Last weekend I was fortunate enough to spend my Saturday evening eating chocolate donut holes, doing fun crafts, and hanging out with my favorite little four-year-old friend. Like me, this sassy chica is a big fan of arts & crafts so I always have a project or two up my sleeve when I come over for a babysitting date. Since Friendship Day is right around the corner {yes…that is a holiday} we ended up making BFF (best friends forever) necklaces and magazine picture frames. Whether or not you’re actually celebrating Friendship Day this Sunday, August 4th, these fun and eco-friendly {pun intended} projects will make for the perfect girls night!
Project #1: BFF Necklaces
Supplies: Scrap cardboard or card stock {a recycled cereal box works great}, aluminum foil, tape, scissors, a hole punch, string or yarn, colored Sharpies, and a ballpoint pen.

Step 1: Cut a heart shape out of your cardboard. Then cut a zigzag line thru the center of the heart. 
Step 2: Cover the heart halves with tin foil. Secure the foil with some tape on the back. Use a hole punch to make holes at the top of each half.

Step 3: Use a ballpoint pen and colored Sharpies to decorate your necklace pendants. Thread a piece of yarn or string through each pendant to create necklaces.

So then Miss Chloe and I had a little photo shoot with our new BFF bling…
And of course every photo needs a frame which brings me to our next project.
Project #2: Magazine Frames
Supplies: Scrap cardboard {a recycled box works great}, old magazines, a pair of scissors, a ruler, a paint brush, tape, a pencil, an exacto knife, and Mod Podge.

Step 1: Grab your pencil, ruler, knife, and cardboard. Clearly, this step is not for the kiddos since it involves a sharp exacto knife and some pretty technical measuring. Assuming you’re designing around a 4 x 6 in photo, the inside dimensions of your frame should measure 3.5 x 5.5 in (to create a .25 in lip around the image) and the outside dimensions should be about 5.5 x 7.5 in. I also cut out a 5 x 7.5 in backplate and a trapezoidal stand for my frame.

Step 2: Now comes the fun part. Flip through your favorite old magazines looking for fun images, words, typography, colors, and textures. Use a paintbrush and Mod Podge to apply the magazine scraps to your cardboard frame. If you haven’t discovered Mod Podge, prepared to fall in love with this magical gluey gloss. Although tempting, there’s no need to decorate the backplate or frame stand.
Step 3: Once your decorated frame is dry, tape your favorite photo to the back of the frame. Secure by taping on the backplate over the photo. Use your knife to score a vertical flap through the cardboard stand and secure to the bottom edge of your frame with more tape. Note: You may need to use your knife to adjust the bottom angle of the stand.

BEST FRIENDS RULE!! Happy Friendship Day!
