Creative Challenge-Frame it!

Welcome to our June edition of the MFT Creative Challenge. This month we are focusing on frames.  You'll see lots of fun and creative ideas with frames by the MFT Design Team.

I was super excited when I saw what this month's topic was. I have had one of these painter trays by 7gypsies for months and I mean months.  I have been afraid to dive in.  What was I afraid of??? This was such a fun and easy project to work on.  Each of the spaces are sweet little 4x6 sized canvases to work on. 

My parents are coming for a visit next week and I decided to make them a frame as a combined Mother's Day-Father's Day gift. I know they will love it.....IF I can part with it. :)

I have lots of detailed shots of each of the spaces.  I used papers from the same paper pack-Studio Calico Abroad.  Using papers from the same line, help stream line your project and saves you time. While I used lots of MFT Die-namics, I did carry some of the same elements throughout the frame, like the PINKING EDGE DIE-NAMICS, hearts, flags,  buttons and twine.

Another great way to keep consistency throughout a project with pictures is to print them in black and white.  That way you are guaranteed to have your photos match any paper you choose and not have to work with contrasting or obnoxious colors from clothing or backgrounds. I learned this a long time ago with scrapbooking.

Let's start in the upper left corner and work our way across and then down.

I found a sweet picture of me and my hubby from last summer. I know my mom will just eat this up. I added a gorgeous new HIBISCUS DIE-NAMICS as the accent on this frame. The PINKING EDGE was added to the top for an added pop of color and some balance.  Stitching around the whole frame gives it that polished, home spun finish.

 As one of the last design elements I added a button with some twine. I added all of my buttons LAST, figuring which ones needed to go where for just the right look.

Next is the middle title frame. I loved the city scape paper and that sparked my to use the SKYLINE DIE-NAMICS.  We live in a big city, so it added that personal touch to this frame.  Since this is a gift, what better way to tell my parents we love them, than with a customized title. I used the BY THE LETTERS UPPER CASE DIE-NAMICS for the words and cut the largest heart from the HEARTS A PLENTY DIE-NAMICS with some corrugated cardboard.

As a final touch to this one, I added a yellow button and a sweet little MINI WAVY PENNANTs  to the center of the heart. Some zig zag stitch on this one to finish it off.

I spent some time digging through my Clearly Sentimental line of stamps.  I just love this one from CS about Family.  I picked the fun paper doll paper, knowing I wanted to use the PAPERDOLL BORDER DIE-NAMICS on another frame.

I picked a light, colored grid paper from the pack and cut it with the new TRADITIONAL TAGs STAX-one of my FAVE new Die-namics. I used one of the smaller tags as the re-enforcement accent and then added a button and twine to finish it off.

I needed another something to this frame, so I decided on another die cut from the cardboard and this time I did a sweet butterfly with the BUTTERFLIES DIE-NAMICS.

Plus I was able to added some extra color, by being able to stamp the work "family" separately. Love that about this set.  

Now, moving to the second row, back on the left, we get to see my flag panel. I can't get enough of the FISHTAIL FLAGS STAX DIE-NAMICS.  I used three different sizes to show off this great sentiment.

There are those sweet PAPERDOLLS, and I also added a teeny heart from NOTCHED TAG DIE-NAMICS with a buttone and more twine.

There is more of that PINKING EDGE and of course some stitching.

When I was going through my stamps I also wanted to use this sentiment from the Clearly Sentimental about Parenting stamp. It's so true....everything we do, our children look at and will bank in their little memories.

I think this might be my favorite panel in the frame.  I am a little biased....it is my family after all.  I love this picture from our Spring Break trip to the Smoky Mountains. I used the BY THE LETTERS DIE-NAMCIS and the BY THE LETTERS UPPERCASE to create our last name. I accents the first letter with a cardboard circle from CIRCLE STAX 2 DIE-NAMICS.  The word "family" was stamped from the CLEARLY SENTIMENTAL ABOUT FAMILY stamp set.

To finish the frame up, I added one more picture, this one of the boys. I kept it simple and added some color with some of the teeny pennants from the JUMBO BANNER DAY STAX. 

I stitched across the banners and accented with some teeny tiny buttons. The PINKING EDGE finished the balance of the whole frame.  

Thanks for sticking with me.  I hope you feel inspired to try one of these printer tray frames.  It took me the better part of one afternoon to put it all together. The end result is fabulous and I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

Kim's blog has the full DT line up.  Hop on over there to see what else the team has been up to. 

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