Twist on Photo in a Frame

I love the holidays, excuses to make cute and fun gifts for friends and family.  So many times I find myself giving people photos in frames.  I hate picking out frames, my style always seeps in, and everyone has a black and white photo with a white mat.  This project is a great way to give photos, and show the love that comes along with a handmade gift.  I've seen variations on this theme, and thought I'd make a few as gifts for the upcoming holiday.

The best part of this craft was the trip to Home Depot.  I like the way that section of lumber smells, sooooo good.  Even better than that, the opportunity to announce to a group of men in orange aprons that I was looking for a big STUD.  The men seemed to enjoy that, and one of the middle-aged ones hooked me up with a 4×6, and then cut it into 9″ sections for me. I had no idea what type of price point a piece of wood would fall into, but I was shocked that it was only $3.17.

I painted the blocks with acrylic craft paint, which I already had.  Just laid it down with a sponge brush.  (Those dudes on Amercian Chopper always talk about “laying down the paint” so here is my opportunity to utilize their verbiage).  After I laid down the paint, I used one piece of 12×12 scrabooking paper cut to fit my design.

Enter, my long lost friend, Mod Podge.  I used to OD on this stuff as a kid, and I have to say it’s just as fun now.  Mod Podge is sticky white glue stuff, many might remember it from childhood, or from permanently sealing jigsaw puzzles.  It’s good stuff.

I ‘Mod Podged’ the scrapbook paper down, and when that was dry, I did the same  with a photo, and then some stickers.  One or two gloppy layers of the fine ‘Podge’ on top of everything, and that was it.  This was so easy, took like 20 seconds.  Then I drank some wine and watched ‘Teen Mom’ on MTV which is a fantastic reality show by the way.

I let my creations dry overnight, and then embellished with ribbon, and a blingy buckle.  Good times.  I wrote notes to all friends on the back in Silver Sharpie. I just love making and receiving handmade gifts, it’s one of the best things in life.  Hope my friends enjoy!