* This post is sponsored by Michaels Recollections.
I am SO EXCITED about today’s project! Last year I got an idea to turn a big frame into a Christmas Card display using chicken wire, but I never got around to making it. I am so glad, because I am COMPLETELY in love with the supplies that I ended up using to make it, and they weren’t around last year, so it was a fortuitous mix of good fortune and former laziness benefitting me in the end. 🙂
I started my process with plenty of spray paint, a fabulous frame that I already had at home (I got it from Cut It Out frames), and chicken wire, which I found at a large hardware store.
I am sortof a spray painting addict. It is so dang quick. I love it. I always start by priming, however. It takes a bit longer, obviously, but I skipped that step when I did my first spray paint project, my Dr. Seuss Toy Chest, and it was a disaster. My friend ended up having to sand off my goopy, puddle-looking spray paint and primed it herself so she could teach me how to spray paint things properly. Who knew there was a such technique to it?? Plus, I have discovered that priming things until they are 100% white (you may have to do it in layers/stages so it doesn’t get too wet and start to puddle in areas) allows the true colors of the spray paint to shine.
Use regular primer for a frame and metal primer for chicken wire. Regular spray paint won’t grab onto something like chicken wire very well unless you prime it first. You can get lots of spray paint colors at Michaels, but if you can’t find metal primer there (it’s a bit harder to find) you can always check a local hardware store.
Once the frame and chicken wire were primed and dry I used regular white spray paint on the chicken wire and bright red spray paint on the frame.
Time to attach the chicken wire. I used wire cutters (hardware store) to trim the chicken wire to a good size and then I made the mistake of using a staple gun to attach it to the frame. It cracked right through the front!!! WAAAAHHHH!!!! It would work great with a super thick frame, but it was a mistake on mine. Sigh. Here’s proof:
Don’t do that, my friends. BIG mistake. I will show you how I fixed it in a minute. I never give up on stuff like this. There is almost always a fix! Maybe you should use a regular stapler or something else to attach your chicken wire. I finished off this process by adding a super classy layer of Duck Tape around the back of the chicken wire so that it wouldn’t scratch the wall.
Time to fix my very large mistake. I knew I couldn’t totally hide the big cracks this way, but I knew I could hide the spots where the staple ends were poking through with a border. (Please try to ignore my hideous table cloth, by the way. It’s the kid craft tablecloth, but I used it just in case the chicken wire might scratch the table.) I grabbed some American Crafts glitter tape that I had on hand and used it to add a border to the frame. I hadn’t planned to do it initially, but I actually love the way it ended up looking! I knew I could cover the bigger cracks and staples with my favorite thing: EMBELLISHMENTS!
Do you love embellishments? I do! I am a fan of color, sparkle, and busy projects. Simple is great sometimes, but when we are talking festive décor I love busy. I really do. For that reason, I was MAJORLY swooning when I saw all of the Recollections brand options available to me at Michaels when I went last week. Oh my word, the displays on the end of the aisles in the paper crafting/scrapbooking section were JAMMED with amazing embellishments and holiday kits. Let me show you what I got.
Swoon, right?! I know I went a bit overboard, but they were all super affordable, and they were 40% off!! SCORE.
This is where the fun begins, my friends. The bright frame? Fun. The chicken wire? Fun. The glitter tape? Well . . . swoon worthy. But overall . . . rather blah for my taste. Bring on the glue gun.
While I was in Michaels I went around grabbing every Recollections item I could see that fit with my vision. OBVIOUSLY, I needed the embellished clothespins, so those were the first thing that I grabbed. Next I saw this circle garland and immediately saw it in my mind draping across my frame, so I grabbed that. Then I just laid everything else that caught my eye out on the ground and played around with combinations until I decided what I liked. (Seriously, on the floor of the store . . . I’m very, very classy. But don’t worry, I put everything that I didn’t buy back where it went before I left.)
I began by draping the garland around on the frame and securing each point/corner with a dot of hot glue. I purposely designed it so that the main corner for embellishments would be the corner with the big cracks in the frame.
Now it was time for the REAL fun! I can’t even show you the steps that I used here, because it was just a creative playtime. I laid everything out and rearranged until I liked how it looked, and then I started dotting hot glue under things. Some of the embellishments had enough stickiness behind them already to stay put. I started by placing the two chalkboard style tags. Next I slipped the large buttons under them and all around. Next came bows, then pinwheels, and then bottle caps. I glued those things in place and then added the holly embellishments and the tiny buttons. Totally hides the cracks, huh?
I love just playing around and being random when I am crafting. It’s my favorite thing to do with jewelry making too.
Let’s see this bad boy in action, shall we? (Free printable seen below can be found HERE.)
What do you think? I am very pleased. It looks so bright and colorful and cheerful to me. The only problem is that I only have only received two Christmas cards in the mail so far this year. So send me some more and fill this baby up, won’t you?
If you liked this post then you may enjoy these posts as well:
A Multigenerational Holiday Home Tour
35 Handmade Ornament Tutorials
Be sure to follow along on my Christmas Pinterest board for more festive inspiration!
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Crystal says
November 26, 2014 at 5:28 pmAbsolutely fun and festive!! I love, love, love this! Normally, I’m not a chicken-wire fan (it looks too farmish to me), but you made me fall in love with it!!! I already have the red frame, now I need to pick up the rest of the supplies for my new Christmas card holder. Love, love, love it!!
Sarah Westover McKenna says
November 26, 2014 at 5:31 pmI’m not a farm-ish girl, either, but I thought painting it white would give it a more modern feel. I’m so glad you like it!!
Mrs. T says
January 29, 2015 at 10:55 amSo, so cute! I love all the embellishments you used, too.
Jennifer says
November 17, 2015 at 9:02 amAny ideas on where to find a frame like that? I have looked everywhere including Amazon. I can’t find one remotely large enough or wide enough anywhere.
Sarah Westover McKenna says
November 17, 2015 at 9:37 amIt’s from Cut it Out frames! (Online) I’ll add that detail to the post.