How to Paint an Abstract Picture Frame

Make a soft, water-color looking frame with paint and salt.

Things You'll Need

• Push pins
• 12" square plain-weave silk, prewashed
• Silk painting frame
• Iron set silk paints
• Small bowls
• Paintbrushes
• Small spoon
• Fine table salt
• Iron
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Graph paper
• Craft knife
• White glue
• Mounting board
• Batting
• Scissors
• Tape
• Dressmakers pins
• Needle
• Thread
• 4 small ribbon rose decorations

Instructions

1. Pin the silk to the frame, pulling it taut and paint a few stripes of alternate colors at least 1" wide of each color.

2. While the silk is still damp, use the spoon to sprinkle lines of salt along the stripes of paint. Continue alternating paint and salt until the surface is covered. Let dry.

3. Brush off the salt when dry and remove from the frame. Iron to set the paint.

4. Cut out an 8" square from the graph paper. Draw a 4" square in the middle and cut it out. Glue the paper to the mounting board and cut out with the craft knife.

5. Center the frame on a 10" square of batting. Trim off the corners and fold the extra over and tape to secure. Cut an X through the middle and trim the excess. Fold over the rest and tape to the back to secure

6. Pin the silk with the wrong side against the batting. Trim the excess silk inside and out. Fold excess silk to the back and stitch the joins to secure.

7. Stitch a small ribbon rose to each inside corner of the frame. Cut another 8" square piece of mounting board for the backing. Attach the backing to the frame with glue on 3 sides leaving one side open to insert a picture.