How to make a photo frame from Popsicle ice-cream stick

I think almost all of us love eating ice-creams. We eat Popsicle ice-creams (also known as choc-bar ice-cream) and throw the sticks in dustbin. But, have you ever thought that you can use it to make beautiful photo frames? Today I’m going to tell you how to make a photo frame from Popsicle ice-cream sticks.

Things you’ll need:  1) Popsicle ice-cream sticks (at least 4 for a simple square shaped frame. You may need more for different shapes)

                                      2) Poster color

                                      3) Instant glue (like super glue)

                                      4) Cardboard or hard paper

                                      5) Scissors

                                      6) Pencil

                                      7) Ruler

                                      8) Paper

                                      9) Objects for decoration according to your theme of the photo

                                    10) Transparent plastic sheet for protecting the photo from dust and humidity)

                                    11) A photo that you want to frame

Step-1: Think about the shape and color of your photo frame. Use your imagination power. I’ll recommend a simple square shape for the beginners as it’s the easiest shape to create. You can make different shapes once you have practiced and become an expert. I found a photo frame in a website that looked like a doggy house which was pretty cool. Think how many sticks you’ll need to make it. It takes 4 to make a square. You have to add more sticks at sides if you want to make the outline broader.

Step-2: Wash the Popsicle sticks with water and dry them. Color the sticks with poster color as you designed in mind and dry them properly.

Step-3: Set the sticks as your design on a smooth flat surface. For making a square place two sticks paralleled. Place two more parallel sticks on two ends of them to creating a square. Add a stick beside each stick if you want to make the frame broader. But whatever is the shape of your frame, make sure each end of the sticks should join with at least one stick. The sticks should join in a way that one end should be on top of the other, so that you can glue them each other properly. No ends should be open and unglued. Sometimes you’ll need to cut the sticks in a smaller size according to your design. But you don’t need to cut the sticks to make a square.

Step-4: Now carefully use instant glue to attach the sticks according to your design. You need to be careful that you don’t spoil your design. Because instant glue can attach sticks in seconds and you won’t be able to separate the sticks after gluing. Now dry the whole structure properly.

Step-5: Place your photo frame structure on the cardboard or a hard paper. Draw the outline of the structure on the cardboard using a pencil. Take the structure away and draw a smaller outline inside the previous outline. The distance between two outlines should not exceed the half of the width of a Popsicle stick. Cut the cardboard using scissors according to the smaller outline. Now cover the cardboard with paper using glue. You can use white or colorful paper as your wish, but when using colorful paper choose color according to your design. Otherwise it will make the whole thing look worse.

Step-6: Take the cardboard. Place the photo on the center of it and then place the stick made structure on it. If you can see that the photo is larger than the card board, then cut and reshape the photo to fit it in the frame.

Step-7: Now attach the photo carefully on the cardboard using glue. Make sure that any part of it is not outside the cardboard. Dry it properly.

Step-8(this step is optional):  Take the transparent plastic sheet. Cut the sheet according to the shape of the cardboard. Put instant glue on the sides of the sheet and attach it on the cardboard carefully covering the photo. Make sure any part of the plastic sheet is not outside the cardboard. Be careful not to wrinkle the plastic. Dry it.

Step-9: Glue the stick made structure on the card board. Your photo frame is almost ready! But you still need something to support it for standing. To make a supporting flap, draw a rectangle approximately 4 inch long and 1 inch wide. Cut it out. Fold 1 inch from the end of the rectangle to make a surface for gluing. Put instant glue on the folded part and glue it with the back of the cardboard to make a flap. Dry it. Now the photo frame is ready. But don’t you think that we need some decoration?

Step-10: For decorating the frame use objects as your wish. But the object should not be so big that it covers the photo. Try to create a theme according to the photo. It will make the frame look cool with the photo. For example: the photo is about a sea beach. Then you can use seashells, small plastic starfish etc. if the photo presents someone’s birthday, then you can use hard paper to make little cake, candles, balloons, gifts etc. (Draw them on the paper, color them and cut out from paper). Be creative. Use your world of imagination. If you want write something on the frame, use glitter or poster color. But choose the colors according to your design. Then dry it. Once you have collected or prepared the decoration objects it’s time for gluing. Attach the objects according to your design using instant glue. Dry it.

Now you have created a beautiful photo frame. You can use it for yourself or gift it to anybody. It’s a perfect gift for everyone.