Craft Project: Collaged Picture Frame

Here is a good way to revive an old wooden picture frame, and create beautiful, unique art at the same time. This craft project is great for kids as well as adults. Craft projects are a fun way to spend time with your family, working together, or a way to get away from it all and spend a little time away, creating on your own. That is for you to decide. This article will show you how to take on old wooden picture frame and turn it into a unique way to display your photos.

For this craft project, you will need a few easy to get materials. You will need a wooden picture frame.You may have one lying around your house, or you can probably find one at the thrift store. I can almost always find good picture frames at the thrift store for some reason. Make sure the wood sides are wide so you have a lot of space to collage on. A smooth wooden frame is the easiest to work with. It doesn't have to be flat, but there shouldn't be scalloped edges or angles on the surface of the wood that will be hard to collage over.

Next, gather your collage papers. Decide what type of theme you want for your collaged frame. Do you want a victorian theme with old-style images and writings from old letters? Or maybe you want a Halloween theme with images of skulls and bats. You can do a random abstract design as well if you want. Once you have chosen a theme or image you want to begin cutting out your paper pieces.

You can get collage materials from many sources: books, magazines, newspapers, postcards, stamps, wrapping paper, old letters. Cut images, single words and phrases that go along with your theme, and background paper in solid colors or patterns. Arrange your images in the general pattern you want your collage to end up like.

You can use just about any glue, but the best glue for this project is Mod Podge. Lay out some newspapers, and keep a damp rag or box of baby wipes nearby to wipe glue from your fingers. Pick a corner to start, and start gluing on your images, laying down any background papers first. Add the pieces one at a time, using your fingers to spread a thin layer of glue on the back of each piece, and gluing directly onto the frame. When you have all of your background papers on, gently spread on a thin layer of glue over the top of the papers.

Finish applying the rest of your images in the same manner, making sure you put a thin layer of glue over the top of the entire collaged frame. Clip any rough edges when it's wet or dry, making it even on the inside as well as the outside of the frame.

When the collage is fully dry, you can lightly sand any uneven edges off the collage.