Heart Shaped Picture Frame From Scrap Metal - Valentines Gift

I made this heart shaped picture frame for my wife for Valentines Day. The pictures are from our wedding day many years ago.

I hope she will like it.

Step 1: Bending the Scrap Metal Strip

First I free handed a heart on scrap paper and then cut it out to use as a template for the wood.

Then traced that to a small piece of scrap wood and used a jig saw to cut it out .

Step 2: Shape the Steel Strips

I cut 2 pieces from my stock of steel rods. Each was about 12 inches long , 1/2 inch wide and 3/16 inches thick.

I drilled some 1/2 holes in the wood block and using clamps was able to shape the metal pretty good.

Step 3: Did Some Welding

After getting the pieces to be shaped pretty well, I used my MIG welder to weld the top and bottom where the two pieces come to gether.

Also I added a cross bar which will be used to attach the heart to the frame it will sit on.

Then I ground down the welds as best I could.

Step 4: Primed and Painted

Used a metal primer to prime the heart and then painted a bright red color.

Also cut out from a piece of heavy construction paper a template that fits in the heart. This will be used to attach the pictures to and then slipped into the heart.

Step 5:

From a piece of scrap wood, I cut a square which is just a little bigger than the heart, primed , painted black . Also added some strips of molding on the edge so it would look more finished.

After drilling some holes in the cross piece, I attached the heart to the wood and added some eyelets and wire to the back.