Every time we post a photo that includes the frame collage above our living room’s console table like this…
…or this…
…. or this…
…. we get a slew of emails asking where we bought or how we made the big P print that’s front and center. Well, it’s actually just the first letter of an article in a magazine that we cut out in a neat little 1 x 2 inch rectangle and had blown up around 300% at Kinko’s. You know how some articles start with one large letter and the rest of the first sentence followed? We just cut out that rectangle, enlarged it a bunch, and framed it.
Making it huge and putting it behind glass instantly created a customized monogram with very little work on our part, and we love how it came out! Just flip through magazines until you find your initial and head over to Kinko’s. A few dollars later it should be ready to frame (they look especially great with giant mats and pretty hefty frames to dress them up).
So you too can master the P (get it? Master P? no?) or any other letter that you’d like…
Psst- Looking for more easy DIY art ideas? Check out the bevy of links on our How To page in the “Artsy Ideas” category. And if you’re searching for framing arrangement ideas, this little video tutorial should have you covered.
Nicole Zoe says
Thanks Carie!!!
Sara Jayne says
You can also make your own “drop cap” letter with custom print by typing it up in Microsoft Word 2007. Highlight your first letter, go to the “Insert” menu, and then select “Drop Cap” from the “Text” section. Viola! Then you can have fun changing colours, fonts and sizes! It will be just like in a magazine and it will say exactly what you want — so even better! You can make it really fun by typing up a favourite quote, saying or even some of your favourite book. I think I will make one for my little girls room! Thanks for the inspiration.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip! We love the idea of picking the quote!
xo,
s
Emily says
Hi Sherry!
I was wondering how large your monogram print is. It’s hard to tell if there is a mat in your frame– if so, how large are the frame and the mat opening?
Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Emily,
Good question! Our frame has a 19 x 15″ opening and we blew our monogram up to roughly 13 x 11″ and then just mounted it with a large white mat around it to fill up the rest of the frame. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jazmine says
Hello,
I have just recently become engaged and found your blog (right about the same time actually). I’m not really a do it yourself girl, just yet at least, but I love all of your blogs/information.
I have one specific question about this project… you mention a lot about some sort of mat which you place in the frame, “then just mounted it with a large white mat around it to fill up the rest of the frame.” What exactly is this mat and where can I find one, make one or buy one to put into my magazine monogram frame?
Thank you,
Jazmine
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jazmine,
Lots of frames come with mats (they’re thicker boards, sort of like extra durable poster board with a rectangle cut out to “frame” the art so there’s a nice thick white border around the print between the frame and the art). So if yours comes with a mat you’re all set (ours did) but if yours doesn’t you can go to any craft or art store and say you’re looking for a “frame mat” and they can show you a bunch of different sizes. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
meggan t says
I searched for a “meaningful” article that myself, my school, my husband, his work….were mentioned in to pull the monogram from. no luck. Then, i read through our recent wedding vows and found a great paragraph that started with C and was set! Now our beautiful C monogram will remind us daily of our vows – thank you guys for the easy diy help!
Mike says
Not sure if you mentioned this, but do you know what are the sizes of the above frames? I’m looking to do this exact same thing and wondering the porportions – Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
All of the frames are from Ikea, so the sizes aren’t perfectly standard. The center frame measures 15×19″, flanked by two 8×10″, with a 5×7″ frame stacked on top. And the outer frames measure 12×15″. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Beth says
I had a hard time trying to make this on my own. I ran across a shop on Etsy that makes something similar. It is a framed print with a “monogram” but rather than random words it is a quote. I ordered a custom print for my last name (E) and it turned out great!
fewkindwords.etsy.com
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for sharing that alternative!
xo,
s
Kristin says
just wondering what other things were in your frames? Are they pictures or other magazine pages? I am looking for cheap (as in free, not cheap looking) things…will have to look at wrapping paper and scrapbook paper as well. Any other ideas? Also, any idea how to fix my picture taking dilemma….I take pics of my kiddos all the time (sony digital camera) but when I print them they are 4 x 5.5 or something like that b/c the 4×6 would crop out some of the pic…hence all my 4×6 frames are slightly too big…just thought I’d ask! Thanks in advance!
YoungHouseLove says
Check out the “Artsy Ideas” category on our How To page (see it under the header?) for more DIY ideas. We framed the sketch of our land from our house’s closing, a few photostrips from our wedding, and some pictures we took. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
amanda says
where did you find the sample article? I need a V!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We think it was Inc. magazine. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Chelsea says
What is the size of your middle frame? I’m trying to do something similar and having a hard time finding such a large frame. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
The center frame measures 15×19? – hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kim Sutcliffe says
Hi John and Sherry,
I wanted to let you know how inspiring your blog is. Really amazing. We bought a house a little over a year ago and we’re slowly working things out – our style etc, but there’s much time spent floundering and your ideas have really helped to give me some direction and motivation.
Thank you!! You both have a gift for sure.
Kim
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Kim! So glad you found us!
xo,
s
amber says
13 magazines later i finally found our letter! off to kinkos today…i sure hope this turns out as good as yours.
amber says
epic fail :(
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! We’re frowning for you over here. Hope it works out in the end!
xo,
s
Kaity says
I recently created one of these (an R) for our bedroom. After scouring through my hubby’s Vanity Fair and The New Yorker subscriptions, I finally found one–in a Norman Rockwell article. The starting letter was red no less!
http://ktrefinishingschool.blogspot.com/2010/10/bedroom-redesign-post-5-pictures-worth.html
My question to you is, how did you get yours to come out so clean? When I went to Kinkos and blew it up, it came out a little dark and grainy as you can see from the link. Ours works for now, but I would love to hear any suggestions on how to get it white and pretty!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re just wondering if it was the luck of the paper (it was from Vogue so it was thick and very white, which might have allowed it to blow up better). You can also adjust the darkness of the machine’s print out at Kinkos, so that might help!
xo,
s
Laura Miller says
I love this and I love you guys and your style! I too am on a budget and am slowly working my way thru our old house here in Broadripple in Indianapolis. However, I am having so much trouble with this! I don’t know why, because I have tried this with 2 seperate article sizes and I feel like the article and letter I chose is the same size as the one you guys choose as your example. Then cut out a square that was actually 2″ instead of the 1×2, so I would have a little room for error and the size I got after blowing my copy up 300% was only 4 1/2. I wasn’t even close to covering a regular sized peice of paper! I even asked the guys at Kinko to help me and they had the same result. What am I doing wrong? TIA!
Laura
YoungHouseLove says
If you need it to be bigger just ask them to blow it up by over 300% (like 500% or so). Just play around with things (we adjusted the lightness and size a few times before we liked the final effect). Good luck!
xo,
s
Natalie says
Thanks for the inspiration! You can see mine here: http://nattyknowsbest.blogspot.com/2011/03/operation-make-more-stuff.html
YoungHouseLove says
Looks awesome! Love it.
xo,
s
Erica says
Thanks for the tip, Sara Jayne!!
Jennifer says
Been obsessed with this idea since I saw it! For anyone who can’t find the right magazine letter, I made my own in InDesign with the first paragraph from the first chapter of a favorite novel.
Total cost = $8.00. $6 frame from the thrift shop and 50% off mat from Hobby Lobby.
Jessica says
Here is my version. We love hymns, so I used a hymn that started with “G.” I turned my file from Word into a JPEG and had it printed at Wal-Mart. I recreated another one for a gift in Microsoft Publisher and it turned out even better. I will have that printed at Sams or Wal-Mart.
http://theabegreenfamily.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-take-on-monogram-art.html
Amy says
I finally did it and I love how this turned out! Gave it to the Hubs for our anniversary. I picked a few lines from a favorite song of ours and followed Sara Jayne’s tips from above. All I spent was $1.90 at Kinkos + $14.97 for 50% off frame at AC Moore. Love it and love the ideas. I also pulled off the wedding shadow box. It’s awesome too! Thanks :)
Courtney says
How large is your frame? I am going to try this neat idea, and I am wondering how big your frame is. Thanks so much,
Courtney
YoungHouseLove says
It’s around 18″ x 24″ I think. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Karen says
I really like the big P, too! I also REALLY LIKE the multiple 8 colored ( I dont know what they are) in frames above the couch in the current house you know in the living room with the “kermit” green carpet. What exactly is in the frames? Does anyone know where I can find out if they were made/bought perhaps a more close up picture to see what they are? Thanks tons everyone in advance LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
They were from a local art gallery but she sells her photos on Etsy too. If you search “squaring off” in quotes on our searchbar you should find the post about them. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Becca says
I love this idea! I was wondering, what are sizes of frames that you used? And is there a rule of thumb of what sizes are good when hanging frames in a collage?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, that was at the old house so we don’t have them hanging in the same arrangement for me to measure them but I’d guess the big one is about 24 x 36 and the side ones are 12 x 18 and the little ones on the end are 5 x 7 and 4 x 6. I would just play around with frames that you have on the floor in different layouts to see what you like. Or even sketch something out on paper and look at the proportions of your drawing and try to guess coordinating frame sizes. Good luck!
xo,
s
Chris says
make em say uhhh
Rachel says
Hi there,
I love this look, and we have a “P” last name as well! Somewhere else on your blog it mentioned that you sell the prints in your shop- but I couldn’t find them. Do you still do that? Thanks!
Rachel
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s a post all about how we made it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s