Filling Frames for Your Home or for a Gift

There are wonderful inexpensive ways to make a house a home, and give it that personal touch. One way is to fill frames with things that are personal to you individually and to your family and friends. These could be things like baby items - shoes or little bracelets, etc, or it could be things like wedding invitations and related items, restaurant menus, or tickets to a show or a movie that meant something to you. There are many good ideas to be used; it is just up to you to decide what you would like to do.

I'll let you think about some of those items that you might want to use and let me give you the plan on what we are going to do. I have done this so many times with wonderful results. I have made some frames for my own rooms and they also make excellent gifts for any occasion - Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, everyone loves something that shows you care and that makes it special.

To prepare, you will need to find some picture frames. Now if you have some, that's Great. Otherwise, you can look in retail stores like Big Lots, Kmart, etc. and look for ones on sale so that you don't have to pay full price, unless you want to. Another good idea is to look at yard sales and garage sales and see what you can find for .50 or $1.00. This is actually the best way, because people don't really know the value of what they have and they just want to get rid of the stuff. You can bargain here which you can't do in the stores, too, so it might be good to pick up a couple extra if you find them. You might find silver frames, or handmade ones, or some really old wooden ones - just keep looking.

Now you want to first clean up the frame if it needs it. Of course if you bought it at Kmart it shouldn't need so much work on it. Each frame will be used for one concept, or one person. So say John is celebrating his birthday and he like race cars - select a frame suitable for that theme, and the related items. If you are making one or two for your own home, choose the frames according to what room or hall you'd like to put them in, so that you are matching the décor of the room as well as possible.

The next step is to make a backing, and a piece of cardboard about 1/8" - ¼" thick works fine. If your frame came from a retail store, chances are there is one on it, but if you want to cut another, that's fine too. If not, you are going to have to measure along the inside lines of the frame, so that the cardboard will be able to be secured to the frame when your done. Cut it out.

Next step, is where I left you back 3 paragraphs ago.......what is going to be the theme for this frame?

We talked about some ideas above and you can always use photos.........photos of your summer vacation on one frame, or pictures of the baby shower. It is really unlimited what you can do and you have two choices; you can choose the flat items, like pictures, kids clothes, pieces of material, cords, ribbon for accent, menus, invitations and you will fit those exactly in the frame, with the glass in front. The other option, with the more 3-d type items, is to leave the glass off completely. That way all the items you have collected will be secured inside the frame, but with no front glass. When choosing the contents of your frame, keep this in mind.

Now that you have gotten your items together, and by the way, photos go well with anything, even as a background. You'll need those items, your piece of cardboard backing, some super glue or a glue gun; both will work, and I always need a pair of scissors ready to make something fit just right.

Lay your cardboard down and right next to it arrange your items how you would like to see them. Get the design laid out so that you are not confused as you are holding the glue in one hand wondering where the piece is to go. After you have arranged them, you will move the pieces one at a time, with a dab of glue on each, to the exact same place on the cardboard. Keep it simple; you don't want to get in a jam when you have super glue all over everything, and you have lost control of your frame! Aahhhhh, don't let that happen. By laying out your concept out first, you'll know where each piece will go. Now, making sure that there is glue holding every piece, let it all dry for 6-8 hours; then pick it up by the top and see if everything held. You might have to reglue a piece or two.

Hasn't this been simple and easy? Now comes the final touch - putting the frame on, either with the glass or without it, your choice. Doesn't it look Great! You've created a one of a kind wall décor for your home or for someone you love, and they will never forget it because they know you made it with them in mind! You do not have to tell them that it was very inexpensive make and I'm sure that they'll know that the most important component was the Love. Enjoy!