Cheap DIY Frame

I got up the courage to take all four boys into Target for pictures.  I begged Grandma to help me wrangle them all into the studio. We were able to get some cute shots. I have been needing some frames to put the photos in and these ones have been in my head for a while now. They are cheap- and don't require mats.  Plus, I cheated.  Target doesn't get the pictures in for another week.  These are the tiny photos from online.  I simply printed them off and glue sticked them onto chipboard.  I don't have to worry about ruining a nice photo without any glass.

I distressed them a bit- because I eventually plan to use them in their rooms. 

My intention with the little photos was to mod podge over them to give the pictures a "painting" look.  Not a good idea with ink jet printers.  I made my second boy look pink!  It worked with the colorful Santa Clause a few months back?! 

I started with a small 10.00 sheet of MDF that Home Depot cut up for me into 12x12" squares.  I marked a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square.

Drilled a hole.

Put the jigsaw in the hole, and cut VERY crookedly around the square!:)

The crookedness will be covered by trim...don't worry!

This is the plastic, cheap picture frame moulding found at Home Depot.  About two dollars.

I had to try out my new Christmas present.  My in-laws gave me a gift certificate to Home Depot....not their SON.....but me..!  The guy in the store thought that was pretty funny. I'm so spoiled....thank you to my lovely mother and father in law! :)

I also picked up cheap 1x2's for 82 cents a piece.  Just make sure they lay straight.  Measure and miter the corners.  You could easily use a miter box.  I did on a couple of the trim cuts.

I always like to glue before I nail.

Nail away! 

If I do this again, I will put the inside trim on first.  Mine wasn't as square or straight as I would have liked it.

When I glued the trim on, I created a little bit of a lip, or overhang, so I could later insert the picture.

I glued this on with hard as nails glue.  It worked wonderfully.

Fill the cracks!

Sand.

I primed.

I thought I wanted them silver, but didn't like it for the kids' rooms.

I went to town distressing, but regret it now!  It does help hide all the imperfections and crookedness.

I sprayed them over in white.  When I rubbed the edges, the silver came out...and I think I like it.  It looks very shabby!:)

You know, I'm kinda the blog hog with all my projects, because Nicole is pretty busy with her business....but I do call her several times (more than she would like) a day, asking how in the heck to do all this.  She is THE much wiser and capable, older sister! :)