Ain't This a Pretty Picture: Leftover Door Trim/Moulding Becomes an Art Piece

From recent construction, I had some leftover pieces of trim/moulding.  It's just too pretty to chuck, so I decided to make a frame out of it. Why not...I know it'll go with the room's decor. (It'd be much easier to use a prefabbed picture frame, though)

***Disclaimer: I am not great at cutting a mitered corner or woodworking in general. You've been warned.


1.) I didn't have a set size. I just took the smallest piece, cut the 45 degree angles on both ends and cut the other pieces to that size.

2.) I then attached the pieces with a couple of staples in each corner.

(I also put some glue in the miters)

3.) Staple a ribbon the the center back for hanging (or you could use the picture hanging hardware and do it the right way... but who wants that?)

I got to this point and I honestly didn't know what to put IN the frame. I had the idea that I wanted whatever it was to kind of free float... but what? Then I saw this at Make It and Love It and had an idea. I would put the silhouettes of my sons in the frame!

I remembered sitting in front of a overhead projector light in Kindergarten while my teacher sketched my silhouette. So I grabbed some computer paper, a flashlight, and my four year old.

Have you ever tried to make a four year old sit still for more than two seconds? Yeah.

I didn't have much luck with my middle son either. Then T. brings me into the 21st century... "Why don't you just take a picture, Mom?"

Best. Idea. Ever.

So I (4.)took pictures of their shadows, uploaded them to the computer, using photo editing software I made them purely black and white, and printed them out. Thank you technology.

5.) Cut out the silhouette. Since I am layering these, I am leaving a thin white line on two of them to give some separation.

6.) Glue onto cardboard (I recommend a thin one like from a cereal box) and cut the cardboard away.

7.) Hang your frame, and stick the silhouette in the middle (I used the stick-em putty stuff like they use in schools for posters).

I love it! Of course I would have loved to have made these out of the wall art vinyl, but I don't have the cutting machine or vinyl. (Hint, hint, Santa)