5 Ways to Upcycle a Picture Frame
March 30, 2018
Do you have boring wooden picture frames lying around the house and you’re not quite sure what to do with them?
When I was little, my Grandmother had a stand that was covered with photos of family members—everyone from second cousins to great aunts and uncles. There must have been a dozen different photos on that stand. With the advent of digital media, I find that most of my photographs are either on my phone, in a digital photo album, or being displayed in a digital picture frame. So, what do I do with the picture frames that used to hold these photographs?
Picture frames are one of my favorite thrift store or garage sale finds because they can be upcycled in so many different creative ways. Even if you don’t actually frame photographs any longer, you’ll want to keep a few on hand to try these projects.
Jewelry Holder
Your jewelry will be a work of art when you organize and display it in an adorable picture frame jewelry holder. Start by putting a heavy piece of corrugated cardboard in between the two sides of the picture frame and add hooks to hang your earrings or necklaces. Another option is to add chicken wire where the glass would normally rest. Use the wire to hang hook earrings. For heavier pieces like chunky bracelets, you can screw cup hooks into the top of the picture frame and hang them there.
Calendar
If you don’t want your calendar to hang on the front of the refrigerator, simply frame the current month in your favorite picture frame. Tie a string around a pen or pencil and attach it to the side of the picture frame so you’ll always have one handy to jot down important appointments.
Dry Erase Board
For this, you will need a picture frame with the glass intact. Find a cute page from a magazine to serve as a background. Then, using a dry erase marker, you can make notes and messages directly on the glass. It will wipe off easily.
Key Holder
If you’re forever losing your keys, this is the perfect solution for you. Just add cup hooks on the bottom of a picture frame to hang your keys. You can find a cute photo to place in the center of the frame and use a color scheme that matches your room’s decor.
Tray
One of my favorite craft projects, I recently created a perfume tray from an old picture frame. Place a sheet of patterned scrapbook paper under the glass, along with a photo mat. Positioned vertically, you now have a tray available for various uses—showcase a small potted plant, a collection of glass bottles, or your favorite perfumes and lotions.
Do you have any other suggestions for upcycling a picture frame?