How To Make A Beadiful Frame

Now that we have 1 hour film developing and digital cameras, we can have prints in our hands the same day we took the pictures! But the question still remains of how best to display the photos. Pictures of our family members at their best and happiest deserve stand-out frames.

The beaded frames are picture perfect. Why not choose the best (or funniest!) photo of each member of your family, and make a special beaded frame for each one?

The project is based on the plain clear photo frames you see in craft and discount stores.

Since the frames are really just a thin sheet of clear plastic or glass that covers the picture, you can bead your frame any width you want. These frames are now made in 4x11 inch size to accommodate panorama shots. Use one of these and bead the edge all around, then section the center off with additional beaded borders and use one of these long narrow frames to display several small pictures together.

So often we amateur photographers lack the skills of composition that make a really good photograph. Get out a pair of scissors and solve the problem. If your child is almost lost in the center of a snapshot, trim down the surrounding area and she will become the focus of the photo. Make the beaded border of your frame the right size to accommodate your newly cropped shot and it will look like you planned it that way.

The technique for applying the beads is very simple. Once you get the hang of it, experiment with other designs -- try beading stripes, waves, or polka dots to make cheery frames for your favorite summer photos.

What You Need

Plastic frame
Tacky Glue
Packages of seed beads in several colors (to make the frame shown, we used about 4 small bags of beads)
Micron pen, fine point
Ruler
Expired credit card
Shoe box lid, cookie tray or other flat container to work over so that spilled beads will stay contained

What to Do

1. To make the design shown, first use the ruler and pen to lightly mark off a 1 inch border all the way around the frame. Then divide the border into 1 inch squares.

2. Use scissors to cut a strip of the credit card slightly less than 1 inch wide. Use this as a glue spreader.

3. Lay frame inside of flat container, propping up one edge with a small item such as a matchbook or spice can so frame will lie flat. Apply glue to one of the corner squares. Use spreader to move glue to the edges of the square. Apply a coat of glue that is thick enough to be opaque but not so thick that it will not hold an edge. (Glue dries clear.)

4. Use scissors to cut a corner off the end of one of the bags of beads. Use this opening as a spout to carefully pour a small mound of beads onto the glue area. Use your fingers to pat the beads flat into one layer and the ruler or another scrap of credit card to keep the edges straight. Add more beads if needed, taking care not to get glue on your fingers as you press them into place, as the glue will then pick up some of the beads you are trying to glue down.

5. When you think the surface is covered, carefully lift the frame to a vertical position and let the loose beads fall into the container.

6. Proceed in this manner until you have beaded all four corners of the frame. Then, bead any other squares you would like to be the same color.

7. When you have finished beading with your first color, lift the frame out of the shallow container, set aside. Pour excess beads that have fallen into the container into a baggie for later use. (Tip: when you use these beads, cut a hole in the corner of the baggie to act as a dispenser, just as before.)

8. Next, bead the squares next to the corners in the same way, working with another color of beads, repeating steps 4-7.

9. Continue in this manner until all squares are beaded.

10. Set aside frame to dry. Before placing photo in frame, insert a piece of plain white paper into the frame to act as a backing for the beaded areas.