Intaglios.

Last week I received the latest Ballard Designs Catalog and my jaw almost dropped when I saw this wall of cameos.  These little pictures are selling for $299 PER picture!  The timing couldn't have been more perfect because I just finished a wall of 18 for under $200.  And here's how....

I am notorious for buying items for my next big project and storing them for months if not years before I get to it.  But let's be honest, with two kids, a full time job and this little blog-- I don't get a lot of spare time for crafting.   That being said, I bought these intaglios over a year ago for the wall in my dining room.  Well, bit by bit, I worked on this project and was able to finish just in time before Lou's party.  Here are the results:

Here's the cost break down:

Here's the how-to:

18 Frames.....

I actually made mine without the glass.  The intaglios were thicker than I expected, so the frames weren't thick enough for the glass.

 Some spray paint....

 Presto-chango:

I bought this fabric at G-Street Fabrics thinking I'd use the velvet side... but I couldn't get rid of these darn lines...

So, I decided to use the reverse side, which I now love... it looks like linen, but it's much more substantial.

 I traced all 18 backboards (fabric backside up) and cut them out.

I used my little craft glue gun to glue the fabric to the cardboard.  One note-- make sure to pull the fabric tight to each corner and cut off the excess.  The fabric will stretch.

Then I glued on the intaglios and voila!

Now, with all of that procrastination, the hardest part was actually hanging them.  Thanks to my Pops, who painstakingly hung all 18.  Because the frames were incredibly cheap, the hooks were not evenly attached, so we used double sided velcro tape, which allows me to rearrange them as I choose.  

I am so happy with the results!

Tutorials are not my thing-- but I hope you enjoyed it... Please send me pictures if any of you decide to do your own wall of intaglios!