Shutterbug Sunday: Grad Series

Oh, the wonders of Mod Podge.  Really, you can create any theme you want on top of anything that is wooden, metal, paper, etc.  I just love that stuff.  Since we are in the midst of graduation season, I'm using this Shutterbug Sunday to focus on a fun way to display your lovely pictures.

Here's what you need:

1-Inexpensive wooden frame.
2-Mod Podge
3-Adhesive
4-foam brush
5-Paper Trimmer
6-Embellishments (optional)

Pick a theme paper for your frame.  Right now you can find a large selection single sheets in the scrapbooking sections of craft stores.  You could also rip a page out of an old text book, with a lesson on the student's main subject of interest.  If you have a notebook full of scribbles and notes written by the actual student, rip out one of those sheets.  I opted to create my own page of notes on acid-free scrapbooking paper.  I placed my paper over the frame and used a knife to cut the hole out.  Leave a little paper to spare and tuck into the frame when you mod-podge.

Dip your foam brush in the Mod Podge and cover the surface of the frame with a layer.  Add your paper and smooth it out.  Next, I doodled all over the paper.  If you scribble your own notes, be sure to let the ink dry completely or it will run.  I used a black, acid-free, non-bleeding, fine-tipped marker from the craft store.  When your paper is dry, add another layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper...smoothing out bubbles.  Make sure there are no finger prints or odd clumps on the surface because the way you spread the MP will be evident as it dries.

Once the Mod Podge dries, you can add embellishments, if you want to.  Anything that makes you think of school work would apply.  If math is the grad's major...maybe a ruler would work.  A good ole' pencil fits any subject.  Adhere the embellishments.

This would be a great gift for the graduate in your life or you can give the frame to a deserving teacher.  There wouldn't be any graduates without them.  Come back tomorrow for a bonus grad series post.  Class over!  Enjoy your homework.

Nature Frames

Those small rocks at the bottom of a fish tank suddenly popped into my mind while I was driving home from work over the weekend.  Not the bright colored blue and aqua green rocks, but the natural brown, black, and white ones. 

I imagined them in my mind...framing a photo of myself on a beach in Monaco.  The beaches there have pebbles instead of sand.  The idea seemed to make the picture 3-dimensional in my imagination...with the tiny rocks popping off the glossy paper and landing on the frame.  Before I arrived home, I found myself scouring the aisles of a dollar store.  I found a bag of rocks, larger than I'd hoped for, but in the price range I required...$1.  Nearby, 2-for-1 wooden frames, and some floral moss called my name.  I suddenly had plans for two nature frames for a total of just over $3.  Now, I had to make this image in my mind come to life...the beauty of creating!!

For the rock frame I would suggest a strong gel adhesive like a glue gun.  You need a gel because it helps you ease the rocks into position...just make sure it will dry clear.  This project is as easy as placing the rocks on the frame one at a time, letting some slip over the edge to cover the wood and make it interesting.  Just make sure your bottom is even if you are placing the frame on a flat surface.  Nothing to it.  For the moss frame, I bought a room temperature gel adhesive so I could press down on the moss until it held, without burning my fingers.  Then, I sprayed it with hair spray to try to keep the pieces connected in place.  You can certainly add embellishments...the moss frame calls for a little bird in the corner...whatever fits your style.  The nature frames gave my pictures more character and they look lovely on my shelf.  Of course, the fact that I planned to share this project on my blog resulted in the immediate elimination of my bikini photo.  I'm crafty, not crazy.