Custom framing is cuh-razay expensive!

Have you ever had something custom framed?  Man, it is cuh-razay expensive!  If you've read even one of my posts, you'll know that there's no way I'd pay a small fortune to have something custom matted and framed.  Nope.  Not when I can do it myself! 

Here's how it started...

About 5 or 6 years ago, my husband and I were living a pretty cool life.  We had cool jobs and lived in a cool place and did cool things.  While my husband was on a trip to Portugal, he bought some gorgeous hand embroidered placemats for me.  I loved them and therefore could never eat on them.  But because they were so special I knew I needed to do something neat to display them...

So a few years ago, I was inspired.  I decided to get one of the placemats embroidered with our name and date of marriage, and have it framed.  Great idea, right? 

 So this is what the finished placemat looks like.  And after having the embroidery done, I went to have my placemat custom framed.  I spoke to the clerk about how I wanted it double-matted and chose my frame material and mat colors.  And the cost?  Nearly $200.  I'm sure you're not surprised to read that I took my placemat and ran.  Fast.  Then I tucked the placemat away and let my dream die...err, hibernate, rather.

Fast forward to present day.

I snagged the below print from my mom before she added it to her garage sale pile.  Initially it was in Junebug's room, but oh, Spartans, this print has been repurposed.

I removed the print from the frame and custom cut some matting paper that I picked up from the craft store for $3.   I kept the same cream colored mat that was included with the frame, but the backing mat I purchased is a light brown color.  I used fabric tape to affix my placemat to the mat. 

Here is the finished project in all its glory.  It's not exactly what I had imagined to begin with, but for a project total of $3, who am I to complain?? 

So I custom framed a piece of fabric--for $3 after "the professionals" quoted nearly $200.  I showed them, huh? Spartans think outside the frame, so to speak.

One day I'll learn to take a straight photograph. 

I can finally check this off my long decor "to do" list.  My house will one day be a home!!

What's on your decor to-do list?