Two Dollar Custom Cow Art Frame
You guys! First off, how much do you LOVE this vintaged cow print?? I picked it up yesterday at one of my new favorite stores, Farmhouse & Co. … I am seriously smitten! If you live in Denver and have’t visited this boutique, you need to go! You won’t regret it!
This print immediately caught my eye and I knew I had to have it! The tall, staircase wall in our home has been screaming for a statement piece (during the holidays we hang a gigantic wreath, however the rest of the season it sits bare and empty) and this is the exact spot I had in mind. I immediately texted my husband a picture, to which he responded “does it speak to you?” Now I know when he asks me this, he is really saying… “oh, great… what are you bringing home now?? Does it speak to you like the 300lb letterpress we lugged around to 3 different homes, in 3 different states?! Or, does it speak to you like the old phonograph we dragged home that played beautiful, crackly holiday records (once a year), but took up an entire corner of our living room?” He’s got me there. A lot of things “speak” to me and I have to have them, but this one, I truly had a plan for! He agreed and $38 later I drove home with a huge smile on my face! And, yes, you read that right.. $38!! Such a steal!
When my hubby saw it person, he agreed that it was actually pretty cool, but being who he is, he was really bothered by the curled corners and wanted to frame it. Now me, I LOVE the raw edges of the print and think that it makes it organic, free flowing and beautiful. So, I came up with a solution and, you guys, it was ONLY $2 and I LOVE how it looks! Below you can read how I made this custom cow “frame” and how you can do it with your prints, large or small.
TOOLS NEEDED (many you will probably have on hand)
• 2 pieces of pine 1x2x8 (depending on your print, you might only need 1. My print is 4′ wide x 3′ tall. I picked these up at The Home Depot for .97 each in the lumber section)
• Staple Gun (I own one of these already)
• Stain (I had this on hand, but you only need a tiny amount and the small containers, which can be picked up at Home Depot will be plenty. You can also make your own aged wood stain using a jar of vinegar and steel wool or leave it natural)
• Tea Cup Hooks (had on hand from previous projects)
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Take the measurement of your print and add a 1/2″ to that number. This will give you a 1/4″ overhang on either side of your print.
• Pick up your pine pieces at The Home Depot and ask them to cut them to your needed dimensions (the cuts are FREE). I had my handy, helpful hubby cut ours 🙂
• Once you have your cut pieces, give them a quick sanding. Pine will naturally have a rough and splintery texture, so this will smooth the wood out nicely, so it doesn’t catch and splinter your print (or fingers).
• Once sanded, apply your stain. I used Minwax Special Walnut.
• Once the stain has been applied, wiped away and dried, spread the print out and lay your wood “frames” on top where you would like them to be. Next, carefully roll the wood and print back, revealing the underside, and staple your print to the wood. I stapled all the way down the length of my frame, leaving about 3″ in between each staple.
• Measure the location and twist in the tea cup hooks to the top of the frame
• Hang and admire!