Frames, frames and more frames!

Ok so I'm obsessed with decorating my own frames! I recently realized that I could totally make those awesome frames you see everywhere for a fraction of the cost!

These are the frames I've done so far. The two sets were wedding gifts and the red one is a makeover I did on a frame we already had! 

I'm going to try and give step by step instructions and hopefully the whole process will make sense!

I started with these supplies...

You'll need...

1. Acrylic paint
2. Flat sponge brush

3. Round dot sponge brush

4. stencil 

5. Frame

6. Sand paper

7. Spray Laquer (optional)

8. Ribbon (optional) 

9. Craft glue (optional) 

Ok...I know it sounds like a lot, but most of these things you only have to buy once and then you're set. 

I found the frame at a local craft store and that's also where I got my stencil. The stencil is a Martha Stewart pack that can be found in most craft stores or here.

The first step is to paint your frame(s) using your background color. This will be the color you see the least of if you use this stencil.

You'll need to do about two coats of your base color

Then once that dries you can start stenciling with your other color.

You do this using your round dot sponge brush. It takes some practice the first time just because getting the stencil in the right place can be a little tricky, but once you know what you're doing it goes by pretty quickly. Also, after I'm done stenciling I take my stencil color and go around the edges of the frame to make it match the front.

Here they are before distressing...

these turned out more St. Patricks day than I realized they would :( 

To distress your frames you can use sandpaper and also a little brown paint. Just put brown paint on your flat sponge and wipe it almost dry. Then just brush it across the frame and around the edges as much as you want...and ta da!

Now they look better! 

For these frames rather than doing a stacked frame effect I opted to add a ribbon. Sooooo I made up a little faux bow and then used some craft glue to attach it to the top of the frame.

it helps to use clamps to hold the bows in place while they dry

Finally about one to two hours later you've got two awesome DIY frames!

Here's the other set of frames as did as a wedding gift!

these were actually four frames that I stacked together...and I used spray paint for the background color on these. I got these frames from a local craft store and they were made to be stacked.

The other frame I stenciled was one we made a while ago and I thought it was just a little plain.

 I just stenciled the edges, changed the picture...and distressed it of course!

I'm in love with making my own frames now and it's so much less expensive to do it yourself! I plan on making a bunch of these for christmas presents and also to decorate our house as the seasons change!