Here I will share with you how I use up discarded comics to dress up picture frames and mirrors. I love playing around with decoupage glue because it dries up with such a lovely finish and it seems to make the colours of the comic pieces really pop.

Step 1: What You Will Need

You will need:

Old comics

A pot of decoupage glue

A new or used picture or mirror frame

A glue brush or two

In addition, but not shown in picture:

Some sand paper or flexible sanding block

Damp paper towels to wipe glue from your hands throughout

I prefer to use older comics that are thin and matte like newspaper. They tend to soak up the glue better than shiny comics and are thinner so they mould to corners, curves and edges better. But shiny comics do work if that is all you have.

You can use Mod Podge but for this project I used Deco Mache which I really love.

Step 2: Sand the Frame a Little

I like to lightly sand any frame I am working with to give the comic pieces something to key onto. You don't need to go crazy with it, just rough it up a little.

Step 3: Rip Up the Base Layer Pieces

I have masses of comics to browse through since a bought a whole box of new and old at auction (don't worry, not collector value stuff!)

I tend to go for brightly coloured pages with virtually any image on just to tear into pieces to create a base layer all over the whole frame, front, back and edges. Don't worry too much about this as only small parts of it will show through once you put your main accent pieces on. At this stage, you just want complete cover and colour. I go for pages with full colour adverts inside the comic rather than waste cartoon pages on a base layer.

Once you have some colourful pages to tear up, rip away until you have a pile of small pieces to start putting onto the frame.

Step 4: Start Pasting Pieces On

Using your decoupage glue and brush, start sticking the pieces onto the frame with a generous amount of glue. Make sure each piece of comic is smoothed down and moulded neatly to all curves, edges and corners.

Pay attention to the inside edges of the frame, where the glass or mirror will sit, to make sure the pieces are smoothed down and fit snuggly into the angles.

Step 5: Keep on Sticking!

Just keep going like this until there is nothing left of the original frame showing through ANYWHERE! Let this air dry.

Step 6: Choose Your Final Accent Images and Stick 'em On!

If you haven't already done so, choose your accent images - the ones that tell the story of the comic character and arrange them on the frame without glue to get an idea of size and position.

Once you are happy and have got them how you want them, start sticking them on. I usually tell my story in a clockwise direction but it is up to you how you do it - there are no rules!

Sometimes I just do random images with no story at all - just lots of comic expressions.

So that's it - if you enjoyed this, you might want to visit my blog which is a more light-hearted ramble - some people talk to themselves... I just ramble.

Visit me at www.anythingexcepthousework.co.uk