How to Make Handmade Picture Frames with Kids
Fight boredom on a rainy day or lazy summer afternoon by letting your kids design a homemade picture frame to display a favorite photo of friends, the family pet or a celebrity heartthrob. Gather kids' crafts supplies like cardstock, scissors, glue, stickers and rubber stamps to make handmade picture frames with kids. The homemade crafts also make creative Christmas gifts for friends and family members.
Instructions
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Make handmade picture frames with kids for Valentine's Day using empty candy conversation heart boxes. Trim a photo to tape inside the box so it's visible through the cellophane "window." Place magnetic adhesive on the back to hang the frame on a refrigerator, metal lamp base or magnet board. If you don't have conversation hearts boxes available, use the same process to design a larger photo frame using a recycled pasta box. Before adding the magnetic adhesive to the inexpensive picture frames, however, coat the box with colorful acrylic paint and use stickers, rubber stamps or die cuts to embellish the project.
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Assemble a homemade picture frame with recycled Popsicle sticks or colored wood sticks found in the kids' crafts section of a craft or discount store. Use glue to form four sticks into a square frame. Provide the kids with accents like foam shapes, buttons, sequins and plastic gems to glue to the sticks. When the project dries, tie a piece of coordinating ribbon to the top corners so you can hang the frame on a mirror, bulletin board or window.
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Make easy decorative picture frames out of empty compact disc jewel cases. Trim a picture to fit inside the plastic case. Because you can snap the "frame" shut, you won't have to use adhesive to secure the photo inside. Add stickers, messages written with paint pens or doodles drawn with glitter glue to the front of the compact disc holder. Contain designs to the outside edges of the frame so you won't cover the photo. If the kids are creating the frames to present as a gift, let them write a personal message on a piece of coordinating cardstock and affix it to the back of the frame with double-sided tape.
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Create cute mini frames from plastic or cardboard slide mounts sold at photography or scrapbooking shops. Use rubber stamps or permanent markers to embellish the decorative picture frames with abstract designs. Reduce and trim a photo to slip inside the slide mount or use index prints that easily fit into the tiny frames. Affix a piece of magnetic adhesive to the back to turn the inexpensive picture frames into memory keeping refrigerator magnets.
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Tips & Warnings
When making handmade picture frames with kids, cover the work surface with plastic sheeting, old newspapers or butcher paper to simplify clean up after the kids' craft session.
