WOW"s new Round Doily Frame

Hi All...Lisa here to bring some WOW inspiration this Monday morning.  Words or Whatever recently released four new round frames...the chunky cog, the round doily, the ornate round, and the cog frame.  Each frame measures approximately 11.5" across, and can easily be covered with one piece of patterned paper.  The frame itself comes in two pieces, the decorative front, and a solid back...both constructed from sturdy mdf.  Today, I'm going to share with you how to create a shabby chic round doily frame, that would make the perfect Mother's Day gift!

For this project, I have used WOW's :

• Round doily frame (M192)
• Blue birds set (RWL9302)
• Small heart banners (C1435)

Here's the round doily frame all decorated...

and here's how...

Step One: Cover the solid back
Cover the back in your chosen patterned paper. I have used Prima's new Nature Garden "Midsummers Eve" patterned paper.  Make sure you spread your glue evenly over the mdf to ensure you don't end up with any bubbles in your paper. Smooth out your patterned paper with a brayer if necessary.  Once dry, carefully trim away the excess patterned paper using a craft

Step Two: Paint the decorative front
To coat the front, I have used Antique White paint. Mix your chosen colour paint with a gel medium, then use a spatula to coat the decorative front side of the frame.  The gel medium allows you create a dimensional surface.  Once you have spread the paint across the piece, create a stipple effect by dabbing the surface with a foam brush. Set aside to dry.

Step Three: Prepare the heart bunting
Ink all three pieces of small heart bunting using a coordinating ink. I have used VersaColor's "Umber".  Once dry, run a small bead of glue along the outside edge of the bunting, and adhere a strand of pearls.  I have found the best glue to use for this project is Helmar's fabric glue. The glue adheres almost instantly. Within seconds the pearls were fixed firmly to the chipboard and I was able to pick them up. To add more definition to the bunting, doodle love hearts on the chipboard using a white gel pen.

Step Four: Prepare your blue birds
Spritz or ink your birds using a mid blue. Once dry, rub white paint across the top, then wipe off the excess.  The white paint will sink into the engraved lines on the birds to give them further definition, as seen in the picture below. Coat the birds in a clear glaze to make them nice and shiny.

Step Five: Add a little softness
To soften up the hard edges of the mdf, adhere a sheer decorative lace to the reverse of the frame.  Gather the lace to add more dimension...see picture above.

Step Six: Assemble your project
Line up the front and back pieces of your project, and glue together on the outside edge only.  Hold together firmly to ensure your pieces hold. Once again, I have used fabric glue for this step.

Drape a piece of bunting across the top left corner of your frame.  Adhere a bird at each end of the bunting so that it looks like they're holding the bunting in their beaks.  Trim off a small piece from a floral spray (Prima), and attach to the frame, then thread a decorative clock and key onto twine, and tie in a big bow through the frame, leaving the ends of the twine bow to hang down to the bottom of the frame.

Next, thread a decorative metal camera onto the rest of the floral spray and adhere across the bottom right corner.  Drape the two remaining pieces of the bunting across the bottom of your frame, and adhere.  Finish off decorating the bottom right with the remaining blue bird, a whimsical nest and inspirational words trimmed from the floral spray packaging.

Step Seven: Add your photo
Now, if you're sure that the photo you have chosen is the one that you want to display forever...go ahead and adhere it.  Trim a standard sized 6x4 to measure 5.5x4, mount on foam tape and centre in the middle of the frame.

Alternatively, to give your project more versatility, trim two Tim Holtz Ideology Memo Pins using a pair of plyers (be careful when doing this because the piece may fly off!).  Poke the memo pins through the mdf frame and thread your photo onto the pins. You will then be able to change out your photo any time you wish!

Here's the completed project again...

WOW's new circle frames are so much fun to create! Try using one of the cog designs for a more masculine look, swapping the flowers out with WOW's smaller cogs, and using more manly metal embellishments...maybe you could raid hubby's toolbox!

Ask for WOW's new circle frames at your local or online scrapbooking stores today.

Cheers, Lis.

To view more of Lisa's work, visit the Life as we know it...blog.