Make It! DIY Gothic picture frames

New Year's resolutions. Just say no, people, why do this to yourself? For about the third year running, I have refused to detox etc because it's bad enough that I have to battle some sort of hurricane every day just to get to work, without the promise of wine at the end of at least one of them.

Hanging all my pictures though, that's just sense. At least, that's what I said as I tried to fit 10 lovely charity shop frames into my suitcase coming back from my parents after Christmas.

A friend of a friend apparently managed to get all of her beautiful picture frames for a quid each from eBay. I haven't seen a bargain on eBay since 2005, so tried Asda and Tesco. Eight pounds for one? From a supermarket? Jog on King Midas.

I went to Primark on Oxford Street which was predictably awful, but bargainously so: 6x4" oak-style frames in two for £3 bundles, and 7x4" in two for £4.

Oak-style is a bit grim. My tastes lean to the gothic, or at least the Victorian aunt who's had a bit too much laudanum. To tart them up, I painted them with some black floor paint that the previous owners had left in my flat's downstairs cupboard - the full gloss I tried at first just slid right off the laminate.

I painted the frames with one coat, left them to dry for two days while the New Year's fandango happened, and then sprayed them with silver paint from my corner shop. I'd intended on painting them again, very dry, with more black paint to get a lovely cracked effect, but actually I got that straight off once the silver spray dried.

Now I just need to round up all my bits and put them into frames. Happy New Year one and all, I hope your 2012 is happy, healthy and successful, and entirely free of the words "New Year, New You".