Easy Valentine's Day gift -- "I love you because ____" frame tutorial.....Pinterest inspired and only cost $1.18!

I came across this really cute idea on Pinterest for a picture frame that says "I love you because _______" and you fill in the blank by writing on the glass.  It was featured on eighteen25 and I pinned it forever ago thinking I'd make it someday to hang it in our bedroom and leave sweet notes back and forth with the hubzy.....and then Valentine's Day came around and I thought that would be the perfect time to actually do it!

Here were my supplies:

• 1 piece of pretty scrapbook paper (12x12)  = .59¢
• 1 piece of vellum (8.5x11.5)  = .59¢
• 1 8x10" picture frame (on hand)  = Free
• Rustoleum oil-rubbed bronze spray paint (on hand)  = Free

We had an old picture no longer being used that was sitting in a box in the basement....it was a yard sale find that we liked the picture of, but were not really feeling the frame.  I took the picture and glass out and spray painted the frame with oil-rubbed bronze to transform it.

{Sorry about the bad picture -- our basement is like a dungeon when it comes to taking pictures!}

I bought a piece of scrapbook paper at Hobby Lobby that I thought would fit our decor, and also a piece of vellum to soften the printed paper so that we'd be sure to be able to see what was written without it competing with the pattern.

{I love the "old love letter" look of this paper.  I was going to pick something with color, but couldn't decide what since we currently have greens and purple in our bedroom, but I want to switch it over to a restful palette of blues, cream, and tan....but have yet to convince the hubzy.}

{I was concerned that the "words" on the paper would maybe make it a little too busy, so I added the vellum to soften it....see the difference it makes?  I love vellum!}

I then typed up "i love you because ______" in a Word document.  I did a Swagbucks search to find a clip art image of a heart and put that in place of the word "love".  Then played with the fonts and spacing until I was happy with it. 

{I was a little nervous that the ink might smear on the vellum, but I ran it through my laser printer and it came out beautifully!}

Personally, I may have chosen a prettier, more "romantical" font for the words, but my husband does not share my love for fun and fabulous fonts (or alliteration, lol), so I thought I'd keep it simple -- since it was a gift for him after all.  ;)  And I did like the way the simple font looked on the "inspiration frame".

I then trimmed the pieces of paper to fit the frame and replaced the glass, then put in the vellum and and the printed scrapbook paper.  Tada!!  I'll probably put a dry erase or chalk marker like I use (and love!) for our menu board, on top of the frame to keep it handy for jotting a reason down.

{I couldn't get rid if the reflection, but I love the way the ORB goes with the blue in our kitchen!}

{I'd love to make some of these in smaller frames too for the kids.....wouldn't that be sweet to write something for them to see when they come home from school each day?}

So, for only $1.18 we'll have a Valentine's day gift that lasts year-round.......an easy way to take a second out of the daily hustle and bustle and tell each other why we're still crazy about each other.   =)

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