Bringing it all together.

Yesterday I told you about my seemingly awesome vintage map project for D for our one year anniversary.  I was only able to find 3 decent frames from my local thrift stores.  I went on the search for cork to use as the back.  It turns out I have a Michael's store right down the road from me (yay!), and they had a couple cork options.  The first was a set of 4 cork tiles.  These seemed like the best option as they were thick (and I needed something to account for the missing glass in the frames) and pre-cut squares (less work for me).  The cost of a set of 4 tiles was $10.99!  What?!  I had seen some other cork projects on Young House Love, and they scored $5 cork tiles from Target!  I checked both Targets near me with no luck.  My other option at Michael's was a roll of cork for $3.99.  The cork definitely was not as think or nice.  I got a pack of both and figured I'd work with it. 

This is the large frame I decided to use for the 1914 US map.  The blue mat came with framing that beautiful duck photo.  I had to trim the mat a little and decided to use the roll of cork for ease.  I would have had to use almost an entire pack of cork squares, so the roll was perfect here.

[Sorry!  I just can not get Blogger to rotate this]

And ta da!  First and centerpiece of project done!  It didn't take that long.  I ended up buying the rest of the frames (and had to get another set of tiles and another roll of cork) from Michael's on sale.   

[Final US map in theformer "duck" thrifted frame]

If I would have had more time and energy, I would have trimmed the mat more on the top and bottom.  I added the mat because the dark frame with the brown cork was just too brown.  I may still go back and trim that down. 

[I used colored pins because that's what I already had.  I only marked where we have been together.  We realized we have so much more to explore!]

[US map again, South America, and Australia]

[Europe and North America]

I chose to include North America since the US map would not include places like Canada or Aruba (where we "eloped"). 

[Europe framed in the former thrifted hideous 3-D flower frame]

[North America in the former thrifted creepy girl frame]

[Vintage maps don't always have every location, so I hot-glued some locales that weren't there or visible on pin tops]

 [Africa map in a Michael's frame (which D especially liked).  Not backed with cork since it wasn't visible.  I saved money and used cardboard from the original frame]

 [Asia map in a Michael's frame]

This is definitely my least favorite.  It just didn't turn out well.  The frame is crap.  It's a perfect size, but it was cheap and a bad make for this project.  I also got a bit off on my cork cutting.  I want to re-frame this one.

 [South America in a Michael's frame.  Probably one of my favorites due to the perfect fit]

 [Australia, etc. in a Michael's frame.  Hope to mark New Zealand off this one in a few years!]

And there you are!  We're still not 100% sure where we want to hang them yet.  But I'll be sure to post pictures.  In all, the project cost around $150 max.  It was probably closer to $120.  I probably could have researched other ideas for finding vintage maps, but I like that most of these are different sizes and have different looks.  

Some interesting framed ducks.

Remember how I kept talking about this anniversary project I was working on for D?  Well I unveiled it for him the weekend we went on our anniversary trip. Traveling is my favorite thing ever to do.  And I especially love traveling with D.  We have the best memories from places we've been together.  His wedding vows even mentioned the Mediterranean Sea (which...I still have both of our hand-written wedding vows and plan to eventually do something with those).  Also, have I ever told you how his vows blew mine out of the water...he's the best.  But I digress.  Europe will hold the specialist of places in my heart.  Simple camping trips make us happy.  In the scheme of things, we haven't been that many places.  I decided to do something using vintage maps.

My initial idea came from my friend Brittney's blog where she wrote about gifted art and a cool map she made for her husband.  Brittney linked to this post at Young House Love that mentioned this project:

Above, Sherry actually used corkboard as a back and pinned the map in place.  I went with this idea and ran.  I loved the idea of a vintage map.  I love the idea of using that as art.  I love the ability to track where we go and the places we see.  It seemed perfect.  I wanted more though.  Our international travel has been where some of our best memories have happened.  What do I frame?  Which type of map?  And so the challenge began...I would find a vintage map of each continent.

I still wanted a super old US map.  After scouring ebay and etsy for weeks (and waiting until payday), I scored a 9x14 (I think) 1914 US map, which I had to fight a bit for on ebay.  On etsy, I found a North America vintage map, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa.  Count 'em...8 maps.  I couldn't afford to go out and buy new frames and cork (which by the way is EXPENSIVE).  And so the thrift search began...

[Scored this LARGE guy at my fav thrift store.  I figured it would fit the US map perfectly with the cork and a possible mat.]

[Oh and I scored this beauty inside the monster frame :)  That frame was around $5]

[Don't you wonder how someone ended up with this in the first place?  Good size for my smaller maps.  Also scored from my fav thrift store]

[Another "what were they thinking?"]

Unlike the Young House Love map, I was going for a bit more "rustic," vintage looking frames.  I could always reframe in the future if we wanted to go more modern.  Unfortunately all I could find when checking all my local thrift stores was  those three decent frames.  Others just didn't mesh well (think brushed gold) or just weren't big enough.  

Since I am getting all text happy on you, I'll be back tomorrow to give you a continuation of the project.