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The following are the tools needed to mat and frame a picture of your own:

· a picture· a frame· a heavy-duty piece of paper or mat board· a pencil· a straightedge· an Exacto knife or a mat cutter· tape

The tape and mat you are using must be acid-free, so that they won’t worsen your picture in the long run. You need an appropriate surface to work on. Lay down a piece of cardboard if you do not want your work surface scratched. Make sure that the frame you are using will be able to hold your mat. Mat board is relatively thick, and oftentimes frames will not hold it. Cut your mat using an Exacto knife to fit the frame. You can measure the dimensions and then sketch them onto your mat board. Then you have to measure an opening for the picture and then cut it. Measure the opening for the picture and sketch it in pencil on the back of the mat. Now, you are ready to begin cutting. Tape the picture to the top edge of the mat only. By not attaching the bottom, the picture can lay flat in the frame and will not ripple. Lay down the picture with the top along the top of the picture frame. Get it nicely set there.  Then, take a piece of tape and lay it down vertically in this corner. Do the same thing on the other side. Now we will put pieces of tape horizontally, one against the mat on each side. That will hold the original piece of tape in place. We will do the same thing against the picture to hold that tape in place.  Now that your picture should be hanging beautifully inside the mat, it is ready to pop into the frame and display in your home.