Upcycling is a terrific trend. It involves taking unnecessary, unwanted or inexpensive items and doing a little handiwork to make them look lush, interesting and high-end. Using a small ladder from a craft store to make a functional and beautiful picture frame is a perfect example of upcycling.
Whether you're hoping to showcase some photos of a memorable family trip in an interesting way or to create an accent piece for your living room with images that match its decor, you can easily make this funky frame that looks upscale but doesn't cost much to make. And not just that — the frame itself also makes a nifty key rack, so you'll never lose your keys again.
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Materials
- A wooden miniature ladder from a craft store
- A roll of heavy duty twine
- Masking tape
- Scissors
- A bag of mini clothes pins
- A sanding sponge
- A jar of chalk paint, which allows paint to adhere to a rough wooden surface
- A paintbrush
- 3 cup hook screws, or as many as desired based on your needs and the size of your ladder
- A power drill
- A wooden miniature ladder from a craft store
- A roll of heavy duty twine
- Masking tape
- Scissors
- A bag of mini clothes pins
- A sanding sponge
- A jar of chalk paint, which allows paint to adhere to a rough wooden surface
- A paintbrush
- 3 cup hook screws, or as many as desired based on your needs and the size of your ladder
- A power drill
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Turn the ladder on its side. Drill a hole in the ladder's bottom rung that is wide enough for the string to go through at least half an inch from the top. Make sure to measure out holes the same length from the top on each rung and drill holes through each.
1. Turn the ladder on its side. Drill a hole in the ladder's bottom rung that is wide enough for the string to go through at least half an inch from the top. Make sure to measure out holes the same length from the top on each rung and drill holes through each.
2. Next, take your sanding sponge and sand the ladder. Try to get it as smooth as you can without damaging the wood itself.
3. Place the ladder on top of a piece of paper you don't need and begin to paint it with the chalk paint. Make sure to place an even coat of paint on the ladder, and don't worry about painting the back, as it will be placed on the wall. Also, don't worry about a second coat. The ladder is meant to look rustic.
4. Take the piece of twine and secure one end by wrapping masking tape around it. Cut the extra masking tape off the end so you can see the twine through the tape.
5. Thread the twine through the holes in the ladder. Make sure when you thread the twine through that there is still plenty of twine on both sides of the ladder, enough to tie it off. Secure the twine by tying it off on one side and then on the other.
6. Cut the twine so that it has a little frayed edge coming off from the knots you tied on both sides, about half an inch or so. Use your fingers to fluff the frayed edges of the twine so they look purposeful. This will give your frame an extra touch of class that makes it look store-bought.
7. Take the cup hook screws and screw them into the bottom side of the ladder between the rungs, so they will hang down underneath the photos. You can easily screw them in with your hands.
8. Use the mini clothespins to clip the photos to the twine between the rungs of your ladder so the ladder frames them.
9. Hang your handiwork on the wall. Now, you've got a gorgeous frame and a practical place to store your house keys.
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