Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Paint chip art

I made these a few years ago, and they were super easy.  Crazy easy!  I got some paint chips from the store and picked colors that I thought looked pretty together.  I cut them off the strips, pasted them onto white card stock paper, and that was it!  I didn't paste them on perfectly straight so that it didn't look to uniform.  I bought the cheap frames from Walmart, and all three pictures cost no more than $12 total. 

We have since moved, but I just loved these on my green accent wall in our living room. 

Monday, October 3, 2011

DIY Picture Frame

Back in February I saw a frame that I loved at Pier 1 Imports, but I couldn't justify spending $30.  I went home and sulked about it because I really loved it, but then I had a brilliant idea: I could totally make that!  It's not a very complicated frame--here is the Pier 1 version:
Not a big deal, right?  Right!  Now, here is my version:

Here's what you need:

  • A cheap wood picture frame (all you use is the frame itself).  I got mine for $5 at Walmart, and I think it's 16x20.
  • Acrylic paint.  And a paint brush, obviously.  :-P
  • Embroidery thread.  
  • Mini clothes pins.
  • Hot glue gun.
This is seriously so simple to make!  First, paint the frame.  I had to use a couple of coats.  Paint the mini clothes pins while you already have the paint out.  While those are drying, cut the embroidery thread the length of the frame (so my thread was 20 inches long).  When the frame and clothes pins are dry, thread the embroidery thread through the spring of the pins--I put four pins on each row.  Then you hot glue the end of the thread to the back of the frame (make sure to pull the thread as tight as you can!).  And that's it!  You can discard the glass and back of the frame.

I love this picture frame, and it is currently on my desk at school.  It's so easy to change out the pictures, and my students love seeing pictures of my little family.  :)  Oh, and the whole project was under $10--much better than $30!  

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Welcome!

Welcome to my little blog!  If you know me, then you know that I'm a pretty crafty person.  I have loved to craft ever since I can remember.  Whether it was drawing Fievel over and over again from An American Tail or creating a full sized birdcage from popsicle sticks, my hands were always busy doing something.

I've gotten quite a few "how'd you do that?!" responses to my recent crafts, so I decided to start a blog so others can see how they are made--and so they can make them as well.  If you have any questions, just let me know!  I love helping others, and I love sharing my projects.