Scrappy Paper Mache Picture Frame

Hi Good People,
I've had a busy week as usual. I needed to make a personalized gift ---for 8 people!!!
I was at Hobby Lobby and these Paper Mache picture frames were on sale for about a dollar each. I have a whole bottle of ModPodge that I used once in 6 months and thought --Ding Ding Ding!

I later found some wood frames at the Christmas Tree Shop that I like better for the Thank You gifts I'm making but these frames were great for decoupage. 

 For this project, here's what I used:

Frame

Tissue Paper

White Paint

Mod Podge or other decoupage medium

Foam Brush and paint brush

glue

First thing's first.  I used my fingernail to pry the frame apart. The top of the frame,  where you insert the picture, is just a thin slit.  Decoupage is messy and I've glued plenty of things shut that I hadn't intended before. So, this time I decided to work smarter and not harder!

I painted the frame (front and back) matte white.
You don't have to do this step if you are using opaque paper. I used a few sheet of tissue paper that  came in a pack at Hobby Lobby.

Make Life Easy Tip: When applying decoupage, have a few tools with various edges handy for smoothing, tucking and pushing the paper. Fingers work on big objects but I like these inexpensive wooden clay-work tools you can get at the craft store.

I tore up three sheets of the tissue paper in random jagged tears. I made sure to mix the pieces up.  I then painted the frame with ModPodge in a pretty thick layer and applied the paper all around the frame, making sure that the corners were smooth.

After the front of the frame dried, I glued a piece of the paper in the inside to cover up the writing.

Once it dried totally, I glued the edges of the frame back together using  a sticky paper glue.                   I put the finished, dry to touch frame under a stack of heavy books (a dictionary and a couple of hardbacks) and let it dry overnight.

And VIOLA! A decorative picture frame that looked really good on it's own without a picture. 

It also looked good with a photo in it! (Whew, because that was what I was going for!)

I'm pretty proud of my spur of the moment craftiness and I  can see myself making these as a part of the thank you gifts that I'm still trying to put together.

In other news, I'm working on a doll. A doll with a  fan theme -- is that what you call it when you base a craft off of a popular show? See, I'm a novice at such things. But I got the idea while watching and just had to give it a try. I'm sure she'll appear here soon. Wish me luck.

Peas, 

~Dee