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What are Some Ideas for Personalized Picture Frames?
A personalized picture frame can lend a touch of individuality to ordinary snapshots and portraits. Whether displayed on the wall, a shelf or desktop, a personalized picture frame portrays a more personal touch than ordinary frames. There are numerous ways to create personalized picture frames for both home and office use as well as gift giving occasions.
One of the easiest ways to create a personalized picture frame is to use scrapbooking and craft supplies. May styles of ornamental letters used for embellishing scrapbook pages are sold in supply stores. By simply gluing the letters to the frame to spell a name or phrase you can create a personalized picture frame that expresses sentiment or simply titles the photo being displayed. Embellishment letters come in all shapes, sizes, and colors that allow you to create a custom look.
Another option for creating a personalized picture frame is to add dried flowers, ribbon, or other ornamentation to the corners or edges of the frame. A wedding portrait, for example, may be displayed in a frame that is adorned with baby’s breath and ribbon for a unique, yet personal, look. Similarly, baby photos can be displayed in frames that have small objects glued around the edges. You can create essentially any personalized look by simply using your imagination.
Personalized picture frames need not stop at simple frames either. You can purchase shadow box frames and decorate the insides appropriately or adorn the matted frame surrounding the picture with decorative paper and embellishments. Personalized picture frames do not have to be reserved for only photos, as you can also use them to frame memorable or meaningful poems or sheet music.
Whatever look you are trying to achieve, try placing different objects at different places around your picture frame and inside it as well. Experimenting with different designs before you use adhesive will provide you with a chance to garner the exact look you are going for. Personalized picture frames make great gifts as well as being nice to keep.
Though you can buy personalized picture frames from a variety of sources, the best way to give a frame a personalized touch is to create it yourself. Remember to use the right adhesive for the type of frame you have. Wood and plastic sometimes require different types of adhesive. When you buy the frames for personalizing, keep in mind the designs you plan to try and buy appropriate frames. Wider, flatter frames work best for adding embellishments to the outside edges, while rounded, narrower frames work well for decorative matting. Whatever designs you choose, creating a personalized picture frame is a fun way to extend warmth and creativity to your ordinary snapshots and portraits.
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![Picture frames can lend of touch of individuality or creativity to snapshots and portraits.]()
By: karandaevPicture frames can lend of touch of individuality or creativity to snapshots and portraits. -
![Adding pieces of fabric to picture frames can help make them personalized.]()
By: eldadcarinAdding pieces of fabric to picture frames can help make them personalized. -
![Personalized picture frames may highlight a special event in a person's life.]()
By: tomas del amoPersonalized picture frames may highlight a special event in a person's life. -
![A personalized picture frame might feature a picture of someone's pet.]()
By: Mat HaywardA personalized picture frame might feature a picture of someone's pet. -
![A craft knife and gridded cutting surface make it easier to cut matting for photographs.]()
By: Theo MalingsA craft knife and gridded cutting surface make it easier to cut matting for photographs.
Discussion Comments
If you want to make a personalized picture frame that looks similar to old fashioned gilt frames used on classic art pieces, it's not too difficult to simulate that.
Basically you get a simple wood picture frame and some PVC glue and sketch a pattern on the frame in pencil. A repeating pattern will probably look the nicest, but you could also work some words in there if you are making it for a particular purpose, or add a flat area where a plaque could go or something.
Then you use the PVC over the lines, letting it set in a raised pattern. Wipe away any mistakes and let it dry completely. Then just paint it over with gold paint (or another color if you want). It might need a couple of coats to look really good, and if you want to get very stylish you might try using a white base coat and something over the top to simulate a patina. But this is a great way to make an expensive looking frame without breaking the bank.
@Iluviaporos - I love personalized frames that have personality, particularly when it's related to the photo. They have a very innocent and joyful quality, even if they aren't the most stylish thing in the world.
I still cherish the frame my sister made for me when we were kids, which had painted macaroni pieces all around it in a rainbow of colors. It's completely garish and I still keep it in pride of place on the mantel because I love it and it embarrasses her a little bit.
Don't make your frame too busy if you intend to put a special picture in there. The more exciting and unique the frame is the less attention people are going to pay to the picture, particularly if the frame and picture are both small.
Something simple and monotonous is probably best for a classic look. If you really have to put a lot of things on a frame, don't do it to every frame in the house, or it will really look too kitsch.
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