This instructable will show you how to re-purpose a plain white frame to look oceanic with seashells for decoration and jute twine for a sand-like cover. Use your imagination and have fun!

SUPPLIES:

All can be found at the dollar store or a local arts and crafts store.

Your piece of art
Any frame of your preference (size will depend on your piece of art)
Piece(s) of construction paper (optional)
Jute Twine (how many will depend on the size of frame)
Hot glue gun (with extra glue)
Elmer’s liquid glue, glue stick (optional), scissors, ruler, pencil, seashells

NOTE: For Step 6 (Frame Cover), you will need to let the jute twine dry for several hours because the glue will have it feeling a bit moist. The seashells will not stick/stay if you immediately try to glue them while the jute twine is still wet.

Step 1: BORDER (optional) PART A

1. If you want to add more color to your piece of art, add 1 inch borders around any or all four sides of it. Your piece of art will have 2 strips of one color (navy blue) and 2 strips of the other color (sparkly blue).

NOTE: You do not have use two different colors, one color for the all around border will be enough. It’s all your preference.

2. Using the ruler and pencil, measure one inch off of the navy blue construction paper, two times to have two separate strips. Repeat this step with the sparkly blue construction paper, two times to have two separate strips.

Step 2: BORDER (optional) PART B

3. Using a scissor, cut all of the 1 inch strips that were measured. You should have 4 strips/borders, two of one color and two of the other color.

Step 3: BORDER (optional) PART C

4. Flip all 4 strips to their white side and apply glue to them, from beginning to end.

5. Carefully place one strip on each side of your piece of art. You can have the same colors touch, or place them on opposite sides. It’s all your preference.

Step 4: BORDER (optional) PART D

6. Cut the extra pieces of the strips that are left hanging off.

7. Once those are cut, you will have a 2 color border on your piece of art.

Step 5: BORDER (optional) PART E

NOTE: The following two steps are not necessary if you do not wish to have a thicker/second layer of border.

8. With the left over strips that were cut, they can either be stored for another project OR added as a second layer of border to all sides or one corner (like I did).

9. By choosing to add a second layer of border, complete the same steps from the previous instructions:

- Flip the small strips on their white side

- Apply glue

- Carefully place them on whichever end(s) of your piece of art

Step 6: FRAME COVER (PART A)

1. To start the cover of the frame, remove the black back piece and the glass inside in order for it to be easier to work with.

2. Using the Elmer’s school glue, glue the jute twine around the four sides of the frame. You are wrapping the whole frame with the jute wine. First, you glue one full side, and then carefully place the jute wine from one end to the other.

NOTE: Press on it tight and hold it to make sure the jute twine really sticks and stays onto the frame.

Step 7: FRAME COVER (PART B)

3. As you finish one side, you glue the corner and the next side and then go around it with the jute wine. You repeat these steps until the whole frame is covered.

- Glue

- Place jute wine

- Press tightly and hold

- Wrap around

Step 8: FRAME DECORATION (PART A)

1. Using a scissor, cut the white wrap of the bag of seashells and open it. Experiment the placement in which you would like to have the seashells before you use the hot glue gun to glue them all to the sides of the frame. You can decorate it any way you want!

Step 9: FRAME DECORATION (PART B)

2. Once you have decided on your seashell placements, plug the hot glue gun into a close outlet and wait a few minutes for it to get hot.

WARNING: The hot glue gun gets VERY hot, please use with caution as you can burn yourself.

3. When ready, grab the hot glue gun and glue one seashell at a time onto all sides of the frame until you are completely finished. Use your imagination!

Step 10: PIECE OF ART PLACEMENT

1. Now that the frame is wrapped with the jute twine and decorated with the seashells, you are finally ready to place the glass back into the frame, as well as your piece of art and the black back piece to secure everything.

Sit back and admire another piece of art!