Framing and Arranging Old Photos

STEP #1: 

Find as many old photo frames as you desire, and select a photo for each.

STEP #2:

Remove glass and brackets from each of the frames.

STEP #3: 

Roughly sand the frames with medium sandpaper. If you plan to stain the frames you will have to be more attentive with your sanding to get all the paint off the wood.

STEP #4: 

Clean off any remaining dust and stain the frames.

If you are painting your frames instead of staining them, coat the frames with primer first. For a consistent look, paint the frames all the same colour.

STEP #5:

When the frames are dry you’re ready to insert your photos. Black and white pictures give the illusion of hundred-year-old memories, even if they were only taken last year. 

Designer Option:

For an even more authentic look you can tint your photos with coffee. Fill a flat tray with some coffee. Once the coffee has cooled down, lay your photos face down in the coffee, Place objects to weight the corners of the photos down. Keep in mind that the weighted objects might leave a mark so place them as close to the edge of the photo as you can.

Let the photos sit for about four hours or overnight. Remove from coffee, shake all the liquid off and hang to dry. Your photos now have the look of years gone by.

STEP #6:

Before you start nailing a bunch of holes in your wall, trace the frames onto pieces of paper. Fold the paper in half to get a center crease. Mark where the nail should go. Now you can tack these pieces of paper to the wall to see what arrangement looks best.

STEP #7: 

Once you’ve got an arrangement you like, put a nail right into the paper, pull the paper off and hang your frame.