We keep a LOT of photos hung up in our house. Pictures of places we’ve been and people we love are our favorite type of art, but the process of framing photos can be expensive, especially when it comes to buying good quality mats for the pictures. This is a fun and inexpensive way around that dilemma that can be customized for any kind of decor.

Things you’ll need:
Lightweight cardboard (poster board or recycled cereal boxes are perfect
Lightweight fabric
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil/chalk
Spray adhesive

Things to do:
1. First, determine what size mat and what size opening you want for your picture and cut your cardboard to this size, being sure to keep the edges straight.


2. Cut a piece of fabric 1/2 inch larger all around than your piece of cardboard.

3. Spray the cardboard lightly with adhesive and smooth the fabric over it, pulling the fabric tight to remove any bubbles.
4. Now spray the back of the frame lightly with adhesive. Pull the edges down around the outside of the cardboard, keeping the corners neat and tight.
5. Cut a large x” in the center opening of the fabric so that each leg ends exactly at the corner of the inner opening of the square. (If you have a large center opening, you may want to remove a chunk of fabric from the center before hand to reuse)
6. Fold the inner edges in tightly, smoothing down so that they adhere well to the cardboard. Allow the glue to dry before mounting in a frame.

I love seaglass. There’s something beautiful and simple and rugged about glass that has survived, even in it’s broken form, a trip into the ocean. I have a fantasy about sewing pieces of seaglass into lightweight curtains one day but so far, I haven’t gathered enough glass to even get started. For now I’ll satisfy my love for it with these faux seaglass bottles

Things you’ll need:
Empty iced coffee bottles
White glue
Food coloring
Washable containers
Foam brush

Things to do:
1. Wash and dry your bottles, removing as much of the label glue as possible.

2. On a covered work surface, mix the white glue and a few drops of food colors (we used different combinations of blue and green) with a small amount of water (just a few drops) until you have the shade you are after.

3. Lightly paint the outside of the bottles, brushing the glue mixture onto the glass in a downward motion. Allow the glue to dry and then add a second coat to even out any dark spots. You want a nice, light, even surface. The matte finish of the glue will mimic the tumbled surface of real seaglass.