How to Frame

If school pictures lack artfulness, make up for it with mats. Try stationery paper, sold by the pound in stationery shops, or colored paper from craft shops. Choose three or four colors. Layer the colors until you find a combination you like, then trim the sheets of paper into successively larger squares, with the smallest square directly under the photo. The layers look best when the colored borders are of uneven widths. Glue the squares together (just a dot in the center of each sheet), then put them in a white frame with a bright white mat. Simplicity Collection 12-by-12-inch frames, $22 each, MTS Frames; 800-242-7173 for store locations. Custom-cut acid-free four-ply rag 12-by-12-inch mats in white, about $12 each at frame shops.

How to Arrange

Hang in a vertical or horizontal line, or in a tight grid of four or six frames, in a hallway.