Yesterday was my little sister’s birthday – 21! And when it comes to buying gifts for her, my usual strategy is to select the most glamorous, sparkly, fierce thing that I would never even dare to sport because I would look ridiculous, but she would look, well, perfect in. This year, in addition to the rhinestone explosion bathing suit top I got her, I decided that she also needed a piece of DIY art that was “so her” for when she moves in to her very first apartment this summer. They grow up so fast!

In this case, I took my sister’s most-used catch phrase, “FIO” (translation: figure it out) as inspiration to capture the cheekiness that is her. The same method can be used with initials, a quote, song lyrics, one or two descriptive words, the possibilities are endless! There were a few steps to this project, so it took a bit of time to execute but it was still super simple. Wanna make one yourself? Here’s how…

You’ll need:

  • one sheet patterned or brightly coloured paper; this could be thick wrapping paper, wallpaper, or an old poster (I used a shiny gold snake pattern).
  • alphabet stickers
  • piece of cardboard and glue stick (optional)
  • scissors
  • oversized picture frame (look for a great shape, don’t worry about colour or material)
  • masking tape
  • one can of spray paint in desired colour (I used a glossy white)

Now what?:

  • lay out patterned paper and cut it to fit snugly inside frame.
  • if the stock of your paper isn’t very strong, you can mount it on a piece of thin cardboard to keep it stiff in the frame (cut cardboard to same size of paper and stick paper to cardboard using glue stick).
  • use your alphabet stickers to spell out your word, name, quote, etc. on the piece of paper.
  • spray an even coat of paint over the entire piece of paper (be sure to do this outside or in a well-ventilated area). Allow to dry.
  • remove glass from picture frame if possible (if not, then cover the glass with masking or painter’s tape) and spray several even coats of the same colour spray paint (allowing to dry in between coats) until original colour of frame is completely and evenly covered.
  • when everything is dry, remove alphabet stickers to reveal patterned paper layer. Remove masking or painter’s tape if used.
  • fit paper into the frame and there you have it! Personalized word art!