To add intrigue to a plain picture frame or mirror, give it a soft, embellished look by adding a trim of ruffled-looking coffee filters. Besides being very inexpensive, this craft is also simple and enjoyable for nearly all ages. It’s also a great way to repurpose scuffed or worn-out frames.
Select a single coffee filter from the pack. Use plain white filters or choose a shade such as beige to complement your decor. Turn the filter upside down and gather it along its bottom. Let the top of the filter ripple naturally. If desired, brush the edges of the filter lightly with watercolor in a shade that matches your home decorating scheme. Use opaque paint instead of watercolors for a bold contrast to the ruffled look of the filter. You can even brush the edges of the coffee filter with a thin layer of liquid glue and sprinkle glitter on it.
Place a dot of hot glue on the frame and press the gathered bottom of the filter into the glue. Repeat, gathering the bottoms of coffee filters one by one and gluing them to the frame by their pinched bottoms. Place filters very close to one another on the frame as you glue; allowing any space between each filter will ruin the effect of the ruffles. The closer you place the filters to each other, the fuller the final product will appear.
This technique can also be used to add extra embellishment to many other decorative items. Add ruffled coffee filters to foam wreaths, lamp shades or hanging paper lanterns for weddings. Substitute newspaper or magazine pages for a similar yet more bold and colorful appearance. Pinch pages at the centers and glue them to the frame in the same method. You may need to trim newspaper pages to make them a more manageable size before proceeding.