FRENCH TOILE FRAME -

Welcome to the Inspiration Cafe today!  Danni here from Silo Hill Farm sharing yet another Valentine project.  Really, I cannot help myself....I love Valentine's Day and my house is full of it!  Probably because it's about the only time pinks and reds sneak into my decor!  I have said before that my style is kind of all over the place, but I seem to find something I like in every style and see no reason to settle on just one...or two...or more.  Todays project is a frame with a French Toile theme.

 Now for me, a little bit of French Toile print goes a long way because it's so very busy, so I'm just using a little bit.
I don't buy very much pretty paper from the craft stores, in fact, I almost never do.  I have another awesome source for paper and I'm sharing my secret with you today.  Are you ready to hear it?.......
I pick up old wall paper sample books from the wall paper stores.  Really...they throw them away and most of them will be happy to give them to you.  I have 3 huge sample books and between them, I have an infinite supply of all kinds of paper, textured, solids, prints, paintable, etc.  It's an amazing source and I use them in most of my projects that call for pretty paper, like this one here today.  The design in the heart is a piece of French Toile wall paper sample.  The paper surrounding it is from a sample of coordinating wall paper.  Wall paper sample books usually have matching papers side-by-side.  
Here are the supplies I used to make this cute little frame.....

 The little MDF heart frame set me back a whole $1.39 at Hobby Lobby when they had 30% off of all Valentine's crafts and decor. I like it because it's a stand up frame.  It comes with a little peg that fits in the back that allows it to stand.
Using just a small amount, I painted the wooden edges that would be exposed. 

I cut a little template from the heart and selected a piece of that beautiful toile paper that I liked to cover it with.  I chose the little hot air balloon because I've never been in one, but I want to!  (Wouldn't that be the most romantic Valentine's Day....a picnic, a bottle of wine...the French countryside?)
I used Mod Podge like a glue to attach the paper to both the frame and the heart template.  (A bonus to using wall paper...it's a little thicker than regular paper and doesn't bubble up when using the Mod Podge!)  I put the heart piece on the back of the frame which has little clips just like a photo frame to hold it in.  Almost done!

My favorite part of any project is the embellishment and since this was a French themed frame, I opted for opulence.  I used some thick brocade ribbon, pearl bead trim, some tiny silk ribbon and a silk bow.  All attached with some Alene's Tacky Glue... my favorite go-to adhesive.  (hello Alene's I plug you enough...send me some!)  
I thought maybe I was done, but being a Valentine's project and all, I just couldn't resist throwing in a couple of hearts that I made using this teeny tiny heart punch.

 And then I stopped....because less is more, even with French opulence!   

 C'est très beau n'est-ce pas?  (Oh yes...crafting with French Toile wall paper makes you speak French!!)  Since I had everything to make this, the only cost was the frame at $1.39.  Yay!


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