Use a frame for more than showcasing paintings.
Framed art need not be limited to paintings. Jazz up your walls by framing any number of things you find visually inspiring and that enhance your decor. With a little creativity, it is easy to compose intriguing pieces of art that, once framed, look professional and add personality.
Embroidery
Embroidery has made a comeback and with it are multiple resources for free patterns. Go crazy wielding a needle and embroidery thread, and make a frame-worthy piece of art. You may want to combine embroidery with applique for a particularly vibrant piece.
Beads
Frame some favorite beads so that you can enjoy them on a daily basis instead of merely when you are digging around in your crafting supplies. Buy mat board in a color that compliments the beads and use craft glue to affix them. Arrange the beads in a circle, in rows or even showcase one spectacular bead. You get bonus points for framing beads that you have made yourself.
Clay
Use molds to create faces, animals or abstract motifs from regular or polymer clay. Polymer clay artist Jeanne A.E. DeVoto suggests using some of the "wide variety of plastic molds intended for making candles or candy." The piece should be flat on one side. Allow the clay to dry (or bake it if you are using polymer clay) and paint it. After the paint has dried, arrange the clay figures inside the frame on a piece of mat board. Adhere them with craft glue.
Weaving
Showcase one piece of weaving, or several smaller pieces. Consider weaving three small pieces in complementary colors and framing them individually to be displayed together. Use an inexpensive child's lap loom for a surprisingly professional effect. Leave the warp strings loose to give the framed piece movement.
Wire Art
Frame a piece of painted plywood, and hammer some small nails into the wood. String the wire between the nails to make either a precise or random pattern. Add beads to the wire for additional visual interest. According to wire artist Elizabeth Berrien, "all wire is sculpture wire." Consider using different types of wire such as copper wire and baling wire for an eclectic effect.
3D Collage
Use fabric, found objects, scrapbook paper and an assortment of other objects to make a three dimensional collage. Use clear-drying craft glue to layer items. You can also make a collage using acrylic paint. Simply paint your background, and press objects into areas where you have painted a thick enough layer to hold them once it dries.
Paper Mache Landscape
Use a piece of hardboard for the base of a paper mache landscape. Run newspaper through a paper shredder and dip it in a combination of flour and water---it should be the consistency of buttermilk. Use the paper to form mountains, rivers and valleys. Allow to dry for several days, then paint and mount in the frame.
