Have
you had a wedding shower yet? Did you get a lot of really beautiful and expensive
cards along with the gifts? Well, I don't know about you, but even months before
our wedding I was receiving gifts and cards. I would look at the gorgeous cards
- some really extravagant with glitter or ribbons - and I would think, "It is
such a shame that there isn't something I can do with these beautiful cards."
Well, after thinking a lot about it, I came up with an idea.
Why
not make the cards into picture frames! Now, for some of the cards I received,
this simply would not work. But, for many, with a little creativity, I was able
to create some very nice looking frames.
And,
to make this an even more exciting and great idea, one of our brides recently
wrote me and told me about an awesome idea that a friend of hers had. Michelle
shared with me an idea for table placecards and centerpieces. Here it is: Instead
of using boring numbers to label the tables, why not use locations that the
couple have been together (or their hobbies, or interests, etc.)? Then, place
a picture of one of the locations on each table. On the placecards write, "Maui"
or "Lake Tahoe" or "Yellowstone", etc. Then, guests can find the table they
sit at according to the picture in the center of the table. (You can label the
back of the frame just to clear up any confusion.)
Now,
why not combine these two great ideas and make frames out of cards and then
use them as centerpieces?!?! This is an extremely cost-effective way to make
beautiful and conversational centerpieces. If you had enough cards - and enough
time - you could even make enough for each individual. Here's how:
You
will need:
Wedding/Shower Cards
3 Cardboard boxes
Pencil
Ruler
Utility Knife
Glue (Elmer's or rubber cement will work)
Scissors
Pictures
First,
choose the cards you would like to use. You may want to cut out the written
message on the inside (especially if it is meaningful to you) and save them
for a scrapbook or paste them in a journal. Next, take one of your pictures
and trace the outside of it onto a piece of the first cardboard box. Now, you
are probably going to want the cut-out to be smaller than what the picture actually
is, so take the lines you just traced and using a ruler, bring them in a half-
inch or so. Now, cut the cardboard along the lines. If you have different-sized
pictures, you are going to need to go through this process for each of the different
sizes.
Now,
layout the second cardboard box on top of the third to create a flat, but thick,
surface area. You can do this on the floor or on a table. Place your card on
your cardboard cutting surface. Then, take your cut-out piece and using your
utility knife, cut the card around the edges of the cut-out. Do not press too
hard - you don't want to go through the back of the card, just the front.
Glue
the bottom edge of the front of the card to the bottom edge of the back of the
card. Do the same to side of the card. Do NOT glue the top edges of the card
together. This is where you are going to put the picture into. Set aside your
frame for 10 minutes or so while the glue dries and work on another card.
If
you want to make a stand for the back of your frame, you can do this by cutting
some cardboard and glueing it onto the back or by not pasting the back of the
card to the front and opening the card to make it stand - if you do it this
way, you will probably need to glue your pictures to the frame to make them
stay in place.
Ta
dum! You have made a picture frame. All you have left to do is put the pictures
in them and label the back, if need be.
Thanks,
Michelle, for sharing your idea with us, and I hope you will all enjoy this
cost-effective method of making picture frames. As always, have fun and be creative!
You never know what beautiful things you may create. Good Luck!
