Personalized Wooden Picture Frames

Each year I get pictures of my son and give them to family in a picture frame.  This year I found wooden unfinished frames for $4.00 and decided to paint and personize them for each recipient.  I also made a moasiac wooden frame that hang the pictures from wires that I converted from dollar store “canvas” signs.

This was a great way to add a personal touch using colors and themes enjoyed by each individual for little cost.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Wooden Frame
• Dollar store “canvas” signs
• Acrylic paint – in desired colors
• Crafting jewels and scrapbooking adornments as desired
• Staple gun and staples
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Paperclips or small clothes pins
• Crafting wire
• Needle nose pliers
• Wire cutters

Since you don’t really need a step by step tutorial on painting the frames I will just provide instructions for building your moasiac wooden frame that holds pictures from wires.

1. Tear “canvas” paper off of the frames.
2. These were approximately 9 x 6 inches tall, so I measured 1.5 inches on each side to mount together with space in the center for a smaller picture.
3. Hot glue together and then add a couple of staples for added support.
4. Paint the frame as desired.
5. Staple each side where you want to secure the wire to hang your pictures cut wires and sucure wire using needle nose pliers to make a knot around the staples.
6. Use paperclips or mini clothes pins to hang pictures.

I love DIY because it allows for a personalized touch, but also if you think outside of the box you can do it for little cost too!  Happy Crafting and merry Christmas everyone!

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Mayor of Halloween Town Upcycled Oil Lamp

This has to be one of my favorite upcycles that I have done.  I Originally created this Mayor of Halloween Town as a decoration for my niece’s 8th birthday party.  I got the idea from something I saw on Pinterest and I had this old Glade oil burning lamp that I always kept because I thought looked cute, but you couldn’t get the oil cartridges for it anymore.  I was so glad that I never tossed it out after I created this guy!

Materials Needed:

• Ceramic lamp with round base and lamp shade shaped top
• Acrylic paint:  Black, white, gray, light pink, orange, teal blue, red, yellow, purple, and golden brown
• Artists paint brushes
• Clear acrylic spray paint
• Painters tape
• PVC pipe 12-14 inches long
• Plastic 24 ounce yogurt lid
• Black spray paint
• Gray spray paint

1. Tape a line down the middle of each  side of the lamp shade.  Mix the golden brown paint with the light pink paint and paint half of the lamp shade for the side of his face that is flesh colored.
2. Paint the body gray.
3. Then the shirt, his badge, the other side of his face and teath white.
4. Paint the outside of the badge in a cog shape using the orange paint.
5. I originally used paint markers, but DO NOT do it if you plan on using the acrylic sorry paint to set the paint.  I did this and it made the paint bleed and I had to redo this entire step in acrylic paint. Paint his suit collar, buttons, spider tie, outline the badge, draw his eyes, teeth, brow lines, and write Mayor in black paint.  
6. Paint his lips red and add a small white circle to his eye.
7. Paint oval shaped eyes using purple paint and once dry paint smaller ovals in the center using yellow paint.  Outline the yellow in black paint and add black dots for the pupils making him looking up to the right.
8. Draw his nose in an upside down arrow shape in black paint.
9. In teal blue, draw a frowning mouth and paint a jagged black line through the center for his teeth.
10. Spray paint the PVC pipe and the lid black.
11. Glue the PVC pipe to the lid with hot glue and then tape off the top of the hat and paint the gray line on the hat.
12. Spray the Mayor with a clear acrylic paint and allow to dry.

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