12 Days of Handmade Christmas - Day 8

Looking for a great teacher's gift or maybe for a co-worker? Amy has a great idea:

I love a quaint and charming gift shop. They are full of ideas, but unfortunately they are often also full of high price tags. Last year I came across these frames and fell in love. I love them because they make fantastic, unique gifts for any occasion. I also love them because I figured out how to make them, therefore allowing me to avoid the high price tag. Here is what you are going to need:

- an unfinished picture frame (I like the 12 x 12 MDF frames from Michaels)

- Mod Podge

- black acrylic paint

- 1/4 in black grosgrain ribbon

- an exacto knife

- glue gun

- 2 paint brushes (one small and one big)

- scrapbook paper (your choice of 12 x 12 sheets)

Some of my frames I like to finish with embellishments...sometimes a little bling, sometimes a flower, sometimes a simple bow. These are just a few of the things I have used in the past. All of them came from Michaels and all of them are attached with hot glue.

First you will place your paper and your frame face down (as pictured above). Line up all of the edges and then trace the outline around the opening for your picture. Cut out the photo opening and then set your scrapbook paper aside for a moment.

Before you can attach your scrapbook paper to the frame, you will need the paint the inside edge of your picture frame. Use your small paint brush and the black acrylic paint to cover the entire inside lip of the frame. This will make a cleaner edge to the finished product, and is purely an aesthetic step.

Next, check your work as pictured above. Do all of your edges line up? They should be pretty close. If your scrapbook paper is almost identical to your frame, then you are ready to attach the two together.

Using your large paint brush, cover the face of the frame with Mod Podge. You will have about a minute or two of working time before the Mod Podge begins to dry. Once the entire surface is covered with Mod Podge, dampen your scrapbook paper in water by quickly submerging it. I typically fill up my kitchen sink with an inch of water and very delicately place my sheet of paper under the water. I immediately pull it out of the water and place it directly onto the frame. Gently slide the paper into position on top of the frame. You will have the ability to move the paper around just a bit, but heavy shifting could cause the paper to tear, so be gentle. I believe the "water step" helps the paper conform better to the frame.

The above picture is what your frame should look like at the end of this step.

Now it is time for the top coats of Mod Podge. While the frame is still wet, I apply my first coat of Mod Podge as shown above. Allow this coat to dry, and then apply a second coat.

Once you are certain that the frame is dry and hardened, I turn my frame face down and cut off any edges that may be hanging over with an exacto knife. This step cleans up all the edges.

Your last step is to glue the 1/4 inch ribbon around the entire outside of the frame. Measure out the length you will need and attach the ribbon using a hot glue gun. Be sure to begin and end on the bottom of the frame, so your seam will be hidden.

Here is your finished product, a custom frame that you can make for any occasion. These make great Christmas gifts, wedding and baby shower gifts, birthday presents, etc. Should you choose to add embellishments to your frame, now is the time to do it. Here are a few others that I have made in the past...

This last frame is a little different, but it offers a fun twist and I think it is worth mentioning. If you choose a smaller frame, you will subsequently have the option of using a smaller sheet of scrapbook paper as well. If your paper is small enough to fit into a printer, you can print text on it before applying it to your frame. I have printed monograms, bible verses, quotes, etc. It is a fun option if you would prefer the smaller frame.

So what do you think? The perfect Christmas gift? I think yes! This fall season I think I will host a "Make a Million Frames for Christmas Gifts Party" and invite all my friends to come over and make them with me. The process will seem less tedious if we are all doing them together. Who will you make one for? Come visit me over at Playing Sublimely and share your ideas!

Thanks, Amy!

I hope you're enjoying the

12 Days of Handmade Christmas in July!