Decorating For Christmas/small Picture Frames

Sustainable interior designer and stylist, Lynne Lambourne, has shared an easy six-step tutorial on how to make a Christmas card display – and all you need is a picture frame.

Lynne is backing the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) 'Charity Shop Challenge', a new campaign asking the public to buy at least one preloved gift from a charity shop – whether in-store or online (you can also shop the BHF via eBay) – to help raise vital funds, as the COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating impact on the BHF's income.

BHF stock an array of preloved vintage items and antique homewares, many of which have the potential to be upcycled, so Lynne has shared her expert tips on how to display Christmas cards using a picture frame.

Not only is it a quick and easy Christmas craft, but it's a great festive centrepiece, and a wonderful way to display cards and notes from loved ones.

You will need:

Picture frame
Chalk paint
Sandpaper
Wax polish
Cotton cloth
Staple gun
String (choose twine)
Pegs
Your Christmas cards

How to make picture frame Christmas Card display

1.

Find an old picture frame, preferably a large one to fit more cards. If the glass is still in the frame, carefully remove it. 'I found a pile of old frames that had no glass at my local BHF home store, which were perfect,' says Lynne.

frame christmas card display, bhf x lynne lambourne

BHF

2.

Clean the frame and choose which colour you want to paint it. Lynne explains: 'I wanted to create a vintage feel to my frame but pick a colour that would stand out from my wall. I chose Annie Sloan Old White as the base layer paint and then I painted a layer of Aubusson Blue on top of that.'

BHF

3.

Once both layers of paint are completely dry, take some sandpaper to the edges of the frame, revealing the white base layer of paint, to give it an aged vintage feel.

4.

The frame then needs to be waxed to seal the paint and protect it. 'I like to use a paint brush to brush the wax onto the paint and then an old cotton cloth to buff the wax to give it a bit of shine,' Lynne reveals.

BHF

5.

Next, take a staple gun and staple the string onto the back of the frame making sure to keep it very tight, so that when you attach the cards or notes the string does not sag. Lastly attach some pegs to the string, these will hold your cards or notes in place.

BHF

6.

The picture frame can then hung on the wall or rested on top of a desk to create the perfect Christmas cards display. You can even decorate with additional foliage if you wish. When Christmas is over, the frame can be used as a stylish display for photographs or letters all year round.

BHF

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