LOVE Frame with Tutorial!

I have been sick in bed with a cold for a few days but my mind has been going full speed thinking of cute Valentine's Day decorations! Here's a little tutorial (my first) on how to make this craft from a Michael's $1.00 Frame. This is a perfect project if you have never modge podged before!

 

Step One: Pick a cute paper to modge podge onto your frame. The thicker your paper is, the easier it is to modge podge.

Step Two: Gather supplies.

Modge Podge, Paper, Paint Brush, Bone Folder (or old credit card), Exacto Knife, Scissors, Pencil, Wood Frame

Step Three: Trace around frame and cut paper out.

Step Four: Apply thin coat of modge podge all over frame

Step Five: Line up the edges of the paper and the frame, when straight, put paper down and smooth onto frame with bone folder or old credit card.

Step Six: After letting dry for 3-5 minutes, take exacto knife and trim any paper that is hanging over the edges.

Step Seven: Color in edges and sides of frame with black marker (I used a Martha Stewart marker) or paint the sides. Oh, and I've used a sharpie before and it works great too!

Step Eight: While waiting for your marker or paint to dry, cut out 6 hearts. I did mine in a program called SCAL (then later cut with my cricut) starting at 2.5 inches and going smaller. But if you don't have a Cricut, you can use Word or just free hand it! That's what I used to do. I cut 2 red, 2 with vellum and 2 with pink.

Step Nine: Your marker should be dry now. Put a THIN layer of modge podge over your paper that is now attached to your frame. Put frame somewhere you won't touch it.

Step Ten: Glue paper hearts together. I did 2 at a time with zig glue, straight down the middle. Then after they were dry I attached all of them together.

Step Eleven: Plug hot glue gun in.

 Step Twelve: "Fluff" the heart layers up.

Step Thirteen: Remember the frame you put out of your reach? Well your allowed to touch it now that it's dry. Take your hot glue gun and attach your heart to the frame with it.

Step Fourteen: Cut a piece of pink (or color of your choice) card stock into a 3.5 x 3.5 square to cover the opening in the frame. I used my big-bad-ATG gun (but a glue stick will work too!) to attach the card stock right to the square piece of cardboard Michael's already put in the frame.

Step Fifteen: Are you still awake?! Good. Now, cut out the letters L-O-V-E. I did this in SCAL. But if you don't have that program, don't fret! Use Word or free hand it! The font I used was Bookman Old Style. Tilt the "O" and glue your letters down on the pink square you just made.

Step Sixteen: Put pink square into frame and your done!

I hope that you will try this project, especially if you are a beginner and don't modge podge often. It's incredibly inexpensive and if you follow the steps it should only take 30-1 hour to complete. If you make one, please let me know,

 I would love to see it!