Display your favourite photos in whimsical butterfly frames

I have great intentions to take up scrapbooking. Goodness knows I need to. I've got a couple of huge Rubbermaid totes filled with photos begging to go into albums. Even my wedding pictures haven't been put in the pretty scrapbook I bought years ago. I've been married nearly 11 years!

I've tried scrapbooking and I love it. I even get heart palpitations walking down the aisles filled with great new things to make pages absolutely amazing. It's the whole getting started thing that's got me daunted. Sorting, selecting ...

I'll start scrapbooking someday. Until then, I'll just have to decorate lots of great picture frames, build a few more shelves to display them and maybe put an addition on the house to make extra room for family photos. No problem.

Whether you scrapbook or not, here are a couple of whimsical picture frames that any little girl will love.

Butterfly picture frames

What you need

• Picture frames (finished or not)
• Acrylic paint (for unfinished frames)
• Paintbrush (for unfinished frames)
• Paint tray (for unfinished frames)
• Feather butterflies (with wire)
• Pencil
• Hot-melt glue gun and glue sticks

For white frame shown:

• White craft glue
• Paintbrush
• Paint tray
• Iridescent glitter

For pink frame shown:

• Tacky glue
• Glue pot
• Toothpick
• Faceted gems
• Poster putty (optional)

Step one: You can start with either a finished or unfinished wood frame. Paint your unfinished frame with acrylic paint. If you need to, sand gently first with a fine grit finishing sandpaper. Be sure to remove the glass from the frame before painting and cover your work area with a plastic tablecloth. (This works better than newspaper because the plastic won't stick to the paint like newspaper does.) Paint the front and sides of the frame. When dry, flip it over and paint the back.

For the white glittery frame shown: When the paint is dry, brush on white glue (dilute with water if too thick to spread) and sprinkle with fine iridescent (or colour of your choice) glitter. Leave to dry. Shake off excess glitter.

Step two: Buy feather butterflies with wires at stores that sell craft or floral supplies. Most dollar stores have these. Remove the butterflies from the package. Check that they're secure on the wire. If not, add a dot of hot-melt glue to keep them in place. Twist the wire around a pen or pencil to make a spring shape. Curl the end of the wire to make an O shape. This will help it stay put in the hot-melt glue. Repeat for each butterfly needed.

Step three: Position the butterflies on the frame until you like what you see. One at a time, squeeze hot-melt glue on the frame and press the wire into the glue. Press the O-shaped end of the wire into the glue and hold until the glue is hard. Repeat with each butterfly. With the wire "springs" it will look like the butterflies are flying.

For the pink gem frame shown: Once the butterflies are in place, add some sparkle with glittery, faceted gems. Dip one end of a toothpick in tacky glue. Dot glue onto the frame making a "flight pattern." Make about eight glue dots, and then set the gems into the glue. A really easy way to set the gems onto the frame is by using poster putty. Shape a piece of putty into a point. Use this to pick up and place the gems. The gems stick to the putty but come off easily when set in the glue. Continue to dot glue and place gems until the frame is complete.

For more boyish picture frames, replace butterflies, glitter and gems with bugs and other "boy" things. Glue on plastic insects, spiders, beetles, frogs, fish and more. Add toy cars, trains, planes, dinosaurs, mini hockey sticks... whatever your favourite guy likes best.

Have you got great ideas for fun picture frames? Add a comment and share your crafty creations. We'd all love to read about them. After all, the best part of crafting is sharing. Thanks!