photography: Robbie Caponetto
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So, you've been eyeing that set of framed botanical prints at the antiques store but just can't swallow the price. We've found a simple and easy way to satisfy your craving and add instant style to your home: Try making your own custom-framed botanicals. Hang two in a small corner or fill up a wall with as many as 20. You can use our technique to frame any images you like—from architecture renderings to Audubon prints.
1. Select inexpensive frames at a local crafts store, and spray paint them with high-gloss enamel in your favorite color. Remember to spray the frames in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated area. (Tip: We used contractors paper to protect the tile on our front porch.) 
photography: Robbie Caponetto
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2. Find any book containing drawings of flowers, plants, birds, or garden structures (trellises, arbors, gates). Try looking for one
in a used bookstore, at flea markets, even your attic. If the illustrations' copyright has expired, you can take the book to a local copy shop and use the color copier to enlarge or reduce images so they fit your frames. Consult the U.S. copyright Web site to determine if a work is copyrighted. You can also use a color scanner to create your own botanical prints. 3. Center each image behind the glass provided in the frame, trace around the glass, and cut on the line with scissors. Install the trimmed image into the frame. 
photography: Robbie Caponetto
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Done!
Hang your series of custom masterpieces.
You may add ribbon or twine (or both) to hang them. Place the series in a line on the wall or find a sunlit window where you can showcase your favorites. | 
