Papier-mache picture frame with seashells

Such an easy-to-make picture frame can make a fun craft project for you and your kids. First, you will need to prepare paper pulp, a recipe for it can be found here, for instance. You'll need also paints, an adhesive, a piece of cardboard, and decorations, seashells in our case. Measure the picture you want to frame and add the width of the border (approx. 1 1/8" or 3.5cm) at each side. Use these dimensions to cut a rectangle out of the cardboard. Form a paper pulp border over the cardboard around the picture, then press the seashells into the border. Put the frame on a flat surface and press it down with a flat and heavy object, a pile of books wrapped in a plastic bag will do. Leave to dry for a few days. When the frame is ready, color it and glue in the picture. We've chosen to paint it yellow to resemble the sand of a summer beach.

Not only the summer themed picture frame can be made of papier-mache. Paper pulp is a pretty good modeling material, cheap, available, and easy to paint on. It can be used in a variety of craft projects, making cute animals like these frog and turtle is just one example. Paper pulp papier-mache toys are colorful and lightweight. When you paint on them, you're actually painting on paper, so almost any sort of paint can be used.