DIY Postage Stamp Monogram

I'm writing another guest post for my mom since she will be pretty busy for awhile! It may be a regular occurrence (if I'm lucky).

I can't say I'm much of a DIYer when it comes to arts & crafts projects. Normally my projects are bigger scale, like remodeling our own kitchen and bathroom in our 1950's ranch. Since our house has been torn up in some form or another since we moved in 3 1/2 years ago, it's been hard to find time to work on the little projects that make a house a home. We are almost to the point where all of our projects are wrapped up... I can expect to be done in maybe another 2 years? Now I want to fill our home with personality.

I saw a framed monogram made out of old postage stamps on Pinterest. While my fingers are awesome about pinning cool projects, my hands aren't great about doing any of them. I decided to change that and actually tackle that project. The monogram was pinned from Etsy so there wasn't an actual tutorial. I thought I would share how I created mine here.

DIY Postage Stamp Monogram

Supplies:

• picture frame
• postage stamps (Check a local coin shop. I bought mine when I was in high school because I had a brilliant idea to collect stamps and never did anything with them. I think I got about 500 stamps for just a few dollars. Ebay sells them too.)
• glue stick
• paper
• scissors
• white poster board
• ruler
• pencil

Directions:

1. Cut the solid background for the monogram out of the poster board. I just used my picture frame's glass as a template. Set aside.
2. Create a stencil for your monogram of choice. I would have printed off a letter to use as a template, but my printer is wacky and frustrating so I just used my not-so-awesome geometry skills and made an "M". 
3. Trace the shape onto a thick piece of cardboard and cut out the letter stencil. 
4. Use the stencil and trace your letter onto both sides of some poster board in the exact same spot. 
5. Align and glue the stamps onto one side of your letter. Make sure to slightly place stamps outside of the lines. I lined up some stamps vertically and horizontally, but you could be pretty haphazard with your strategy. If your letter is asymmetrical, pay attention to what side your start gluing the stamps to. Don't cut the letter out yet.
6. Once your letter is covered, flip the poster board over and use the outline of the letter to cut out your monogram.
7. Center the monogram on the poster board background you had cut out previously and glue. Place in frame and enjoy! 

I love all of the different stamps from all of the different places from around the world!

It feels good completing a DIY project. Maybe I will do it again sometime...

Lauren is a twenties-something Kansas Citian working as a website manager at a local advertising agency. Her hobbies include traveling all over the world (whenever possible), fixing up her 60 year old house, scuba diving, aspiring to be on The Amazing Race, and eating yummy Chinese food while watching a good movie.