Antiqued Portrait Collages for Mother’s Day

Moms love pictures. At least I know I do – especially if they are pictures of my kids. I’m a sucker for the portrait studio packages; and have a real hard time turning down school pictures. You could say I have a slight obsession with pictures of my children. My children helped me make these antiqued portrait collages for Mother’s Day to help alleviate that obsession.

These antiqued portrait collages came together easily and quickly. The kids enjoyed working with the craft sticks and the freedom to design how the pictures were placed in the collage. The craft glue dried quickly, which allowed my children to complete the craft in short amount of time. I also really like how the Mod Podge adds textures to the photos and protects them as well. This craft can be completed in about an hour.

Materials

1 blank piece of paper
20 craft sticks
Craft glue
Black card stock or other stiff paper
Print out of the heart, on photo paper, available here
Four or five small portraits of the child’s face, printed on photo paper
1 portrait, 4×6 of the child
Dark wax
Light wax
Mod Podge
Bristle brush
Wiping cloths

Directions

First, glue the craft sticks together to form the edges of the frame. The sticks should be glued in four groups of two and four groups of three. Use the blank paper as a template for how long the sticks should be. Don’t let the ends of the sticks be longer than the paper’s edges, both horizontally and vertically.  Set the sticks aside to dry.

Now, cut out the heart and the 4×6 portrait. These are the focus of the collage and should be the largest items in the collage.

Next, cut the remaining portraits out by cutting around the child’s head in the portrait.

 

By now, the craft sticks should be almost dry. It’s time to build the frames. Place the long sticks (the groups of three) lengthwise on the paper. Glue the two groups of two on short sides of the paper, overlapping the long sticks by about an inch. Repeat this process with the remaining sticks. There will be two frames after this step is complete.

Once the frames are completed, it is time to add the card stock to one of them. Simple cut the card stock to size, and run a beading of glue around the edges of the paper. Then press the paper onto the frame.

Now, add the cutouts. Place the pictures as desired and glue them down. Be sure the edges are glued down securely.

After the pictures are placed, take the second frame and glue it onto the top of the paper. Off set the second frame a bit to add width and depth to the frame.

Now, it is time to add the texture to the collage.

Pour a little Mod Podge into a pie tin, and use a bristle brush to apply the Mod Podge to the entire surface of the collage. The Mod Podge will add texture to the pictures if it is applied in a crisscross pattern. The texture makes the pictures look like they are on canvas when it is dried. Another coat of Mod Podge may be needed, depending on personal preference.

Apply a coat of dark wax to the craft sticks to finish the frame.

After the Mod Podge has dried, it is time for the final changes. My husband actually liked the collages better before the antiquing process.

Antiquing the Collage

Apply a coat of clear wax to the entire surface of the collage, using a lint free cloth.

Next, apply a coat of dark wax to the entire surface of the collage, using another lint free cloth.

Buff the wax with a clean are of the cloth focusing on the pictures.

Finally, apply another coat of the clear wax to the entire surface and buff it until it looks finished.

Which version of the portraits do you like best — the antiqued or not antiqued? Let me know in the comments below.