Framing for Cheap

First of all, please pardon the reflection in the picture.  My ceiling fan is on because it is November in Alabama, so that must mean that it is 80 degrees outside, even though last week it got down into the low 30's.  Crazy weather!

This is my new mantle.  Well, my newly decorated mantle anyway.  I have an idea in mind on how I am finally going to be able to redo this fireplace, but that is for another day.

A couple of weeks ago Shutterfly had their large prints on sale! I have been wanting a 16x20 photo to go above the fireplace, so while they were on sale, I picked one out. I picked up three more for Christmas gifts.  It did not occur to me that even though the prints were cheap, framing them would not prove to be so.

I went to Hobby Lobby and looked at 16x20 frames.  The cheapest one I could find that I liked was $60. $60 x 4 frames = way too much.  And they were not on sale. Apparently they don't go on sale as the framing specialist told me.  Custom framing is always 50% off, but even so, it was still going to be very expensive for four pictures.

However, the "ready made" frames were 50% off.  You know them. The ones with no glass, back, or hanger. I picked one out that I liked.

Walnut Tudor Open Frame 16x20

So now I had a frame and literally nothing else.  TO THE POSTER SECTION!!
I knew glass would be expensive, and I'd still have to find a way to back it.  Then I saw this beauty.

Glazing and Backing 16x20

The frame was originally $33 dollars, but it was 50% off. The plastic was only a little more than $5.  In the end, I ended up framing my photo for just over $25! That comes to a little more than $100 for all four!

I got home and framed my photo using masking tape to seal the backing (hey, it's against the wall anyway!)  It looks amazing and cost a fraction of what it would have cost to buy a frame or have it custom framed.  I am very pleased with the results!