Making a Popsicle Stick Picture Frame

Craft: Popsicle Stick Picture Frame

ShirleyE
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 239 Posts

February 26, 2016

finished frame made from multicolor sticks This little frame is amazingly easy and quick to assemble. You can tie ribbon to it to hang on a wall, or you can make the optional stand to display it on a shelf.

Of course you don't have to use the same colour of sticks as I do, but I will refer to the colours just so you know which sticks I am talking about.

Supplies:

10 Popsicle (ice lolly) sticks, pre-colored
1 tube of all purpose glue
1 pen or pencil for marking
6 more sticks if you want to make a stand for your frame

Steps:

Lay the purple and blue sticks like this.

laying out two sets of one blue and one purple stick

Lay the 2 orange sticks on top of the purple and blue sticks like this.

still laying out the frame prior to gluing, adding an orange stick across the top and bottom of the parallel blue and purple stick sets

Lay the green sticks on top of the orange sticks and line them up with the blue sticks.

now adding a green stick over the blue sticks, resting on the orange sticks

Lastly lay the red sticks like this, so that the top one is lined up with the top orange stick, but just below it, and the bottom one is just above the bottom orange stick.

placing a red stick across the green ones and inline with the blue sticks below

If the frame is too small or too big, carefully rearrange the sticks until you have them how you want them. Then you will need to very carefully remove the green and red sticks without disturbing the others.
Make marks on the blue sticks with your pen or pencil to show where the orange sticks will need to be glued. These marks will not show on the finished item because they will be covered by the green sticks.

marking the placement of the orange sticks

Carefully remove the orange sticks without disturbing the purple and blue sticks and apply a small amount of glue to them. Replace the orange sticks, using the marks you have made to make sure they are in the correct place.

Using glue again, replace the green and red sticks in the same manner as before. Leave your frame undisturbed until the glue has dried.

putting glue on the orange stick prior to adding the green sticks

gluing the red sticks onto the green ones

Cut your picture to fit to the outside edges of the green and red sticks.

check fit your picture to make sure it will fit in the frame

Slide it in from the side.

You will probably need something to hold it in place if it is not thick enough. You can do this with extra cardstock

add a piece of cardstock behind the picture if it is too loose

or you can tape your picture in place on the back.

If you want to make the stand for your frame you will need another 3 sticks. Arrange 3 of them side by side.

three blue sticks to begin making a base

Apply plenty of glue.

Add 2 more sticks and leave a slight gap.

glue down two green sticks with a space wide enough to put a stick on end between them

Insert another stick in the gap.

place the stick on edge between the two green sticks

Hold the sticks in place for a minute or two until the glue hardens a little then leave to dry undisturbed.

hold until set and allow the glue to dry

Your frame will slot perfectly onto the stand.

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2 More Solutions

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Craft: Decorated Popsicle Stick Frame

jenn

May 20, 2011

This was a craft project that I did with my 3 year old (the first two parts, anyway). The first part was blowing tempera paint bubbles onto paper with a straw. Then we made the Popsicle stick frame and decorated it. Finally, we used tempera paint to stain the unfinished shadow box.

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Tip: Popsicle Stick Picture Frames

Cathy Kittinger

December 4, 2007

I make picture frames out of Popsicle sticks that are absolutely beautiful. I paint the sticks then decorate further with glitter or stickers.