Captain Dapper: Dapper DIY: How to Custom Mat & Frame a Photo

6/27/13

Dapper DIY: How to Custom Mat & Frame a Photo

Captain Dapper wants to help you frame yourself.

I don't know about you but I rarely have any printed photos hanging around. It's the 21st Century, for Pete's sake! With Instagram and Facebook and the like, this is a time when photographs are snapped in an instant and then stored out in the ether for all the world to see and share. Who's got time for printing? But you know what? Sometime it's refreshing to have an actual framed photograph hanging around the house. Even if it means hopping into a photo booth to get one. Here's a quick little tutorial to help you cheaply frame your own photos.

Supplies:
Photograph
Frame
Cardstock
Scissors
X-acto knife
Ruler
Pencil

Instructions:
1. Cut your cardstock to the same size as the frame. Many frames come with an image already in it - you can use this as a template for your mat. If you're using a vintage or used frame, you can use the glass as a template.
2. Measure your photograph and decide where you'd like to place it within the mat. You'll want the photograph to be a little larger than the area of the mat that you'll be cutting out. Subtract 1/2" or more from the total size of the photograph. For instance, if your photo is 4" x 5", you'll want the cut out area to be 3 1/2" x 4 1/2"
3. With the cardstock face down, use a ruler and pencil to mark the area you'll want to cut out.

4. Use scissors and/or an X-acto knife to cut the cardstock. And as easy as that, you have a mat.

5. At this point you can place the mat over the photo to test how it's going to look. If you're satisfied, move on to the next step. If you're measurements or cutting were a little off, this is a good time to tweak it.

6. Use a couple small pieces of tape to secure the photo to the mat. I also like to add a date and location to the back of my mats. It's always a nice little surprise when I open the frame again later.