Subway Art with Custom Mat Tutorial

A couple of Christmases ago I purchased six black 11x14 frames (with white mats for 8x10 pictures) to hang six black and white Christmas images I had.  Before I printed the pictures I added text to each of them so when they were hung they read 1. Have   2. Yourself   3. A   4. Merry   5. Little   6. Christmas. 

When I hung them up again this year they lacked “pop” so I changed them up and this is what I ended up with. 

Subway Word Art is super trendy right now and if you’ve never done it, then you don’t know how easy-peasy it is.  You Seriously Made That posted an awesome tutorial that shows, even the most computer illiterate, how to create subway word art using picnik.

The Christmas Tree in my family room is decorated in a Mad Hatter meets Tim Burton’s Willy Wonka motif and I wanted my word art to match which is why I used lime green, purple, pink, blue, white and black as my colors.  I know these are not colors you typically think of when you think of Christmas, but if they appeal to you, please feel free to print off mine and use them in your own home. 

When I framed the word art pictures I still thought they lacked “pop” so I decided to jazz up the mats in the frames by covering them with the same wrapping paper I used to wrap the presents that were under the tree.

What You Will Need

6 - 11x14 frames

6 - 11x14 mats with 8x10 holes

Wrapping paper

Pencil

Scissors

Tape

This is the absolute easiest thing you can do to add a little pizazz to your frames and pictures.  First, you take the mat out of the frame and line it up on the back side of your wrapping paper.  Next, trace a line on the paper around the outside and inside of the mat.

Using a pair of scissors cut the outside lines on the paper first so you end up with a solid rectangle.  Then, slightly fold the middle of the rectangle and make a small cut in the center.  Now you have a small hole to work from so you can cut out the center of the rectangle.

To adhere the paper to the mat I simply looped pieces of scotch tape and attached one piece to each of the corners of the mat and then placed the paper on top.  I did it this way because is not as much of commitment as gluing the paper to the mat would be.  I change things up a lot and I wanted to preserve the mats as best I could. 

Finally, you place the mat back in the frame, insert your picture and voila…you’re done! 

Now you just have to find the perfect place to display your art.