Arts'n crafts ideas (Full version)

Photo frame made from driftwood


A photo frame inspired by nature, thanks to the use of driftwood. A frame that can also be used as a mirror photo frame made from driftwood

Materials

Materials to make a frameAbout thirty short driftwood sticks
A photo frame 12 inches x 15.7 inches
If you like, you can use a custom-sized mirror 11.7 inch by 15.6 inch (costing around 8 dollars)

Tools
Drill/screw gun and 9 mm and 3 mm (64 and approx 80 gauge) drill bits
Screws, nails, wood glue, wood filler

Fix the first 4 pieces of wood to the frame

First of all screw 4 sticks of driftwood around the frame: Two should be long enough to project beyond the frame and will support the other sticks as they are added to the frame.

My technique

Attach one extra stick to each side of the frame, supported by the sticks that project out beyond the side of the frame. My tip to ensure that the screws aren't visible: - Firstly, always put the screws in from the back of the frame if possible - Using the 3mm bit, drill holes in the places where you want to put in screws; this means the wood is less likely to split when you are putting the screws in - As soon as the hole has been drilled, take the 9 mm bit and make another hole, just a few millimeters deep, above the hole so the screw head will sink in a little.

The last stage

To ensure the frame hangs properly, take care to attach the sticks alternately on the right, then the left side, then at the top, then the bottom. Lastly, with the wood filler, cover up any unsightly screw heads that might be visible. All you need to do now is choose whether to use your frame either as a photo frame, using the frame glass, or else to use the mirror that you had cut especially for the job.