Decorating Picture Frames

Having pictures in several parts of the house simply keeps great memories alive! Decorating the rooms with wonderful picture frames adds a homely feel to the ambiance and also keeps guests intrigued. Picture frames were one of the most common gifts people gave one another at one point of time. Although they no longer are the most sought-after gifts, picture frames definitely are great pieces to keep at home. Buying decorative frames can cost quite a bit of money. It's not about not being able to afford them, but, it's about not wasting all that money on a frame. Why buy one and waste money, when you can make one at home itself. Moreover, once you get a hang of it, you can gift it to your friends and relatives with a snap of old times placed in it.

Picture frames can be decorated by several different items like faux gems, pearls, seashells, clay, fabric or any other decorative object of your choice. Decorating and painting gives a new look to old, worn out frames. However, if you do not have any old picture frames, get some inexpensive frames from the market and decorate them. Simple metal or wooden frames make great base for decoration.

Dimensional Paint
Do you have old picture frames that have lost their sheen and attractiveness? If yes, then do not throw them away. You can easily give them a makeover using dimensional paint. Dimensional paint can be used to decorate wooden frames that have not been previously decorated. Take the plain wooden frame and draw any design as per your choice onto it with dimensional paint. Give the paint 12 hours to dry. Once it's dry, coat the frame with any dark shade of ordinary acrylic craft paint. You will notice the design raising above the paint coat and appearing all classy, ready for you to place your snap in it.

Polymer Clay
Polymer clay is easy to work with and is the oven drying type of clay. Use the clay roll or cut out cute figurines, miniature toys or any kind of object your mind can think of and keep it aside. You can use knives, pencils, carving tools, etc. to get your clay models ready. The clay items need to be placed in the oven at 250 degrees for half an hour after which it is ready to be decorated. You can use paints, glitter, beads, etc. to decorate the clay models. With the help of hot glue gun, stick them onto the wooden frame and place your photograph in it.

Swarovski Crystals
A combination of glass beads and Swarovski crystals is simply stupendous. You cannot have a more sophisticated and decorative look than this. These crystals are available at craft stores and are not as expensive as one may think. Pictures frames embellished with these crystals and glass beads are perfect to be given as gifts to near and dear ones.

Seashells
What better way to remember glorious moments spent basking in the noon day sun at the beach, than by placing the snap of that memorable moment in a picture frame decorated with seashells, beside your work desk! To make this master memory keeper, you need a base picture frame and loads of seashells, pebbles, sand and beach glass. The sand needs to be sprinkled in the empty spaces between shells and pebbles.

Decorating picture frames is a wonderful hobby and once you master it you could also think of selling them for fundraisers or if you are very good at it, you could even think of selling them on a commercial basis. You never know what clicks for you!