"At Christmas everyone thinks they're Martha Stewart." - unknown author

Every year I decide three days before Christmas that I need to create something as a gift for someone. My poor family members have been the receiving victims of this need. Most years I make some kind of ornament for everyone. This year I didn't. Instead months before Christmas I decided I was going to search for a gift to make and begin it in plenty of time.

I found something on Pinterest that I thought was cute. It was a link to just a picture though so I had to wing it on my own. The victim of this most fabulous gift for 2012.... My mother!

She's my usual target because I know she will still love me even if she hates the gift! :)

Mom has wanted a updated picture if the three grandchildren. She also always calls her own children's dogs her grand puppies. So this year I combined those to concepts into one gift!

I started with a wooden frame (no glass) that I found at Micheal's. I painted it black as well as the clothes pins you will see on the final project pic.

Then I Mod Podged scrap book paper onto the wood backing. Lining this up was a pain in the tush!!! If I have to do it again, I will DEFINITELY plan this part better. But as you all know when it comes to a project I jump in and just want to finish it to see the final project! (If only I were that enthusiastic about my laundry & grocery shopping!) I also used stencils I had to write Grandkids... of course I "eye balled" this part which left it uneven so I had to free style a little heart at the end!

Then once everything dried, I Mod Podged the clothes pins on the bottom of the frame. Printed the pictures and Mod Podged them onto the remaining scrap book paper and cut them to frame the pictures. But then I couldn't decide whether the little red jewels looked good or not, so I sent a few feelers out to friends and family.  The little red jewels won!! Soooo ....here is the final project!!

I think it looks pretty good.(except that I can't get the pics to turn! Sorry about that!) The Mod Podge made the black and white pictures a little too shiny for my liking but my mom said she really liked it! I'm hoping she really did!!! I'm thinking about making another one for someone else.... will YOU be my next victim?? :)