I wanted to make a picture frame for my grandma for Christmas that incorporated roses into the design, as she really liked to garden when she could get around better. This frame has room for two 5 x 7 pictures and a rose design diagonally across.

I completed the whole thing in one day, so it's a quick project.

Step 1: Materials

Materials
1 -    1/2"x3", 3' piece of wood (I used poplar)
1 -    2' x 4' wood panel, 2.5 mm thick
2 -   Regular photo frames, on clearance for $1.99 each
1 -   Can of wood stain

Tools
Router
Sandpaper
Jigsaw
Wood glue
Brush for stain
Hanging hardware
Utility knife

Step 2: Disassemble Regular Picture Frames

When trying to find glass for this picture frame at the craft store, I was told they don't sell pieces as small as 5"x7" and it would cost a lot to get it cut. So, I instead bought some clearance picture frames that had small defects in the frame. That's ok, since we just want the glass, the cardboard backing, and some of the hardware if possible.

Make sure you measure the size of the glass piece or just use it as a guide for the next steps.

It took a bit of work to get the little pieces that hold the cardboard and picture in the frame off. If you have some sort of flat scraper, just get under it and pry up until it comes off. Same goes for the fold out stand that's on the back of most small picture frames.

Step 3: Creating the Base

Out of the large piece of wood, cut two rectangles the size of the outer dimension of the frame. In my case, I cut a 13" x 16" rectangle. One piece will be the back piece and can be slightly smaller.

In the back piece, cut two rectangles out for the pictures. These are the cutouts that the glass and picture will actually fit into, so cut it out according to your measurements of the glass piece in the previous step (or just trace around the glass). Make sure everything is square.

For the front piece (most likely the one that looks better), cut the rectangles centered at the same position as back piece but slightly smaller. You might want to use a router on the corners to achieve a rounded look.

Sand everything down and route the edges to look the way you want it and then glue the front and back pieces together.

The actual frame for the pictures is now complete!

Step 4: Creating Roses, Stems, and Leaves

I searched for a stained glass rose pattern online and found a shape that I like for the roses. Print out a copy and use it as a stencil for the wood, or just free hand it. I wanted to print a copy out so I could plan the layout on the frame piece.

Use the jigsaw to cut out several rose shapes, using however many pieces to make the rose as the pattern had. Repeat this with the leaf and stem shapes.

Being extremely careful, you can use a router to round the edges of some of the larger pieces. Many of the pieces I had cut out were definitely too small to use with the router. If you have any doubts whether you will be able to control the piece, don't use the router. On these smaller pieces, I just used the utility knife and did some whittling on the edges to make them rounded. The flat spots created by using the utility knife can be sanded out.

Step 5: Staining

Pretty self explanatory. Stain the frame piece whatever color you would like (I actually chose not to stain the base). Stain the rose pieces a different color. Be creative.

Step 6: Glue Rose Pieces to the Frame

Use wood glue to adhere the rose pieces to the frame in whatever pattern you decided earlier. Very little glue is needed to stick the rose pieces to the frame, you don't want globs of glue coming out from under the pieces.

After the glue dries, a layer of sealer can be applied if desired.

Step 7: Put It All Together

Install the glass in the frame from the back, followed by a picture and then the cardboard backing piece from the regular frame. If you were able to salvage the small pieces that hold in the picture from the old frames, you may be able to nail these to the back of your frame to use. If not, I'm sure you can figure something else out... maybe some thumb tacks, or a small flat piece of metal from somewhere else with a small nail.

I bought a sawtooth style hanger to go on the back, however the nails that came with it were too long and would have stuck out the front. I didn't have any other shorter nails so I shimmed the hanger out with some chip board.

Now flip it over and take a look, you should be finished!