These ornate floral antique photo stands are surprisingly inexpensive to make. We used Metallite™ beads to form the post of the stand and created a delightful pool of seed beads around the base. You can choose from a wide variety of seed beads to match these stands to a wedding theme or to your home décor. For a very special photo, try creating a more expensive design using dark white 24 karat gold-plated delicas that perfectly match the Metallite™ beads.
Step one: Lay the lid of the 2 oz round flat tin container upside down on a thick piece of scrap wood. On the inside of the lid, use a permanent marker to mark the center.
Step two: Prepare to drill a small hole through the center of the lid. Before you begin, start the hole by denting your center mark with a nail and hammer. Then, using this dent as a guide, drill the hole. We used a 1/16th inch drill bit. Turn the lid over. If you see a lot of flashing around the hole, use end cutters or a file to remove it.
Step three: Glue the seed beads to the top of the lid. You can choose whatever color you desire. For our three photo stands, we used 15/0 metallic dark white gold 24 karat plated delicas, 15/0 transparent silver lined crystal delicas, and a mix of round 15/0 silver-lined pink Toho beads and round 15/0 silver-lined lemon lime Toho beads. Each lid will need approximately three fourths of an 8g bag.
To apply the seed beads, place a wire or toothpick through the hole you just created so that glue doesn't fill it up. Apply a generous amount of Gem Tac adhesive to the lid. Sprinkle the beads onto the glue and press them down carefully. Set aside until dry.
Step four: Create the wire holder. Cut an 18-inch piece of 20 gauge silver non-tarnish artistic wire. Find a thick highlighter pen or something of a similar size. Starting at the center of the wire, wrap the wire around the pen twice. You'll want to center your wire so that after two loops around the pen both sides will be approximately the same length. Use chain nose pliers to make a 90 degree bend where both wires meet. This will create a nice, sturdy post for your beads. You can straighten your wire post with a pair of nylon jaw pliers if needed. Do not use the nylon jaw pliers around your loops. It will remove the finish from the craft wire.
Step five: Choose and string your beads. You will need to make sure the holes are big enough to fit over two pieces of 20 gauge wire. Not all of our Metallite™ beads have the appropriate hole size, but we have provided a list of usable Metallite™ beads at the bottom of these instructions. Choose your favorite beads and string them over the two wires. If you want your design to be the same as ours, the height of the beads should be approximately three and a half inches.
Step six: Once your beads are on, slip the wire ends of the post through the hole in the top of the tin. We added a dab of adhesive to the bottom of the last bead to help secure it. Pull the wires through and cinch the post tight with a bead stopper or clamp. Set aside until the adhesive dries.
Step seven: Once the post is dry, bend the wire ends in opposite directions to form loops flush to the underside of the tin lid. These loops will keep your post from leaning one way or the other. Apply a generous amount of adhesive to the loops.
Step eight: Cut out a piece of decorative paper in the dimensions of the inside of the tin. Add glue to just the center of the tin and apply the paper. Covering the entire inside of the tin with glue would make the paper look wrinkly.
Step nine: Insert your picture or placeholder into the wire loop, and fill the tin with goodies.
