(no subject)

[andi-sunrider.livejournal.com]

I figured that since I've been enjoying all of the crafty ideas being put forth here, I should contribute at least one of my own.

This is one that I've been doing for several years, actually, and as long as I remember who I've given them to, people seem to love them... They are so incedibly easy to make, too...
For this, you'll need white glue/modgepodge, that acrylic paint that you can buy at the dollar store (no need for high quality here,,,), old ugly (but smooth) photo frames or those wooden ones from dollar stores or Ikea(I get mine for 2/1.50$), lots of colourful buttons/beads/anything, and seed beeds (the amount depends on the size of your frame and how many other little things that you've got; they're basically the filler. I've never used more than about an inch square)(It's also better is you've got more than one variety (ie solid, shiny, iridescent, etc ) of the colour that you're doing; don't go out and buy a bunch of new beads, but if you've got 'em, use em)

So first, you need to paint the picture frame. The wood ones are my favorite, as they take the colour really well, and you only need to use 2 coats (at most) to get even colour. If the frame is really bumpy, you may need to sand it down a bit before painting, but it's not super important. I paint the entire picture frame, front, back and sides.

Once the glue's dry, fool around with the little beads and gobbledy-things until they're in a design that you like. Glue them all down. If the little things have a top and bottom, make sure that it matches the way that the frame will stand/hang (i've forgotten to do this, and had upside-down ducks and dinosaurs).

The next part I usually do one side of the frame at a time. Cover the spaces between the beads/buttons with a medium layer of glue. then sprinkle the seed beads on. I find that it's easier if you take some beads between your fingers, and get really close to the glue; they tend to bounce off of the buttons/big beads, so you'll need to do this on a plate or something to catch them. (don't put these seed beads back in the container, though; as they tend to get glue in the holes even if they don't stick to the glue. pick 'em up and use em for the frame). Do all the sides like this. I don't worry about covering the entire frame with beads; I just do the top of the frame.

And you're done! I really wish that I had a digital camera so I could show you all the pics of ones that I've done. You can do them completely one colour, or one colour of seed beads with another colour of buttons, or contrasting background paint and beads or a whole mish mash of everything. It also looks cool if you paint the background of the frame one colour, and use another colour of glitter on the top (you can leave parts of the frame free of glue when you do this, too, and spell out words). That's great if you know for certain what pic will be in it; you could spell GRAD, and have a pic of your graduation, or something like that. Great gifts!

I've also done this to those things that they're selling at Ikea to hang your x-mas cards up on (1.5 inch squares of wood on a little clothespin, with a string through the spring to hang it up). It's super cute to hang pictures on.