Decoupage Picture Frame Tutorial

So you wanna experience the awesomeness of decoupage... I don't blame you. Quickly becoming one of my favorite crafting techniques, it's simple, straight-forward, fun and it delivers! Here is a tutorial on how I made the picture frame and believe me the process translates to so many other projects.

To start you will need the following supplies:

1. Wood Frame ($1 at Michaels, what?!)
2. Decorative Paper
3. Waterbase Sealer, Glue & Finish (Mod Podge as most people know it)
4. Sponge or Glue Brush
5. Paint
6. Paint Brush
7. Emory Boards or Sandpaper

Step 1: Paint the sides, back and inside edge of the wood frame in a coordinating or neutral color. (Or hey, any color you want!) I chose the same royal purple as the pattern on my fancy paper.

Step 2: Position the paper over the front of your frame until you have an idea of where you want the pattern to lie, then cut out a piece slightly bigger than the frame and cut out a square in the middle. It does not have to be exact by any means.

Step 3: Apply the Mod Podge to the front of the frame with your sponge or glue brush enough so that it is covered all over but not gloppy.

Step 4: Position your paper on the frame and press down to seal the glue. Sometimes I put a heavy book on top of it for a few minutes to weigh it down so there are less bubbles.

Step 5: Take your sandpaper or emory board and sand down the paper at the edge of the frame at a 45 degree angle. You will see that it starts to easily remove the paper that isn't glued to the frame. This gives you a very clean edge. (I got the idea to use an emory board from Craftily-Ever-After and it makes so much sense, it's a lot easier to handle and get around the tight inside corners. Plus you can get like 10 for less than a dollar!)

Step 6: Once you have sanded off the excess paper all around the edges. Apply another layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper to seal it. I used a gloss finish to give it a little shine.

Once it dries, I put a heavy book on top to weigh it down again and it usually works out any small bubbles. The Mod Podge is non-toxic too so you can use it on just about anything.

Photos by Kyle @ 918 Photo

Up Next: More ways to use this awesome technique...