Fancy Frames

I decided to make these frames as Christmas presents for all my friends this year. Everyone really seemed to like them. I tried to either do a theme that was relevant to a specific friend or a favorite color. These frames are sooooooooooo easy and really just take on a life of their own out of your creativity. There is no specific design. There are no specific do's or don'ts. Just create!

• I found frames at a craft store in the discount isle. I purchased them for $1 each. If you can't find them in the discount isle, they are around $2.99 for a medium sized frame in the wood dept. of the craft store.
• I matched (or mismatched) scrap booking paper depending on the person I was making it for. Then I used 99 cent paint (matched to the paper) as the base.
• I found ribbon in the discount isles and dollar bins of different craft stores, also matching colors to the individual frames.

1. Remove glass and frame backings and set aside.
2. Use a piece of a sponge to paint the wooden frame (front & back).
3. I started with one piece of scrap booking paper as the base of the design. Measure & cut to fit on outside of frame.
4. Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over the front of the frame. Lay pre-cut scrapbook paper over the front of frame. Smooth and rub on to get all air out. If bubbles appear, poke with a pin.
5. Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over the Scrapbook base. Let dry.
6. Now use your matching or mismatching paper to make a design on the frame. Brush Mod Podge on the spot where your other paper is going. Lay paper pieces. Smooth. Brush another layer of Mod Podge over paper pieces. Let dry.
7. When design is finished, brush a layer of Mod Podge over the entire frame to seal. Let dry.
8. Cut ribbon into 4 - 5 inch pieces.
9. Tie in knots around one side of frame.
10. Trim to your liking.
11. Add any other embellishments to the frame for decorations with a hot glue gun: stickers (if flat then you will want to paint Mod Podge over them), pearls, gem stones, crystals, charms, ribbon, letters, etc.
12. Place glass and frame backing back on the frame.

Fancy Clipboards

This is a great idea for anyone who uses a clipboard. As a teacher, I would LOVE getting something like this as a gift!

Materials Needed:

• clipboards (I purchased mine from the dollar store)
• mod podge matte
• scrap booking paper
• ribbon (matching, funky, crazy, pretty - depends who you're making it for)
• paint brush or sponge brush

1. Measure & cut 1 piece of paper to fit the front of your clipboard and one piece to fit the back of your clipboard. I left a slight bit of room around the edges and the clip to make sure my paper sealed. A friend told me that some of the clips will screw off and you can cover the whole board and then screw the clip back on. She also said it was very difficult to get the clip back on. I opted to measure around the clip - I'm going for simplicity here! I also used different paper for the front and back. You can choose what you like best! (Paper should be the thin kind. The thicker you go with scrap booking paper/card stock, the more likely it will be that your paper will bubble. I did use some card stock and also layered a few times more than I should've. This became problematic and I had to stand watch over the boards until it didn't bubble anymore.)
2. Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge over the front of the clipboard. THIN!!!
3. Lay your measured front paper onto the board. Start with the top and work your way down, smoothing it as you go to make sure air doesn't get trapped underneath.
4. Now paint a thin layer of Mod Podge over the front of the board and paper, making sure you seal all of the edges. If bubbling should occur, use a pin and poke a few holes into the bubbles. Even if you don't notice the bubbling getting any better, wait until it is completely dry and check it again--The bubbles will be gone!
5. Let the front dry completely before moving on. Then, repeat the process with the back of the board.
6. Now it's time to do your own thing. You can design the board by ripping paper to layer, cutting ripply, straight, curvy, edges of paper, adding flat stickers or lettering, it's completely up to you. Just use the Mod Podge to stick it on and then paint over with Mod Podge again. I used my Cricket machine to cut out lettering and designs.
7. After you are finished with your creation, use different colored ribbon (that matches the paper), cut about 5 inch pieces, and tie around the clip. (I've found the bargain ribbon bin at Micheals to be the best deal w/the most ribbon on a roll, but if someone knows of a better place, let me know!)
8. Trim ribbon!