Spruce Up Your Walls with Custom "Art"

Anybody out there have a bare wall that needs a little love? We do. It's in our dining room. And it's the first wall of the dining room that you see when walking into the house. So, the focal wall, in other words. It's been left bare for the day that I got around to painting another 30x40 oil on canvas, and that could be a while. So in the meantime, why not put something temporary up? After all, it will probably be months before that painting gets done, and then it'll be time for us to move again (the army keeps rolling us along...). Might as well seize the day.

Here's a picture, the only one we have for the time being. The wall to the left of the tree is the bare one.

Being that we're not actually living in our home at the moment (but will be soon, woo-hoo!), this was a super simple little project done in anticipation of getting back.

You might remember my post on framed fabric, (as well as some examples in Asher's nursery)- well here it is in action! But first let me give you the 411 on the supplies.

Rugged Wearhouse was selling these nice 12x12 frames for $2 a pop, so I picked up three. I like to stock up on frames when I find them on sale. (I picked up a batch for $1 each the trip before that-even better!)

I didn't have any specific plans for the frames until I found these gorgeous napkins at Burlington Coat Factory. For only $2.50 each, they'd make great art for our dining room. We already have black and cream damask curtains hanging, so this print would compliment them nicely.

This has got to be the easiest kind of wall art to make. Period. But I'll give you the step-by-step just to prove it.

Iron the napkins. Thank goodness for the steam function in this (and every other) iron, those were some tough creases.

Take the backs off of your frames, including the cardboard inserts.

Lay your fabric face down onto the glass of the frame. Make sure your print is lining up parallel to the edges of the frame (if it's a symmetrical print, like this one).

 Tuck the cardboard "filler" back into the frame, over the fabric.

 Get those corners nice and snug!

Fold your fabric neatly over the "filler" cardboard so that it won't stick out of the back of the frame once the backing is put back on.

Replace the backer just like you would with a photo. But before securing it into place, peek at the front to make sure you don't have any big creases or wrinkles in your fabric.

Double check it...and there you go!

Here's the whole set, should make some nice dining room wall decor until that painting (or another better idea) comes along.

So let's talk cost. Three frames at $2 a piece equals $6, and three napkins at $2.50 a piece equals $7.50. So, all in all these three pieces of "art" total up to $13.50. Not bad!

I'm thinking about painting them off-white, to go with our white furniture theme in the dining room. In which case, they'd look something like this:

Stay tuned, these little pretties should be hung in the White Elephant in a matter of days! (Assuming they make it back to Georgia in one piece...that's another story.)

By the way, Burlington Coat Factory has got some great stuff! It's been years since I've lived in the same town as BCF, and now that I've discovered one in Kentucky it's almost time to move. Ain't that how it goes... But anyway, here are a couple of other noteworthy items I was tempted to take home...

Would this candleholder make a great centerpiece, or what?! It came in red, green and black, but after seeing the $30 price tag, I think I can get the same look for less. (Watch out thrift stores, here I come!)

Then there was this Ikat pillow that happens to match the curtains of another blogging family over at Young House Love. So that was a fun little find!

Anybody else know of any simple and cheap decor projects? What are your favorite discount retailers?

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Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Philippians 2:14-17 (NKJV)