monogram art {tutorial}

Remember this picture from a few days ago?

I put together a tutorial for how I made it. 

I spent this morning with my friend Rae who is pregnant with No.4. I think my favorite thing to talk about with pregnant women is what they are going to name the baby. I’m sure it gets old for my poor friends, but I never grow tired of it. I love talking baby names. I sort of wish I could have more kids just so I could name them. Actually, I don’t. I take that back.

Anyway : we were talking about her baby names {both of which I ADORE}. She is one of those crazy ladies who doesn’t find out what she is having beforehand {which is actually really quite fun} but I decided to make this monogram art for the new baby’s room, should he come out a boy. If she comes out a girl, I will tear it all apart and girlify it. But I like the idea for a baby’s room – it is not totally babyish, but still sentimental and a nice keepsake.

Geesh, I’m longwinded today.

So, here is the finished project:

And here’s what you’ll need to make one of your own:

:: picture frame {this one is 5 x 7 with a 4 x 6 opening}

:: linen {or other fabric for background}

:: book page for monogram

:: metal book plate {found in the scrapbook section of most craft stores}

:: stamps and ink pad for adding birthdate, year, etc.

:: glue gun, scissors

STEP ONE: cover back of frame with fabric

Just cut the fabric slightly larger than the back and wrap snugly around the back. Secure with hot glue.

STEP TWO: create your monogram

I designed mine in Illustrator and printed directly on to the book page {temporarily attached to a standard piece of paper so it would run through the printer}.

You could just as easily free hand a letter, trace a stencil, die-cut it or use the transfer method I used to write on my chalkboard wall in the office.

STEP THREE: cut out letters

This took some patience on my part and if I were to do it again I would have mirror-imaged the letters when I printed them so that you wouldn’t see the outline. But I don’t think the baby will mind.

STEP FOUR: attach the monogram

Place the letters where you want them, then hot glue. This was a little tricky for the teensy letters.

STEP FIVE: attach the metal book plate

Again, just use hot glue.

STEP SIX: add a label with the birthdate, anniversary, established date, etc.

Let me talk for just a second about these stamps. I made them. Well, sort of. Last summer when I needed number stamps to price items for the summer boutique I searched and searched for a nice set of number stamps. With a dollar sign. Not too big, not too small. You would think that would be easy to find, but it was not. So I found these clear stamps at Michaels {Martha Stewart brand, but I can’t find them online} along with some dowels and glued them on to create a stamp. Not pretty, but does the trick. If you would rather just buy stamps, these ones are great and so are these. And here is a selection of alphabet stamps too.

And here it is, ready to adorn the baby boy’s room {if he, in fact, is a baby boy}.

You can be so creative with this one – use a single monogram, an entire name, a favorite shape or symbol. A patterned fabric would be cute and making a banner for the date would be fun if you can’t find a bookplate. I think it makes a wonderful wedding gift for a newly established family or a sweet baby gift.

I hope you have fun with it!