Lolita Blog Carnival : A DIY Gift Idea! (And Tutorial)

Hello Lovelies~

 LBC is going DIY this week and with the holidays right around the corner it's the perfect time of year to start pulling out your project book and pushing up your lacy wrist cuffs ladies and gentlemen.

This time of year can get out of hand, what with everyone is trying to out spend the other and the Jones's across the way putting up ANOTHER set of lights, we tend to get swept away and before we know it our purses at empty and we're to stressed out to think! Let alone wrap gifts or bake!

  But take a breath, grab a cup of tea and a hot glue gun, because I've got a simple gift idea that'll make crossing your friends off your holiday list!!!

This is a project for the shutterbugs out there! Or anyone with a handy camera or camera phone. Photos make great gifts! Be it a family photo you're sending to far away relatives, or a group shot with friends you want to share with the whole group so everyone will remember that time and place for years to come, it's a quick and inexpensive way to tell others you're thinking of them or that you miss them.

 But with the ease and convenience of digital photography, having real photos on hand is something almost novel. But I am a bit old fashioned and as much as I love my digital camera, I am often seen at my local walmart selecting pictures off of my sd card to have actual tangible photos of. $0.28 cents for a 5x6 photo in glossy or matte isn't bad at all!

Only....you can't just send a picture....well....you could. But Frames were created for a reason! You needn't spend a ton on a frame, we often spend more on the frame than we do the picture!. Instead run to your local dollar store and pick up a few frames and decorate them yourself!

 So here is what you'll need!

 - Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
 - Picture Frame
 - Lace
 - Ribbon
 -Various Decorations

I already had all of this in my craft box or laying about my house, so this didn't cost me anything, but all together, this project shouldn't cost more than $10 with lots of extra left over to do three or four more frames if you like.

                   If you have a plastic frame like I do, be careful with the temp. of your glue gun.

First glue down your lace on the outside of the frame

       Then glue down your ribbon to the inside of the frame. If you have seams, it's ok. You can cover them later with decorations.

I don't have pictures for how I decorated the frame. I was on the phone with my mum at the time I was gluing everything down. I made the bow myself and the buttons on the bottom are from Holly Tea Time. To add a bit extra, I attached large flat back pearls to the other corners and I think they really pulled the whole thing together.

              Add your picture and it's done! Ta-dah!!!

So there it is. My frame might be a bit more cute than you want to go for, but everyone is different and that's what is so fun about DIY, it's completely customizable and personal!

 Thanks for reading this week and I hope you'll check out the rest of the LBC family and their awesome DIY ideas for the holidays.


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