Picture Blocks

Since I got my sewing machine, I've been pretty focused on learning to use it.  I really have been enjoying it, but it's time for a break.  I came up with an idea today at work to use boxes to mat photos.  The idea came to me when I took the last breakfast bar out of the box in the break room.  It was pretty much the perfect size to hold a 4x6.  I've been wanting to put up new pictures in our living room, but I wanted a unique way to show them off instead of just frames.  My husband is away at a conference, so after work I had the house to myself.  I put on season three of "How I  Met Your Mother" and started getting crafty!

I gathered my supplies (not pictured: hot glue, can pop tops, puzzle glue, brown paint, more boxes)

 I wrapped the box like a present using this fantastic "burlap" scrapbook paper my sister-in-law gave me! (PS~ She's also super crafty and talented!)

I used puzzle glue to secure the pictures onto the boxes. (Thanks to my good friend Josh for taking my husband's and my engagement pictures.  Glad I'm finally getting to display them!)

 used puzzle glue for two reasons. #1:  Sometimes modpodge likes to make bubbles under my paper and I didn't feel like fighting with it.  #2: Puzzle glue makes things shiny and texturized!

I liked the pictures on the boxes, but they didn't look "finished."  They looked stuck on instead of matted. I took some brown paint and went around the edges of the pictures and the outside edges of the box to achieve the look I wanted.

So remember when I said you need soda can pop tops? This is what I meant by that.  I needed some way to attatch my boxes to the walls.  I have tons of these pop tops at my house, so I grabbed 6 (2 for each box I was going to hang).  

 To attatch them to the boxes, I used hot glue.  Since the boxes are so light, that works just fine.

Put the hotglue in a "U" shape on the underside of the tab on the bottom half (the half with the smaller opening).  Do not put any hot glue on the top half.  The bigger opening is what you hang on the nail (or thumbtack- it's wide enough to fit).

Use two tabs per box, making sure you line them up evenly so your box doesn't hang crooked.

I hung my boxes with my Easy DIY Wall Art to take up more wall space.  I am very please with the results.  Best part is I used things I had on hand so this entire collection didn't cost me anything! 

This is a great way to showcase beautiful pictures in a unique way!  And I'll definitely be finding more uses for those pop top tab things!