Dollar Store Craft #2: Double Display Frame

Anyone who has been in my room knows that I love to have tons of photos displayed in my space. I love taking pictures and remembering the events they commemorate. So when I saw the Double display frame by Blue Artichoke Interiors featured on Dollar Store Crafts, I wanted to mimic the project right away. Here's their version:

And here's the important info:

Supplies:

• Assorted frames from your local dollar store (I opted for two square 8 x 8 frames, one 5 x 7 frame, two4 x 6 frames, and one 3 x 3 frame)
• Spray paint (on hand or at craft/hardware store)
• Scrapbook paper for matting (on hand or at craft store)
• Stick-on velcro (I just used 3M command strips because I had them handy)

Instructions:

1. Take glass and backing out of frames and spray paint in desired colors! (Don't forget my Pizza Box paint station idea from last post). For my project, I chose to paint one 8 x 8 pink (leftover from my tiered tray project), and one chrome (again from the tray project). [Sidebar: The first go-round, I bought a tiny frame -- wallet-sized -- to paint blue and put with the pink 8 x 8 frame. After the paint completely covered the thing, I thought spray-painting it with clear enamel was a good idea. NOT. Apparently, Krylon spray paint + Clear spray enamel = wrinkly uglies on the previously perfect paint job! I say skip the enamel...the paint will be glossy enough on its own. This mistake led me to make some alterations on the project...see below!]
2. While waiting for the paint to dry, measure and cut out scrapbook paper for the larger frames. The paper acts as the matting, like the burlap fabric in the inspiration project.
3. When the paint is dry, insert the scrapbook paper into the large frames. Do not place the glass in the larger frames, as you will be adhering the smaller frames to the surface of the scrapbook paper matting.
4. Apply the stick-on velcro to the scrapbook matting and the back of the smaller frames. Stick on the frame and PRESTO! You have a double matted frame, which looks much more sophisticated than a dollar store buy! [Sidebar: The original project called for the smaller frame to be glued onto the scrapbook matting, but I decided to use stick-on velcro instead of glue, so that the pictures could be easily changed out!]

And here are my snaps of my final products:

The pink frame is intended for my desk, which is large and black and could use pops of color. [I have other dollar store projects that will accomplish this task..but more on them later!] I used the floral paper and bright paint to tie-in with the scrapbook quilt that I crafted for the office. The other frames don't have an official home yet, so I kept the colors fairly neutral.

Also note that the pink frame with the floral paper is not a double display frame...that was the one I intended to use with the blue Krylon paint/enamel victim. I ended up ruining the frame with the enamel, so I decided to use scrapbook paper to create my own lime green matting, because I couldn't find another wallet-sized or square frame at the dollar store to fit my liking. In the future, if I see a little guy I'll snag him to paint lime green -- but for now the paper works just fine as a 2-D frame :) Of course, I wanted a blue frame still, so I took this old oooglay gold frame and spray-painted it with the pretty Krylon color....for after pictures, you will have to check back later this week!



So, what's the verdict? Do my versions match up to the original?