Cute photo frames

I found another fun use for paint and mod podge.  Since I have so much of the stuff lying around my "workshop" lately, I keep messing with it on new projects.  I have been busy getting ready for a craft fair as of late, and I haven't had time to blog about stuff.  So, here is a small, simple project to kick things off again. :-)  These would make great holiday gifts, btw...

Materials:
Wood Photo Frame - preferably unfinished; check out local dollar stores
Paint(s) - can even be leftover wall paint for an economical craft
Paint brush
Stickers, scrapbooking paper, printed cliparts, rub on designs, or anything else you can think of
Mod Podge
Acrylic Sealer (optional)

1. Remove the backing and glass from the frame.  Set aside in a location it can stay for a while without getting lost or broken.  This project requires lots of dry time which can span a few days.

2. On some cardboard or newspaper, paint the front of the frame, the inside edge (near where the glass goes), and the outside edge, being careful not to smudge it with your fingers or paint it to your surface.  Let it dry for at least an hour, depending on the recommended dry time for your chosen paint.  Add a second and third coat as needed to get a good base coverage.  Don't skimp - you want vibrant colors!

3.  When the front is dry enough to flip the frame over without it sticking to the paper, paint a heavy coat on the back.  You don't really need to do this if you are crunched for time, but it will make your final product look more finished.  You shouldn't need to do additional coats on the back unless you really want it to look fancy from the back.

4.  Flip the frame over and add your decorations to the front.  Get creative and find images from old magazines, greeting cards, stickers (this is a great way to use up old stickers that are no longer sticky), bits of scrapbook paper, and print out cliparts from your printer.  I discovered when making baby blocks that inkjet printed paper does pretty well with mod podge - it doesn't run as much as people say.  I think the results are darn near perfect.  If decorations have their own adhesive, stick them right to the frame, otherwise use a thin layer of mod podge to glue them down.

The one on the left is a recycled greeting card!  Yay for eco friendly and FREE!  And cute, of course.

5.  Apply a generous coat (frame should look somewhat milky) of mod podge over the front and outside and inside edges of the frame.  Don't add too much to the edges or it will stick to the paper, but you want to wrap the layer of mod podge around more than the front panel alone so it seals completely and doesn't leave a visible line where you stopped applying it.  Set the frame somewhere to dry.

6. After about an hour or when the mod podge is no longer tacky, apply a second coat.  I recommend a third, but it is not imperative if you are on a time crunch.  Be careful not to leave deep brush strokes - the mod podge will dry clear, but you can still see some brush strokes in the final product, and careful application will help minimize this.

7.  You can also add an optional layer or 2 of acrylic sealer, but even I admittedly was in too much of a hurry to do it this time.  I will for next time, though!

Once the last layer of sealer or mod podge dries, you are done!  Pop a photo in, replace the glass and backing, and bask in your homemade beauty!

Bottom Line:

Frames: as little as $1 at the dollar tree, but Walmart has affordable ones for a bit more ($3-$5)

Paint: I used leftovers from other projects, but a small bottle averages $2

Mod podge: again, leftovers for me, but cost of a bottle is about $6
Decorations: Use what you have!  paint a design if nothing else!
Total cost = between $1-$13

Time = approx half an hour total work time, not including dry time; give yourself a full day to complete this if you plan to work straight through

Retail = starting at $8 for smaller ones, easily up to as much as $30!

Savings = $7-$17  Hooray!

Baby block and Martha Stewart

Back story: Some friends of ours recently gave birth to a new baby boy.  They asked hubby and me to be godparents for the little bundle.  Needless to say, we were ecstatic!  When I was a baby, my Nana made me this awesome cross stitched picture that hung on my wall my whole childhood.  It had my full name, my birth date and time, and my weight at birth.  I loved that thing, because who else knew the exact time they were born?  I am sure records like that are filed away for every baby, but I had an easily accessible record of it that I looked at all the time.  In that spirit, I decided to make a record for our godson.  But cross stitching requires me to find a pattern, and I really wanted something unique.  Enter Martha Stewart.

Disclaimer: I loathe Martha Stewart.  She is irritating and self righteous and never shuts up.  As off-putting as she is, however, I love the creativity of the guests on her show.  If she ever actually let them talk, we may learn how to do something!  I cannot stand watching the show, but I recently discovered that all the projects they do on the show they have written instructions for on the website.  It even has video clips from the show so you can see it being done!  Which means I can FAST FORWARD through Martha, or even choose not to watch her at all, while still getting all the great craft tutorials!  Hooray!  A while back she had a guest who made baby blocks out of a block of wood, paint, paper, and mod podge.  Hers came out all vintage-y and in my opinion, hideous.  I loved the idea, however, and decided that was perfect for my baptism project.

In case you were unaware, blocks have 6 sides, so I needed 6 sides worth of content for the block.  I was certain I wanted 1. Baby's Full Name, 2. Baby's Birth Date (would have put time, too but the parents didn't know), and 3. Baby's Weight and Length at Birth.  I also had a few ideas for optional panels like 4. Baby's Parents' Full Names and Big Brother's Full Name, 5. Baby's Baptism Date (Since this is a godparent gift)
6. Godparents' names, 7. Bible verse for Baptism, 8. Birthplace, 9. Photo of him at birth or family photo.

So I have a lot of ideas...  Maybe I should make 2 blocks...

Items Needed:
1 (or 2!) Small Wooden Blocks - you can make them out of a 4x4 if you want, or buy at Michaels
Fine Sandpaper
Paint in a color(s) of your choice
Paint Brushes

Optional (you will need at least some of these, but which is up to you):
Paint Pens
Stickers
Scrapbooking or other decorative paper
Shellac spray
Mod Podge

Step 1:
Sand the edges and corners of the wooden block lightly with the sandpaper.  This helps keep sharp pointy things away from baby.  Rough up sides just a little if very smooth so paint will stick well.  Wipe off all sawdust with a rag (or on your jeans as I did...).

Step 2:
Paint the block.  You can paint each side a different color or paint the whole thing one color, or any combo thereof.  Just be aware that this step will take some time because you must let the block dry before painting the bottom.  You can skip this step or use a stain if you prefer the natural look of wood.  Just use shellac to topcoat to protect the wood.

Step 3:
Decorate the block however you like.  Use stickers, paper, draw with the paint pens, do what you feel!  I used a printer to print out all the info in a pretty font on some scrapbook paper which I cut to size.  I also cut out his initial in cool paper to put on the "top" of the block.  However, I had ideas to put on stickers, cutouts of animals, use paint pens to "doodle" on the sides, and many other things.

Step 4:
Coat the block with a clear shellac or mod podge to seal it. You can choose not to put a topcoat on the block depending on what you have decided to do to it (if all you did was paint, it probably doesn't need a top coat).  Just make sure whatever is used is NON TOXIC.  Although these aren't meant as toys necessarily, they will probably end up in baby's mouth just like everything else and not every sealant is safe for them (shellac and mod podge are both non toxic).  Make sure the surface you dry your block on is not made of paper or cardboard or it will end up with bits of paper stuck to it.  I put mine on the mod podge container to dry.  As with the paint, you can't do all sides at once so leave some extra time.

upside down and NOT touching the paper!  Its on the mod podge lid. I later realized I had to put the lid back on the container, which I did with some difficulty... :-)

Bottom Line:
1 4"x4" (or any size, really) wooden block (from Michael's) = $3.50
small bottle of craft paint (I reused from the fabric painting project) = ~$2
2 sheets of scrapbook paper (didn't use it all, also leftovers) = $.40
Pack of Paint pens = $5
Fine grain sandpaper = $2
Mod podge (I used what I already had) = $6
Shellac spray = $5

Total time = less than 2 hours, not including dry time
Total cost (will depend on which of the above things you use) = about $20 startup, but for just materials you need, about $5.

I loved this project and totally want to do more.  I think I will try ordering some smaller blocks from a shop I found on Etsy.  Those look easier to handle by little hands.  I want to do non personalized ones with alphabet themes or bright colors for learning.  Maybe I will make some to sell at an upcoming craft fair?

Ceramic tile coasters

Update 10/18:  Finally adding photos.  I left my camera at the baby shower along with my memory card with the blog photos.  Oops!

I admittedly didn't come up with this idea. Yes, another unoriginal post from me.  For SHAME lazy crafter.  But I thought it was another great gift idea, so here we are.  I am giving out 2 sets of these for hostess gifts for my "family" shower later this month.  I had to start them early to allow adequate drying and curing time.  I tried to put together the best tips and procedures from other tutorials, so hopefully this is a comprehensive and fool proof post for you!

Supplies needed:
a set of 4, 6, or 8 Clean Ceramic Tiles (get from local hardware store), about 4"x4" (the small size)
Mod Podge
scrapbook paper in a pattern (or patterns) you like
1 Paint brush (can use sponge brush, but I didn't and it came out fine)
Acrylic sealant spray (I used Krylon triple thick acrylic coating)
a shallow dish with a little water in it
paper towels
regular or adhesive backed felt or corkboard
a strong adhesive like rubber cement

Step 0 (oops an afterthought):
Cover your work surface with cardboard.  Paper will stick mercilessly to the tiles (you can pick off the pieces but its a pain), so avoid that if you can.  I used some cut open cereal boxes because they were handy and provided lots of surface area.  Thicker cardboard will allow you to move the tiles to another area while you are waiting for them to dry, unless you have dedicated craft space you are willing to tie up for a few days.  The cereal boxes worked okay for moving the tiles, but I had to be really careful.

Step 1:
Cut the paper into a square slightly smaller than the surface of the tile.  I made mine 1/8" smaller so there would be very little white showing through, but if you want a nice border, more is totally fine.  For a more creative approach, play with this step.  It doesn't have to be a square - try circles, triangles, or stripes.  The sky is the limit.  Also, you do not have to use scrapbook paper.  Try using fabric, photos, wrapping paper, old books, stickers, or other media.  I know that inkjet printed paper has a tendency to run or smear when wet, so that may not be the best idea, but maybe a little water spotting is good!  Its all about your preferences here.  Just make sure that the item is thin enough to adhere well using glorified glue (that is all Mod Podge really is, imo).

Step 2:
Take your paper square and dunk it in the water bowl for a second or two until softened.  Gently pull it out and lay it on the paper towel (double or triple up to prevent soak through).  You can lay out a few at a time to save time for each tile.  Try to get most of the water out so its not dripping wet for the next step.

Step 3:
With the paint brush, spread a thin coat of Mod Podge onto the surface of the tile (do this one at a time).  Take the dampened paper and gently lay it across the tile.  Working from the middle out, run your fingers across the paper to squeeze out excess water and air bubbles.

Step 4:
Paint another thin coat of Mod Podge over the top of the paper, being sure to cover the edges well.  My tile had rough sides, so I coated them with Mod Podge as well to seal out moisture and make them a little less rough to the touch.  Be careful as the Mod Podge can stick the tile to the surface you are working on if you let it drip. The Mod Podge will have a slightly milky color to it, but it will dry clear.  Any brush strokes, however, will show once it dries.  Allow this coat to dry.

Step 5:
Add as many top coats of Mod Podge as you would like.  I used 3 total, including the one in step 4, and it came out great, but they looked pretty good after 2 if you are strapped for time.  Make sure to allow the tiles to dry thoroughly between coats.

Step 6:
After the tiles have thoroughly dried, place them in a large box (so you don't spray all over) or take them outside and place them on cardboard or newspaper.  Spray them with the acrylic spray, according to the can instructions.  They should look wet, usually, so don't be shy!  Allow them to dry according to the can instructions.  Two coats will ensure good coverage, but I was lazy and only did 1.

Step 7:
Once the tiles are completely dry, adhere the felt or cork to the backside.  You can use self adhesive felt, regular felt and some hot glue, super glue, or other strong adhesive, or try cork backing.  I used whatever was lying around the craft room, and got a mix of regular felt and adhesive felt.  Just cut the felt to the correct size and glue/peel and stick.  Let them dry felt side up.  I accidentally stacked a few and ended up with double decker coasters...  I peeled them apart, but there was a nice layer of fuzz left behind on the surface of one of my favorites.  Bummer.

I have seen some blogs recommend buying those little round dots you put on furniture legs and sticking one on each corner.  Doesn't get any easier than THAT!  I do worry that they will not stay on permanently because after a while they always fall off my chair legs, but I am guessing the coasters will not end up sliding around the dining room with several hundred pounds of party guests on them.  That may contribute to a longer life :-)  I would just be mortified if I gave them as a gift and they crapped out...

Step 8:
Once the glue has dried or the self adhesive backing is on, you are done!  I stacked mine and tied them with organza ribbon for presentation as gifts.  I have read that you can buy sets of ceramic tiles at craft stores that come with little storage boxes, but for the price (about $7 for 4 tiles), I was unenthusiastic about even looking for them.

Project Notes:
I used the method of dunking the paper in water before adhering it to the tile.  This is not mandatory, but I found it slid around less as I brushed across it, had less bubbles, and was easier to contour to the slightly rounded surface of the tile.  It does increase the drying time for that first coat and can make the paper easier to tear, so use your discretion as to what you want to do.

Also, Mod Podge is a self sealing product, but many bloggers found that it took a month to fully cure, and until that time, the tiles could not be used for hot drinks (the tile sticks to the bottom of the mug).  I used a clear acrylic sealer to avoid this problem as I have not waited the requisite 1 month to see if it will ruin a cup or not after that.  If you would like to gamble, go for it!  Otherwise, spend the extra $6 and get some Krylon coating.  Bonus - you don't have to make them a month in advance of when you want to use them, or end up with a set of "cold drink only" coasters.

Some posters opted to paint the tiles (or at least the edges) first to match the paper or other medium they were using.  I opted to skip this step as I like the white, but feel free to play with paint as well.  You could presumably just paint a design on the tile and spray with acrylic sealer and have yourself a coaster that way, too.  Knock yourself out - the variations on this project are endless...

Bottom Line:
8 small ceramic tiles @ $0.11/ea = $0.88
1 small bottle Mod Podge = $6
8 scrapbook paper sheets @ $0.20/ea = $1.60

1 Paint brush = $0.40
Acrylic coating spray = $6
2 sheets of felt @ $0.25/ea = $0.50
adhesive for felt < $3

Total time (not counting drying time) = about 2.5 hours
Total cost (for a set of 8 coasters) < $19

The cost sounds high, but the reusable items like the acrylic spray and Mod Podge cost $15, so the cost of the materials to make another set is only about $4 (less if you do a set of 4).  Now THAT makes it worthwhile!  I am doing a bunch of these for Christmas gifts... look out family!

I have a few ideas for variations on this project I thought I would share. There are also glass tiles at the hardware store and I am dying to see if etching cream will work on them.  I imagine snowflakes on a pretty blue tile... oooohhhhh.  If the heat tolerance does turn out to be adequate, I may head back to the store for big tiles and try my hand at a trivet or two.  But there is a HUGE temp difference between a 450 degree casserole and a 110 degree cup of tea... We shall see if I am brave enough to risk one of my baking dishes for science. :-)  The possibilities are soooo enticing...