Modern photo frames with flair

Hands-on time: Less than an hour
Total time: Plus an hour for adhesive glue to bond, and an hour for the Preserve-It to dry
Skill: Easy
Cost: $20

Materials and Tools

• Pressboard wooden plaque from Ikea
• Sheet of decorative textured paper (I used chocolate brown crocodile print paper)
• Ruler, pencil and cutting mat
• Craft knife
• Regular scissors or circular scissors
• Newspapers
• 3M Super 77 spray adhesive
• 6 square metal coasters
• 8.5x11-inch (21.6x27.9 cm) magnetic sheet by Avery (printable magnet paper for ink-jet printers)
• Preserve-it by Krylon, matte or gloss
• 6 family photographs (a series of the same theme is always fun)
• 6 Command interlock-fastener mounting strips

Need a creative way to do something different yet original with digital photos? Convert unusual elements, such as textured paper and metal coasters, into a sleek photo frame. Combining contemporary coasters and chocolate-coloured crocodile paper offers interesting contrast. Print your favourite photos on super-thin magnetic sheets and they simply cling to the surface of the coaster shapes. Change the photos as often as you wish and enjoy them in your home or office.

Measure the wooden plaque and cut textured paper to cover the surface and sides. In a well-ventilated area, lay newspapers on a work surface and spray adhesive onto back of paper. Spray adhesive on sides and front of plaque. Quickly centre paper over plaque and smooth to secure. Turn over plaque onto a clean surface and, with a craft knife, cut a V-notch into corners of the paper to allow for neat corners. Fold V-notched corners into place.

Measure coaster and, on magnet sheet, make printouts of selected images in the right size to fit coasters. The lightweight magnet paper works with ink-jet printers.

To preserve appearance and colour of the pictures and paper, spray on a few light coats of Preserve-It by Krylon. Let the photos and paper dry for about an hour.

Using scissors or circular scissors, cut excess paper from photos. Position the images on coasters and they will cling.

Mount coasters onto plaques, spacing them evenly. Peel backing off one side of a mounting strip and press it onto the centre back of a metal coaster. Press coaster into position on the plaque. Repeat for each coaster. Attach necessary hardware to back of plaque and hang it up.

I've used Command adhesives on all sorts of surfaces and they are ideal for this project.

Variations

• Other papers, including wallpaper, sea grass, cork, metallic or vinyl can be used to cover the wooden plaque.
• For a summer look, use bright, coloured paper and printed pictures in tones of yellow, turquoise or lime green.