Throwback Fun

 My favorite frame for the frame wall is also the one that took the most guts (you're welcome for my edit there) to change.  It used to be the frame for this bridal portrait that I never felt like hanging:

 Call me crazy, but I've always felt that hanging a 16x20 portrait of myself in an eleven-hundred square foot home would have been overkill.  It would take up practically half of our house!  Plus, the fact that it is an almost life-sized image freaks me out a little bit.

This is the closest I have to a "before" shot of the frame (the one leaning against our dishwasher): 

It was a really nice frame already, which was why I was so conflicted about spray painting it.  In the end, I decided that I wouldn't use it anywhere in its original finish, so it was better to change and display it than to keep it under the bed gathering (more) dust.

Since I knew I didn't want to hang my bridal portrait, I had to figure out what was going to fill this large frame.  I wanted it to be simple and meaningful.  The trim piece on the inside of the frame inspired me to start by covering the back with burlap-ish material:

I picked up a yard of the stuff for $3.48 at Walmart and stapled it to the cardboard back while Madison played with Eeyore:

Then I needed to decide what to display.  I dug through our box of sentimental stuff and found two things I liked: an essay on marriage that Pat wrote in high school and a letter I wrote to Patrick a few weeks before we got engaged.

I love the red marks.

Look at the time on that letter!  I cant be up past midnight these days, lest I would surely die.

 I stapled the letter and essay to the backer because I thought the staples would make it look even more like a school project.

 Then came the least fun part of the project.  The little metal holder-inners (you know what I'm talking about) had almost all come out.  These were the only two left in the whole frame:

 After thinking on it awhile, I decided to hammer some wire brads partially into the frame, then bend them over to hold everything in.  It worked like a charm!

 The finished product:

 I like this wayyyyy more than just a picture of me in a wedding dress, because this represents both of us!  I also like the way the colors are layered.  It was sort of accidental, but I think it looks pretty great! 

What is your favorite "artwork" that's framed in your home?  Maybe a picture of your family?  Marriage certificate?  Degree?  Hospital bracelet?  A cheesy letter to your boyfriend-turned-fiance-turned-husband-turned-baby daddy?

Update: I'm linking up here!
-Kelli