By: Ariel C. Brodnax

Have your kids show some appreciation for the family cat, by having them make this creative pet frame. This is a beginner project that can take up to 2 hours to complete.

Plaid Supplies Used:

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint - 20216 Fuchsia

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint - 20513 Bright Yellow

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint - 20740 Parakeet

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint - 20504 Black

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint - 20503 White

Plaid Memory Frame 4" x 6" - 96286 

Other Supplies Used:

Chenille pom-poms 1/4" - hot pink, Chenille pom-poms 1/4" - lime green, Chenille stems 6mm x 12" - black, White felt, Ribbon - your choice, Black paint marker, Hot glue gun, Foam paintbrush, Thin permanent black marker, White cardstock,  and Glue 

Project Instructions:

1. Sand the entire picture frame lightly using the foam nail file.

2. Apply two coats of Fuchsia to picture frame, allowing frame to dry twenty minutes between coats. Apply two coats of Black to picture frame easel back, allowing to dry twenty minutes between coats.

3. Cut out templates (either cat or dog). Lay out ear templates on white felt and trace around each template using the black marker. (Note: Ear templates are mirror images, so trace one ear, flip over, and trace the second ear.). Apply Fuchsia to back of ears (side without the trace marks) and allow to dry. (Note: Paint will bleed through to front of felt templates. This is okay.) (Step 3 photo.)

4. Apply one coat of White to front of each ear template to cover the Fuchsia paint bleed through. Allow to dry.

5. Apply one coat of Parakeet over White paint to front of each ear template and allow to dry. Cut out each ear.

6. Cut white cardstock in half and glue together. Transfer corresponding cat or dog collar tag to white cardstock. Allow to dry.

7. Cut out collar tag and paint Parakeet. Allow to dry. Write pet's name on tag using thin black marker.

8. Tape off bottom of picture frame as shown and paint Black. Remove tape. Mark whiskers on either side of the frame using the black marker for cat picture frame. Randomly paint polka dots using a 1/4" spouncer in Bright Yellow and Parakeet as shown.

9. Outline polka dots using the black paint marker. Adhere chenille pom-poms using the hot glue gun.

10. For cat ears, fold slightly in the middle of the ear and fold across the bottom as shown in the photo. Adhere the ears to the top of the picture frame using the hot glue gun. Add chenille pom-poms to the outside edges of the ears.

11. Adhere ribbon around the edge of the picture frame using the hot glue gun. Adhere ribbon across the bottom, lining up with the edge of the Black paint, to create the ribbon collar. Adhere small piece of ribbon to the collar tag to hang from the collar using the hot glue gun. Adhere to collar and cover with a small bow. Lastly, twist chenille stems as desired and adhere to picture frame at whisker marks. Adhere one pom-pom to the end of each whisker using the hot glue gun.