Hubby's V-tine Gift: Final Reveal

So here is my husband's Valentine surprise. This post was promised two whole, entire days ago...sorry!  We had a few problems hanging the photos.  But it's all figured out now and here is the grand reveal.  I was so happy with the way it all turned out, and my husband loved it. Yea...score!

Check out this post for the how-to on the canvas quote print. The pictures turned out to be cheaper and simpler than I thought.  Well, simpler after I got the process down. In fact,  I'm already planning my next picture project : )

Here is what I used:

• black foam board (20"x 30")
• engineer prints
• Mod Podge
• spray glue
• Velcro
• 2 small nails

It would have been cheaper to buy white foam board and paint the edges, but I was lazy and bought the black instead. The foam board comes in a perfect 20" x 30" size.  I loaded my pictures onto a thumb drive, brought it over to FedEx Kinkos and asked for engineer prints. They are not photo quality but still come out very clear. One of the best parts is that these two prints cost me less than $5, and I was able to get them in the exact dimensions I needed. 

I spray glued the prints to the foam board.  Then using a rag, I applied the Mod Podge in a circular motion beginning in the center of the photo and working outward.  I Mod Podged small sections at a time and used a blow dryer so that it would dry more quickly.  This also gave me a chance to smooth out any wrinkles along the way.  There WILL be wrinkles.  Resign yourself to the fact.  It's actually not an unattractive effect in the end.  

Hanging the photos became a little bit of a chore. Because the foam board is so lightweight, I didn't want to ruin it with conventional hanging methods.  My husband came up with the brilliant idea to use velcro, that way we could reposition the board however we wanted. Sticking the velcro to the wall would have done some serious damage, so I used a small nail to fasten the loop side of the velcro to the wall.  I then stuck the hook side of the velcro to the back of the photos and there you have it.  If the picture was slightly of-center, I could just pull the picture off and reposition.  Great idea, Babe!

This turned out to be such a fun and satisfying project. If you want to try your hand at these awesome foam board photos, just be prepared to experiment. I had read several tutorials before I started and had a totally different experience than all of them. Whatever you do, have fun doing it!!

Linking to these lovely parties:
Craft O Maniac
Making The World Cuter
House in the Roses
Blue Cricket Designs
Lil' Luna
We Are That Family

Sneak Peek: {Hubby's} V-Tine Gift

This year I wanted to give something to the Love of my life that WOULDN'T get eaten, WOULDN'T take him a month to read through (a journal, those fill-in-the-blank books, etc.), and WOULDN'T be stored in a box never to be seen again. My Darling is hugely invested in decorating our home.  Making our house a home is a team effort in every way, which I absolutely love.  I thought of giving him a gift that would remind him every day of how much I love him.  Soooooooo....I chose one of my favorite quotes and created an art piece for our master bedroom. 

Our spa-inspired master bedroom has a HUGE bare wall in need of some coverup.  I had bought this frame at Hobby Lobby for about $20 a couple years ago and never found a use for it.  It's the exact wood finish and style of our bedroom furniture. 

For the canvas, I used painter's drop cloth.  The stenciling required a lot of time and a steady hand. I printed off the words onto paper and actually cut out each word, creating stencils. I used the frame as a guide and traced the words onto the drop cloth.  Using black interior paint (I bought a sample jar a while back and it has gone a long way), I filled in the words using #3 and #0 paint brushes.

Apologies for not taking step-by-step pictures.  I really wasn't thinking about snapshots as my legs were falling asleep while sitting hunched over and cross-legged. BTW, my neck is actually still sore from this project.  I really love my husband : )

I did take this shot of the project while it was still on the floor.  I hadn't even trimmed off the extra material yet. 

To attach the canvas to the frame, I used a staple gun pulling the canvas taught but being careful not to distort the lettering by pulling too hard. 

Last thing to do is attach a picture hanger and then hide it in my craft room where prying eyes won't find it.  I plan on hanging two DIY canvas photos as well.  Post on that project to follow.  Hope he likes it!

Linking to these parties:

Blue Cricket Design
Skip to My Lou
Making the World Cuter