You Can Make Your Own Art from Stuff Around the House!

Have you ever thought things like:

"I'd love to add art to my home but I can't afford it" or "I want my home to have a unique vibe but I have no idea where to start" or "I don't have anything interesting enough to display" or "I have lots of stuff I'd love to decorate with but I don't know how to display it?"

That was me for years! But after 10+ years of diligently trying I've learned some real gems.  My present self is who my past self wished she knew and could ask how to do this. And I love to share!

Tip #1:  ALMOST ANYTHING CAN BE ART!

Here's a simple example.  It's my favorite home quote.  So I typed it up, cut it out, taped it onto a little thrifted chalkboard...and it's Art! Any of the following could be framed (some would require a shadow box) and become art on your wall:  pressed flowers from a wedding or special occasion, a child's bouquet for mom, love notes, heirloom embroidery or doilies, newspaper articles, a page from your favorite book, Christmas cards or ornaments, a recipe from Grandma, baby cards, baby hand or footprints, ancestor photographs, fortune cookie fortunes, marriage license, heirloom business cards, wedding announcements, vintage dictionary pages, baby blessing dress, maps, movie tickets, jigsaw puzzles, rocks & seashells, menus, playbills, stamps, coins, calendar art, plates, pet paw prints, feathers, photo booth photos, etc. etc.  The possibilities are endless! If you search on Pinterest "How to frame...(fill in the blank)" you will get the inspiration you need.

Tip #2 THINK OUTSIDE THE FRAME BOX.  Shadow box frames open a world of framing opportunities! Or a simple clipboard or clipboards (vintage is even cooler!) can be hung on the wall with "art" clipped in.  Even an empty frame looks nice mixed in with filled frames,  I think of it as a "space filler" until the right thing comes along. Plates (like a plate from Grandma's china cabinet) can be hung with a plate hanger (amazon), no frame.  Or in the middle of an empty frame.  An extra large frame can be hung empty, with several small frames inside. As already mentioned, a chalkboard makes a great frame! Even washi tape can be applied to the wall as a frame.  My favorite place to find frames...and sometimes awesome art...is thrift and antique stores.  Endless possibilities! 

Tip #3 Kid art makes some of the BEST art!  Kids are fearless and unapologetic with creativity and that makes their art amazing!   You can of course simply frame their art as is, like this example of one my son did in kindergarten.:

Or you can transfer their art onto any size canvas for a real statement piece. For an example of how we turned a child's marker drawn "fox" into this framed canvas, click here.

Here's another idea.  My friend's daughter made a sculpey clay + toothpick "family". I painted a background on a canvas, glued the clay figures on, and put the finished product in a shadowbox frame.

Tip #4 NOTHING HAS TO BE PERMANENT.  So don't be afraid to frame and hang things from your house--if you don't like how they look you can always replace them!