Keepsake Crafts for Special Occasions
By Brenda Hyde

These two simple craft projects are easy, but will send a special message to those you give them to. Be sure to use your imagination and creativity when choosing colors and materials. This will make your project unique.

Special Moments Frame

Choosing Your Colors

This frame is perfect for wedding, anniversary, prom or any special occasion photo. Choose your colors based on the theme of that occasion. If it's a photo for a wedding where the colors used were rose, white and pink, then buy acrylic paint in those colors.

To paint frame:
Gently remove glass from the frame and set aside. Then, base coat the wooden frame with two coats of white acrylic. Let the first coat dry before applying the second. Let dry completely.

Cut a kitchen sponge into small pieces. Slightly dampen the pieces with water. Lightly dip a sponge into one of your colors. Pat the color onto the frame, back and front, in a random pattern. Let dry. Repeat with your other colors; dry each color. Spray the frame when dry and painting is completed with an acrylic sealer; front and back.

Final Touch

The extra touch to this frame is the miniature decorations. There are many you can choose from. Crafts stores have many choices of decorative extras in plastic, resin or other materials. You may choose tiny roses to cluster at the top of the frame, or two small wedding rings which are available near the wedding craft supplies. Keeping your theme in mind, you will see many choices. Be sure to glue your decoration to the top, or the four corners of your frame, and insert your special photo when completed.

Memory Wreath

You will need:
A grapevine wreath in desired size
hot glue gun, and glue
bits of lace, old jewelry, etc. (see instructions)
Gold and Ivory wired ribbon or premade bow (thickness to match size of wreath)

Choosing your wreath

Grapevine wreaths come in all sizes. This could be a very small wreath or a medium size about 10-12 inches across. I would suggest no bigger than that if possible. You may also use a heart shaped wreath in these sizes or possibly a rustic square twig wreath would also work well.

The Wreath Theme

The theme should center around a romantic memory of the person you are giving the wreath too, such a wedding. You could also adapt this craft for a Baby Memory Wreath, or simply choose romance in general in a Victorian theme.

Your wreath is like an empty canvas, but instead of painting you are using items with texture and substance to create an image. Here are some suggestions for items you could use:

Bits of cream, antique lace
Pearl, gold, or ivory colored buttons
old costume jewelry, may even be broken; earrings, pins, necklaces
Silk or clay roses in muted colors (or the wedding colors)
Victorian look cut outs from old postcards, greeting cards etc.

Assembling Your Wreath

Place the wreath in front of you, with all of your items also laid out on a counter top or table with room to work. Before gluing, place your items on the wreath. You want to space the items over the entire wreath, but it's also pretty to overlap if you have enough to fill the wreath. Tuck the lace bits in the grapevine. You can also glue buttons or jewelry on top of the lace. Start gluing each piece on after you have a good idea of where you want to place your items. Your bow can be placed at the top or bottom in the center of the wreath. I find the wire edged ribbon is especially pretty for wreaths. After the wreath is completed, simply check to see that everything is secure in it's place and you have a beautiful keepsake gift for someone you care about.

Note: If you would like to turn this into a Victorian Baby Keepsake, simply add baby themed cutouts, small baby booties, etc. to change the look of the wreath.