A handmade gift for a wife can vary depending on her personality and taste. Giving a very classy woman a collage made out of magazines, probably wouldn’t go over well. But it would for a woman that loves gossip magazines and the exciting life of celebrities. If done right, black and white picture collages can be extraordinarily beautiful.†
Here’s an idea you can make as grungy or classy as you like: Go outside, or somewhere where sticks are available. Gather a bundle, and cut them all about the same size. Once this is done, glue them together about 2-4 wide, depending on how thick/flimsy your sticks are. The finished piece should resemble a frame.
The next step would require access to either a magazine with black and white pictures, or a digital camera from which you can print pictures that you personally take, or a Polaroid camera. Whatever medium you choose, attempt to gather enough pictures to fill the frame without any spaces. Don’t worry if some of the pictures overlap.
The next step would be to find two pieces of glass or very clear plastic. Cut these about the size of the inside area of the stick frame, with about an inch and a half on each side extra on only one of them. Next, find fake flower petals, or real petals and laminate them, and attach them to the backside of the smaller piece of glass/plastic. Attach with something that will not be visible. There are a lot of glues and tapes out there that are designed specifically for things like this, search a bit and you’ll find something that will work. Be sure to only attach a few petals, not an overwhelming amount, as this will distract from the next step.
Attach the picture collage to the front of the bigger piece of glass/plastic and be sure to cover all spaces! Next, screw the two pieces together (this is why plastic is recommended) and then attach the two combined pieces of plastic with the stick frame.
This creates a lovely naturalistic view on black and white photos with the petals overlapping the pictures and the sticks holding everything together. Do not be afraid to alter the materials for the frame to fit different types of women, not all women like sticks of course.
Other great ideas for the frame: Iron rods formed into different shapes, an old-time frame, cloth-covered wood or chains.
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