Fantastic Cardboard Picture Frames

You have some photos that you want to hang up on your wall... then you discover that you don't have any frames.  Don't panic!  If you have a flat piece of cardboard, some paint (acrylic works well) and some ribbon or paper, you've got yourself a backdrop that just needs to be dressed up a little!  

Supplies: acrylic paint, glue gun, ribbon, paint brush (or foam brushes are faster!), cardboard, and photo

Depending on the size of your photo(s), determine the size "frame" you will need and cut your cardboard into a square accordingly (i.e., 12"x12", 8"x8", etc.).  Next, paint one entire side of the cardboard - you can paint a solid color or any way you like.  Let the paint dry, of course... Acrylic paint dries fairly quickly!  You can usually continue your project in about 30 minutes.  Now, you can frame your frame with pieces of ribbon,  patterned scrapbook paper or anything you choose.  Just cut the ribbon/paper strips to the size of the four sides of the square.  Take each piece of ribbon and glue it down, overlapping and folding over the corners.  


Position your photo however you want to display it -- it doesn't have to be centered to be framed! -- then using photo corners or another acid-free adhesive, attach your photo onto the cardboard frame.  You're done.  You didn't have to drop a fortune on picture frames and you repurposed part of a cardboard box that may have ended up in the trash or recycling bin.

This is one I made for a corner accent frame in my living room.  Simple and sweet.  :)

Helpful hints:
- Don't feel like you have to spend an arm and a leg on painting supplies.  "Folk Art" brand acrylic paints run at close to $1 for a 2 ounce bottle (which lasts me a long time.)  I've even seen them for $0.50.  I have a select few colors that I really like straight out of the bottle, but you can always make your own shades using the primary colors... very elementary school art-style!  :)
-Check dollar bins at craft stores like Michael's or JoAnn's... I always find really decorative ribbon there.
-Like I said before, for projects like this that don't have detailed painting, foam brushes will work the easiest to apply the background color.
-If you want to hang this on the wall with ribbon, simply attach a piece on the top middle of the frame using hot glue to secure it in place.  I don't like to put nails in my walls, so I simply attach damage free hanging strips to the "frame" and then place on the wall.


Enjoy the weekend!



- MB

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