
other two about 80-85 years old (one with a photo of my parents wedding 
picture taken in 1920/21, & the other of my father & his brother in their WWI 
Army uniforms). 

These were found stored in an old trunk in the attic after my grandmother 
died and just recently came into my possession, so I'm thrilled to death by 
the find, but they need cleaning up & some chips and cracks repaired. I know 
I can't afford a professional to do it and need some help in how to do it 
myself so I won't ruin them. Any help on cleaning products, etc., which is 
safe to use will be very much appreciated. 

Thank you,
Betty Norem (in Panama City, FL)
[email protected]