9 Things You Never Thought to Custom Frame

After graduating from college, you said goodbye to sticking things to the wall using command strips. At least we hope you did. Decorating your home with a custom picture framed at work is a way to show off your personality without needing to paint every wall. Now it's time to think outside the box, outside the custom shadowbox, that is. Let's explore some of the unique things you could frame instead of that same ol' IKEA print.

#1 Custom Fabric Framing

Are you an eager craftsperson, or have you recently gotten your couch reupholstered? Beautiful fabric can be a fantastic custom framing opportunity, and it ties a room together. Some unique fabric framing ideas are:

• Retro Fabric: next time you come across a tiny but stunning amount of fabric from days gone by at a yard sale, snap it up and frame it.

• Fabric Memory: has your mom been trying to get rid of your baby memories, but you don't know where to put them? Consider framing your baby blanket and hanging it in your child's nursery.

• Painted Fabric: buy some cheap cotton and get to town painting it. It can be an excellent way to spend an afternoon with your children or a beautiful date idea to look back on (in a custom driftwood picture frame, of course).

#2 Jersey Framing

As an avid sports fan, you may have more memorabilia than you can ever hope to wear. What do you do with that special jersey you've had your eye on for ages? Get it custom framed and on the wall, of course. That way, you can think back on that once-in-a-lifetime match whenever you're daydreaming.

Top Tip: Alternatively, you can frame your jerseys to reflect on an illustrious college Football or Cheerleading career. A framed sporting memento makes a great graduation present!

#3 Framed Souvenirs

If you're anything like us, you like collecting souvenirs from your travels, but there are only so many magnets you can buy before your fridge is full. Memories don't stop just because you've run out of room. Why not turn your souvenirs into works of art by putting them into custom picture frames?

Some of our favorite paper souvenirs to frame are:

• Playbills
• Brochures
• Ticket Stubs
• Foreign Money
• Photo Booth Pictures

#4 Shadowbox Custom Framing

When you think about stuff to frame, you're probably thinking about thin, easily flattened items. Custom shadowbox framing makes it possible to take your big ideas and get them hung up. Why not get a bottle of that special Wedding wine hung up with a little note to break the frame on your 25th anniversary?

Family Memento: If only one of your great-grandmother's china cups is left, a great way to preserve it can be framed on your wall. Framing and hanging it keeps it far away from any clumsy hands, whether of the adult or child variety.

#5 Pressed Flower Framing

Do you love flowers but lack the green thumb for them? Did you receive a bouquet and want to preserve a couple of blooms? You can fill your home with colorful flowers by pressing them in between the pages of your most enormous tome and framing them. It's also a fun surprise to find a little daisy tumbling out of the pages of an almanac when you least expect it.

Activity: get everyone to pick some flowers during family trips to preserve the memory. You can add little handwritten notes next to the flowers in the frame. It'll be so special to look back on, "Charlie picked this flower to remember where he proposed to Susan." with a tiny buttercup next to it.

#6 Custom Framed Diplomas

Graduating is a pretty big deal, but after we walk across that stage and get cheered on by everyone, we often file our diplomas away. Never to be seen again except during job interview season. Why not hang your diploma up to remember all those long library days? It can be a real pick me up when you feel defeated. A massive accomplishment in plain sight makes room for more achievements in the future.

#7 Framed Maps

We can't remember the last time we had to use physical maps. Thanks to Google and co, finding your way in the world no longer requires a compass and oodles of scout meetings. Maps are still beautiful and a great way to collect memories. Get a map of your spouse's hometown framed with a little star to mark essential parts of their youth. Can you find the park where they had their first kiss?

#8 Completed Puzzles

Some people are just jigsaw puzzle people. They can tune out the world while finding all the corners. We're more the type to get immensely stressed by them but to each their own. If you've just completed a challenging puzzle choosing to put it back in the box can feel impossible. How about you get it custom framed instead?

#9 Comic Books

Whether you're an adult fan of Spider-Man and Alan Moore or a kiddo who likes to get lost in colorful comic book worlds, those magnificent covers deserve to be seen on the wall. Just mail in your favorite comic book and receive it back on a gorgeous custom mount and in a frame worthy of the joy reading brings to you. Custom framing a comic book is the best way to remember getting that special signature at a convention.

About The Frame Room

If you've ever tried to frame something yourself, you know getting something framed just right is no easy feat. Thankfully, we have more than 15 years of real framing experience to make sure you can trust us with all your framing needs. At The Frame Room, we pride ourselves on being your local print and frame store...wherever you call local.

Contact us today to discuss your framing needs. We can't wait to hear all about your art and memories. If you're in Baltimore, pop into our frame shop for unparalleled advice.