Below are three layouts that feature a different type of frame to add interest and draw the focus to the photo or photos.
"Summertime"
The layout above features a chipboard frame which has been painted and given an aged wood effect. I started by painting the whole frame with a green base colour. Then, using the edge of a scrap of cardstock dipped in brown paint I added diagonal lines in the corners of the frame to look like mitre joins. Add further lines of brown paint with the edge of the card to look like grooves in painted wood. Finally finish by inking the edges with brown ink and aging the whole frame by applying chalk ink to the dried painted surface to grubby it up a little.
"Olivia - Growing and Changing"
In this layout again I used a plain chipboard frame. To jazz it up a little I embossed the whole frame with American Crafts Copper Glitter Zing! Start by applying a clear ink such as Versamark Watermark ink. For the more awkward areas to ink I used the Versamark Watermark pen which makes it easier to get into the corners. Then over a folded piece of clean paper I applied a liberal amount of the embossing powder so it covered the whole frame. I carefully removed the frame and placed it on a heat proof mat and used the folded paper to tip the excess embossing powder back into the pot. Then, using my heat buddy heat gun I embossed the frame to give the lovely copper glitter effect.
This is one of my favourite layouts, I just loved the zingy colours and it was fun to do. This was the easiest of all the frames shown as it is a pre made acetate frame cut to size. However you could create a similar frame with a piece of plain acetate and a slick writer. To make the frame feel part of the layout rather than a last minute after thought I overlapped embellishments onto the frame and when doodling the dots to illustrate the path of the butterfly I drew them to look like it had flown around the frame.