Turn Trash into Art! Egg shell picture frame

This, my friends, is an egg shell picture frame.  Don't you love the texture?  I've seen this done in Brazil, and I thought I'd give it a try for this cute valentine's frame I had.  This picture doesn't do it justice, it really is a very cool texture, and you can't really tell what you're looking at, which is half the fun.

Let's get to the tutorial

You will need:

1. Wooden frame ($1.00 at Michael's)

2. Mod Podge ($6.97 at Walmart)

3. Acrylic paint in hot pink ($.50 at Michael's)

4. Sponge applicator ($1.00 for 4 at JoAnn's)

5. Clean and dry egg shells.  I think I have about 8 egg shells here

1. With your finger, apply a thick layer of mod podge to the wood, then brake off little pieces of the egg shells and apply it to the glue.  Make sure to lay them curve side down, so it doesn't poke you or breaks off easily from your frame.

2. Another tip - don't brake the pieces too small, it'll be impossible to handle.  Make them a little bigger and lay them down, then just push it down to crack it right on the frame itself. Much easier to work with that way.

3. Once you've covered your frame, let it dry completely before moving on.  I think it took just about 20 minutes.

4. Using your sponge applicator, paint the edges and the inside of your frame in the color of your choice.

5. Very gently, apply paint to the egg shell surface.  I did two coats.  Just push the sponge down on the surface until you get your desired color intensity.  Let it dry.  

6. Once it's completely dry, apply another layer of mod podge to your frame, it'll protect it and give it a nice shinny finish.  Let it dry.

There you have it!  I made a little flower out of some scraps of tulle and added a little embellishment to my frame, but you could just leave it as is, or do whatever with it, just make it special to you!

Happy Valentine's Day!