Aqua Distressed Monogram Frame {Vaseline Method}

UPDATE! I'm now gradually making these and adding them to my Etsy shop, Distressed Beautiful. Check out the sidebar! You can request your color and letter...wait until you see the red too! The Etsy version might be a slightly different shape of frame moulding, depending on availability (see the pictures on Etsy), and the letter is not on "spacers" so that it won't risk breaking off during shipping. 

Today I completed one of my favorite projects ever! Last week I received my large metal letter in the mail. It was a Groopdealz, for $4.50. Surprisingly, I didn't have any thrift store frames on hand to paint, so I decided to try to make one. 

 I had leftover trim boards from framing my bathroom mirror last week. I had enough to make a 16x20 frame. Having a laser on my saw makes this the easiest thing ever! I lightly sanded any rough edges on the cut ends.

 I used Gorilla wood glue to hold it together and taped it in place.
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Living Room Wall Update {Indoor Shutters and New Frames}

Yesterday I decided to do something about my hodge podge living room wall. If you look at the picture below, you'll see what it used to be. Forgive the poor picture quality, because of all of the high windows in my house, it's hard to get a good picture during the day. 

First, I realized that I had wooden shutters that I could put up next to the window. These used to be the headboard in Cami's room. I have been working on moving the school room, and giving Emma her own room. Long story short, Emma got the queen bed, but didn't want the shutters as her headboard. I'll post about the new rooms when I get them done. 

I added these two pieces because it felt like it should be symmetrical after I put up the shutters.

 Last week I picked up these two large frames for less than $3 each. Rescued Treasures was having a 50% sale on their frames.

 I didn't know what I wanted to put in the center, but I decided on these wooden detail pieces from Lowe's that were about $5 each.

 The inside of these frames are 11x14. They didn't come with a backing, so I had to make one.

 I cut a thin piece of plywood to fit, and stained one side.I secured them with a staple gun. Since I used this cheap plywood, when I stained it, it resembled old wood paneling (think 70's). I didn't like it, so in the pictures you see, I went back and added burlap, so that you can just see a border of the dark wood.

It has made my living room not look so hodge podge. That wall had looked unplanned, and now it looks like someone actually thought about it.

Colorful Distressed Frames

I've realized recently that my house has become too turquoise. I have resolved to add more colors, and refrain from adding TOO much of one color, hard as it is for me. I found six of these wood frames for $1.48 each at Rescued Treasures. I bought them all and headed to Lowe's for paint.One of the colors I've decided I need to add is red. It goes well with turquoise. Have you been to the Lowe's paint department lately? They have a display of some beautiful color samples, already mixed up and ready to go. Great for projects! The dark one is Gypsy Teal (pre-mixed section), the lighter one is Tantalizing Teal, and Heirloom Red, all Valspar. I gave them each about 3 good coats, and then used a 3M sanding sponge to distress the edges.

 I love the way they look distressed. They didn't come with any backing, so I cut a piece of foam board into 5x7 pieces and covered them with black and white chevron paper from Hobby Lobby. Last, I used E6000 glue to add the clips from Wal-Mart. I hammered in sawtooth picture hangers, and voila!

 Hanging them was easy! Have you ever used the toothpaste method? You put a tiny dab of toothpaste on the back of the frame, where the nail will be, and then push the frame up against the wall where you want it. The dab of paste sticks to the wall and shows you exactly where to hammer in your nail. :)

 I love the pop of color that these frames have added to my living room!