photo clip frame/plaque.

This project (I'm not really sure what to call it) is somewhat inspired by this burlap photo art at Shanty2Chic, and another project that I remember seeing but must not have saved.

I found these plaques several months ago at a thrift store and bought them because I just knew I could find something to do with them. Sometime.

So here's the first project:

At one of Katie's baby showers when she was pregnant with Jake, she got a card with this poem on it. She loved it (and probably teared up when she read it, both because its really sweet and because she teared up at anything when she was pregnant). I had forgotten about it until last year, when I was helping her clean out a closet in preparation for a move (which basically means I kept throwing things in the trash and reminding her that now was not the time to look through old photo albums).

She wanted to keep the card, but I borrowed it so I could copy the words, then slipped it back in the box. I had a few ideas for using it last year, but nothing really panned out. But I love it on this plaque!

This is what it says:

Someday

Someday, he'll be a big-time movie star
or a fifth-grade English teacher.

Someday, he'll marry, have a few kids.
Maybe not.

Someday, he'll change the world as we know it,
or maybe he'll travel,
send postcards from China, phone you from Paris.

Someday, he's going to be a big, strong man
able to carry you in his arms.

One day, he'll have his own hopes and dreams,
not knowing that once upon a quiet time,
you closed your eyes and made a wish
to one day have him in your life.

To make this, I spray painted the plaque a solid black, then decoupaged (using Modge Podge) the red scrapbook paper on to it (the paper came with the star cut-outs). I printed out the poem and decoupaged that on, then add a coat of Modge Podge on top of everything.

Katie loves stars, and I just happened to have several small metal ones laying around. I spray painted one of them black and decoupaged paper on to each section of the star.

To attach the bulldog clip, I drilled a small pilot hole, then added the screw and washer by hand (the only screw head I had was too big). I used a tip my dad taught me (that his dad taught him) - if you coat a screw with bar soap before screwing it in, it tends to grip better, and you run less chance of the wood splitting.

Then I printed out a black and white photo of Katie and Jake (one of my favorites) and added it to the clip.

(finished product at Katie's house)

She teared up when she opened the gift on Christmas morning, so I consider that a success!

Update: I'm linking this to DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land, Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog, and the Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking.