Trash to Treasure: 4th of July Frame

I participated in the Sweet Goodness Swaps "Hurrah for the Red White and Blue" Swap this month. I made some of my usual things- a bag and an apron, but I also tried some new things. This was my favorite project.

I was inspired by these lights at The Crafy Chica. However, I was too lazy to climb up on a step ladder to take down the Christmas boxes in search of lights. So I improvised and created this folk art frame and you can too!


Supplies:

-A scrap piece of thin plywood or thick cardboard cut to a size you like.
-a few soda cans (I promise no models were encountered while I dug through the building's recycling bin!)
-thumb tacks
-Modge Podge and scrapbook paper or paint
-strong scissors- I have Pampered Chef kitchen scissors and they worked great
-gloves
- Hot glue gun/glue
- Picture hanger thingy
- clear plastic magnetic or velcro photo frame ( I got mine at a dollar store, but I have seen them at Rite Aid too.)
-star tracers- I used cookie cutters.
-ballpoint pen
- magazine

1. Adhere the scrapbook paper to wood or cardboard with Modge Podge. I only used one coat since the frame is mostly covered. You could use paint instead. This is a whatever is on hand kind of project.

2. Wearing gloves, carefully cut the cans starting at the open mouth (cut on the side where the boring health info is.) Cut around the lid, cut down the back, cut around the bottom until you have removed both top and bottom. You should have a rectangle of metal.



The Crafty Chica recommends flattening the metal. I tried that, but later found it unnecessary. (The groovy gloves are cut protection gloves. Cliff got them from my brother as a gag Christmas gift two years ago. He cut the tip of his thumb off the day before we flew home for Christmas!) I wore the gloves to cut out the cans, but found that I didn't need them when cutting out the stars. Just be careful!

2. Hold the metal rectangle flat on top of the magazine. Trace the cookie cutter tracer with the pen pushing hard to leave indentations. Cookie cutters are great because you can really see the graphics within the shape.

3. Cut out stars

4. Hot glue the picture frame in the middle of the wood.

5. Use thumb tacks to stick the stars all around the frame. I hung the frame, looked at it hard and kept arranging until I was satisfied. If you think you can do it in one shot you could just hot glue the stars down too. I also kinda pinched them a bit to give them some dimension.

6. Use the hot glue gun to adhere a picture hanger to the back.

Of course if you are of the Pepsi Generation, that's fine. Those cans are just as patriotic.

More Trash to Treasure inspiration over at Reinvented!