How to Make a Picture Frame With Cardstock

Decide the shape of your frame and whether you would like the frame to be permanently attached to your photo, or whether you would like a frame where you can change the photos. The permanently attached frame will take less time and be slightly easier to make. You will also need to decide whether your frame will hang on the wall or sit on a flat surface.

Place the picture to be framed on the card stock and trace around it. This will allow you to determine the size of your opening.

Use your tracing as a guide to draw the opening onto the card stock in the desired shape. The opening should be slightly smaller than the picture, so that the picture does not come out. Use a ruler to ensure straight lines if your shape includes them.

Draw the outer edge of the frame. It should be kept in proportion with the lines for the opening. If necessary, use a ruler to maintain size and stability of lines. If you plan to decorate the frame with painting or drawing, it should be done now, before the frame is cut. The full piece of card stock provides more stability for painting or drawing. If you plan to glue things onto the frame, these should be held until the frame is cut, as they may hang over the cut edges.

Cut out the frame. If you have a craft knife, you should use that to cut out the middle, as it will prevent you from having to fold the cardstock. If you do not have a craft knife, make as small a fold as possible in the center of the frame's inside and make a small cut with scissors. Do not crease across the entire piece of cardstock. Cut out from the small cut to avoid folding the frame itself.

If your frame will be permanently affixed to the picture, you can glue it at this point. If you are creating a multi-use frame, add a photo holder to the back of the frame. Place your frame on a new piece of card stock and tracing the outside of the entire frame, except the top. There should be enough space at the top for the width of the photo.

Cut out this new tracing. Don't use a craft knife for this, as it is does not have a cut out center, so folding is not a concern.

Position the new piece on the back of the frame to check for fit. It should be the same size and shape as the frame. If it fits, glue it on. Use a thin line of glue along the very outer edges of the sides and bottom of the frame. This allows the back to be adhered to the frame while allowing a space between the frame and the back for the picture to be held.

Add a piece to the top to fit over a nail if the frame will be hanging. This can be anything from a cut piece of card stock glued to the back to a piece of ribbon or string glued to the back.

If the frame will be displayed on a flat surface, you will need a support on the back of the frame. To create a support, you will need an additional piece of card stock. For the most supportive stand, use a shape like the one in the following picture. This will attach to the frame at both the top and bottom of the support, creating more stability.

Glue the wider tab to the bottom of the frame, so that the bottom rectangle lies flush with the frame bottom. Glue the top tab to the frame so that all parts of the support are straight, and the frame stays up on its own.