Simple Country Wedding Favor

The ideal wedding favor would be to send all of your guests on a day of apple and pumpkin picking in late fall, but since this idea is costly and probably not feasible think the same gentile thoughts""but on a smaller scale.Here, give your guests a country charmed photo frame.Yes, I know that photo frames are common gifts at weddings, but this frame will show spunk and thought to your guests.Each beholder will treasure its appearance, creation, and meaning for the day received.

Start with a standard wooden five by eight frame.A lighter colored wood will make for the best frame, and these are usually inexpensive (ranging from one to five dollars). Also, the frame should have a natural finish that is lightly glazed.Pre-painted frames can be used, but texturing their surfaces and later adhering sealant might prove to be difficult and nonproductive.This is because factory frames often have their own sealer that will not allow for glue or other sealers to adhere to them.After purchasing the frames take a piece of sand paper and lightly sand all four sides of them.You do not need to completely remove the finish from the wood.Rather, you are merely creating a lightly scraped surface for a weathered look""think a rustic cabin in the woods with its paint slightly peeling off.

Next, purchase some small ornaments.These should reflect your country theme, and if possible you should connect them to the colors of the wedding party.I suggest finding small pumpkins, apples, oranges, and small flowers like rose buds, baby daffodils, or daisies.You can even use all of these elements, if you so choose.These decorations can be easily hot glued to the lower edge of the frame""sparsely or heavily""and slight touches of glitter paint can be added to give them extra shine.Also, these ornaments can be purchased already glittered, but if you are particular about the amount of shimmer you want your piece to have I suggest applying the glitter yourself.When applying the glitter, use paint that requires a paintbrush""not a glitter pen.The brush strokes can be manipulated to adjust the thickness and amount of paint applied; whereas paint pens often clump or leave thick lines in their wake.

Another take on this design can be done by using small metal buckets or watering cans""these are readily available at most craft stores and departments.For these, place a piece of floral foam inside them and create a miniature floral display in the container.These arrangements do not have concrete rules to guide them""expect for charm and humor.They should be whimsical and pleasing to the eye.If you want the flowers to rest close the rim of the bucket or watering can then do it and if you want them to be taller and "climb" the side of the frame then also do it.Just make sure that the flowers are secured in their canisters.To trim the flowers to their desired lengths use floral wire cutters""available in craft stores and floral departments.After creating the floral arrangements, glue the canister to one of the lower corners of the frame""making sure the lower edge is flush with the table/desk/shelf when the frame is stood upright.These cans can be applied to the frames with metal craft glue""also available at any craft retailer.Lastly, for a floral punch you can use both of these designs together by gluing flowers along the bottom frame ledge and a metal canister holding a miniature arrangement.The added flowers will make the canister look like it is resting in a field of flowers, which is a must have for any country setting.

After you have weathered your frames, adhered your floral choices to them, remove the glass from the frame and give it a quick coat of clear glaze.The clear glaze will prevent the sanded edges of the frame from being rough, stop unnecessary peeling of the wood, and it will protect the flowers from dust and dirt.The glaze will also give the flowers an extra hold to the frame, and if you use a glossy glaze your frame will shimmer.As a safety precaution, remember to use the metal glue and glaze in a well light and open aired area.

This project should take about twenty minutes to complete (for each one), and it is kid friendly.Girlfriends or children can gather around to create these whimsical creations for your guests to cherish and enjoy for years to come.