Four Frame Collage - Gift Idea!

So I was surfing around How Does She? a while back and come across her tutorial for make four dollar store frames look good, and I was in love. I knew this would make a wonderful gift for someone.

Jess stop reading - unless you want don't want to wait to find out what I made you, then by all means read on. :)

So I found the frames that were mentioned in the tutorial, and then had a hard time deciding on the finish for the frames. I originally wanted to just paint them white and then glaze them and add appliques. Then I thought about just decoupaging paper to them like the tutorial did, but I didn't want anything to color specific. I know that Jess is redoing her kitchen in a pretty taupe color (very similar to what I've picked for our master bedroom!) and she's keeping the green  that was there along with white, but then I thought that while I envision these frames for her kitchen, she may not put them there. Oh the dilema!

Then I remembered that The Graphics Fairy has this lovely letter image! Bingo....we're golden.

I printed the image out on 13x19 paper. I needed two sheets to do all the frames. I traced around the frame, outside and inside, and then cut it out. I spaced the frames around on the letter in different areas so that no two frames had the same words on it.

After gluing and smoothing out the paper on the frames, I sanded the edges and then dipped a rag into some stain and rubbed it randomly around the front of the frames and then on the edges of each frame. I used Minwax water-based stain in Vermont Maple.

After that dried for a bit (I did not time anything, but I worked on it during nap time, so I would guess that the time it took me to run upstairs, rebink the baby, and then run back down. :) ) I added some more Modge Podge to the front and edges. I let that dry then added the hardware per the tutorial instructions.

I think these frames look lovely against my kitchen walls! I might have to make myself some of these, because I love the effect! They look much nicer than the calendar that is usually there, but that is a project for another day! .

Don't pay attention to the atrocious cut-in work on the cabinet.
I still have some touching up to do!

Please ignore the mess on the desk....
Pay no mind to the man behind the curtain!

Don't you just love the filler cardboard in them? I personally think that the gaudy blue makes the project. ;-)

Oh....almost forgot...in the tutorial she attaches a lovely hanger metal thing to the top....obviously I don't have that. Each frame has a hole in the back for its stand.....a small dowel. I just happened to luck out when I discovered the top frame that I decided on had the hole in the right spot for me to use as a hanger. If it didn't, I was going to add some picture hanging hardware...the sawtooth kind, but I didn't have to, so it saved me some work!

Linking up to:
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/04/transformation-thursday-back-to-basics.html



I hope that you guys enjoy this lovely day!