I love crafts, but I have little patience for them. I usually make a craft once to prove that I can and then I never think about it again.
I also craft with a purpose. I either want to create a decoration for an event, or a card or gift to give to someone.
My most recent craft turned into a birthday gift for a friend. While searching for the perfect, meaningful gift to give her, I couldn’t find anything in my budget. I kept thinking about how she loves to travel with her family and is planning to visit Europe within the next year. She also loves photography. But how can I incorporate all of that into a gift?
Enter the map picture frame. I found instructions from PopSugar and Growing Up Gabel. Beginning this project was nerve-wracking. I had to get it right! I purchased way too much Mod Podge and a bunch of frames from the dollar store just in case I totally messed one up.
I sat down at my little coffee table and here’s what I learned while crafting:
- Don’t leave too much extra map on the sides or you’ll have to cut the extra off with an X-ACTO knife… again.
- Be picky when choosing a paint brush to paint on the Mod Podge. It will forever be used for painting Mod Podge.
- Be patient while cutting, gluing, and waiting for it all to dry.
- You will be covered in Mod Podge.
- The end result will look wrinkly and that’s
okay! Maps are wrinkly anyway. Plus, it adds texture. But make sure you don’t gob too much Mod Podge or it’ll look crazy. I definitely dabbed extra Mod Podge off with a paper towel. - If you’re gifting the frames to a photography buff and not adding a photo with the frame, add a cute quote! I used Canva to design quotes and borrowed the ideas from a quick Google search.
Was this Pinterest attempt worth it? Yes! Even though I was nervous that the frames were too wrinkly and cheap looking, my friend loved them. It was a special gift just for her. I call this crafting experience a win.
Challenge: Scroll through Pinterest and find a good DIY to tackle this week. Then share whether it was a win or a fail below.
Quest Type 