Housewarming Gifts

Last week I went to visit two of my friends

who just moved into new apartments. I wanted
to bring along a little housewarming gift and
originally thought I would give them plants
to cheer up their places. However, after thinking
about it, I didn't know what their apartments were
like - did they have sunny windows? front stoops? -
and did my friends even like plants? Not everybody
has a green thumb, you know ( I can testify to
this, as I have killed many a well-intentioned
blooming gift)! So, I put my thinking cap on, really I
did, and came up with these little ditties:
I had some 4x6 wood frames from Ikea and
just made up a little somethin' somethin' that
they could hang on their wall. I painted and
distressed the frames and tried to create something
that fit their personality and would be happy to
look at :) I think that at 50 cents a frame,
they made a pretty special, and yet incredibly
inexpensive, gift. Perfect!

The second frame I left bare, just sanded and rubbed
in a bit of distress ink on the edges.

I used the emboss resist technique for the flowers and
sponged over them with Baja Breeze (SU!) and Vintage
Photo (Tim Holtz) ink. I absolutely love this one! And,
crazy thing was, it ended up being a perfect match for
my friend's apartment! Love it when stuff like that happens.
The sentiment (Unity) was also stamped in the Vintage Photo
ink and I hope it will be a special reminder for my friend
that she is loved! I'm so glad I didn't go with my initial
thought of houseplants - these homemade frames were
much more meaningful...and much less costly!
I love this craft!!