DIYable Thrift Shop Find #4032

I'm still chugging away on my thrift shops articles (all available to read here) which means I'm still trying hard to not spend money every weekend. 

Thankfully, this last time I only spend $2.99 on this framed art. It looks small here but it's actually about 18" wide and 12" tall. I really like the frame even though it is a little beat up. And let's be honest, this is not the best painting ever painted but it's a sweet little scene.

Right now this painting is just leaning against my bedroom wall but I have a few ideas about how to spruce this guy up.

Idea #1:

via Under the Sycamore

Paint over the existing painting with new colors. I saw this on Pinterest awhile back and thought it was such a creative idea. It's basically a play on paint with numbers. It's unique and cheap and could potentially be easy. Although, let's be honest a lot of these types of projects look easy and I over-confidently think I can do it but then I get into the project and... it's a mess. But I'm just crazy enough to keep trying projects like this.

OR

Idea #2:

via A Beautiful Mess

I actually reference this idea in my last attempt at DIY art (here and here). I like this project because it is extremely simple. Stick letters on canvas, paint over letters, dry, peel, and done! I'm not sure what I could write on such a small canvas though...

What would you do? I'm leaning toward Idea #1 but I'll see what my mood is when I decide to start this project. For now, it will just be a weird little painting in my room.

Trend Spotting: Orange Front Doors

In previous 'trend spotting' posts (here and here) I went with less obvious trends, but this trend is pretty easy to spot. Brightly colored front doors are nothing new but bright orange doors have been popping up everywhere these days. And I have to say, I'm a big fan! All images via my 'Outdoor Spaces' board on Pinterest here.

It is very possible that I love this trend so much because I can't paint my front door. I know what you are thinking, why can't you paint your front door? It is because I live in a historical home in a historical neighborhood and we are strongly encouraged to leave any original exterior elements as is. My front door is lovely so I shouldn't complain...

but wouldn't my door looks so nice painted a bright orange??? I think it would look amazing, but alas it is not meant to be. So for now I will just dream of orange doors and encourage others to go big and bold with their exterior paint colors. 

How to Hang an Old Window

On Monday, I shared my little dining room corner make-over. Here is the process I used to hanging the large old windows on the wall. 

A few summers ago I bought two large windows. Why did I buy windows? I don't really know. I had a moment where I was feeling very shabby chic-y apparently. Actually, I think I had just gotten Pinterest and I was in that fever of seeing all these new projects with old windows for the first time.

Anyway, for several months the ones I bought just sat around doing nothing. Then I got an idea. What if instead of putting small pictures behind each pane (which is the most common thing people do with windows like this) I printed one large picture instead? I thought maybe it would look a little more modern that way. So I found two pictures from my trip to Paris that I thought would work and had them printed. I used Snapfish and got the pictures printed in the 20"x30" poster size for $18 each. That seems expensive now but at the time I thought it was reasonable. When I got them I taped them on the back of the frame.

I like the overall look. But the reason it took me so long to hang them is that there was no hanging hardware on the back. 

It is just a simple wood frame window but for several reasons I was nervous. For one it is really old window so I wasn't sure how solid the wood was and so I hesitated to drill into it. And secondly these windows are pretty heavy like 15 pounds so knew I needed heavy duty hanging hardware. But you know what, you can't wait around forever so I just did it.

Here is what I did:

1) Measure and mark a spot 1/3 of the way down the frame. My frame was 30" tall so I marked a spot at 10" on either side.

2) Screw in hardware. I used these hooks from a hardware store. I screwed them in at an angle toward the center of the frame. 

Like I said I was nervous to drill into the old wood but I found that using a screwdriver worked find. The wood was pretty soft (not falling apart soft, just not so hard that I needed a drill) and the screw went in easily. 

 3) Attach the hanging wire. I used 9' of hanging wire on each frame. That sounds like a lot but these suckers are heavy and I wanted to be extra careful. I pulled the wire through the loops three times.

On each side I wrapped the end of the wire around all three strands. 

After wrapping the end around several times I stuck the end through the last loop to make a sort of knot. 

After trimming the ends, the back looked like this.

Admittedly, that looks a little wonky but here I demonstrate how it looks when pulled taut. 

4) Put a screw in the wall and hang them up. The rest is pretty basic picture hanging. I measured and marked where I wanted them to hang and then got out my drill. I have plaster walls so I pre-drilled holes and then drilled my screw in. 

They've been hanging up for several days now and no major catastrophes so I think they are good! If you are hanging a window in a hallway or somewhere where they might get knocked often I would consider using bracing brackets on the bottom corners. I'm not worried about these since they are in a corner but they can move pretty freely with the hanging wire so just keep that in mind. 

Budget Breakdown:

Window - $5

Poster - $18

Hanging hardware - $5 

= $28 each (not too bad for a 30"x25" piece of art!)

I love it when projects go this way, when I think they are going to be hard and then they turn out to be pretty simple. I'm glad I knocked this project off of my mental to-do list and I'm happy to say that I conquered a fear of hanging heavy objects, win-win! More pictures and info about the corner makeover here.

Are you into the old window look? Have you ever had to get creative when hanging stuff on the wall?

Nearly Free Home Updates

I'm itching for spring which makes me want to do drastic things. Thankfully, my bank account doesn't allow me to be too crazy but since I am craving change I've compiled a list of zero to low cost home updates. Hopefully doing a few little tweaks around my house will appease me until the sun decides to come back out and stay.

Washi Tape

So washi tape is definitely a thing now. I remember it was about this time last year when I first heard of it. My friend was planning her wedding and she used it on her invitations. I thought it was cool but I didn't think too much about it. Then suddenly, it was everywhere. Washi tape has many uses but I never thought about using it on my walls. Thankfully, there are people out there that are more creative than me to think of it.

via Pinterest

Want in on the animal head trend but don't want to pay for it? Done.

via Design Indulgences

I love this door design, mostly because it is graphic and black and white, but also because it isn't permanent and that is a beautiful thing. Maybe today you want a large geometric shape above your bed and tomorrow you will want to frame out pictures with the tape... who knows? The possibilites are endless and all for just the price of the tape itself (between $2-15). 

Paint

I don't think I've ever been to a house or apartment that didn't have at least one can of paint in the basement or utility closet (you know I have like 17), so for the majority of you these projects can be free if you use what you've got. Don't be afraid to use the wall color from one room as an accent color in another. For example, I painted my kitchen with one color, used the same color for the accent stripe in the entry way, and then I used the rest of the gallon to paint the second bedroom after I repainted the kitchen a different color. Same for a gallon of glossy white paint that was used for my campaign dresser, to touch up the trim around the house, and to paint a small serving tray. 

via Flickr

I like the idea of painting the back of a bookcase, but it may be more work than it's worth. 

via Apartment Therapy

This is a picture of a kids room but you know I'd totally paint stripes on my own ceiling. This project could be free but dang would it be a lot of work. 

via Shannon Berrey

Painting a design on the wall can be a very simple and easy update. I painted a thick vertical stripe in my entry in under an hour (half of that was measuring and taping) and it cost me nothing. Not only is painting a design on the wall pretty cheap it is also super easy to cover up when you're over it.

via Oh Joy

Don't limit your painting to just walls, I love this door with polka dots. So cheeky.

via Radical Possibility

Or if polka dots are too much for you this little sliver of pink is just enough whimsy to make anyone smile. 

Photo Wall

Frames can get expensive and hanging them can be tiresome so chuck it all and just stick the photos directly on the wall. Why not? This reminds me of my postcard wall art which only cost about $25. Chances are you have a bunch of printed pictures in albums lying around so grab a bunch and stick them on the wall. If you're anything like me all your pictures will be pre-2008 (which was the last time I bothered to print a picture), but who cares if everyone thinks you are obsessed with the year 2006 or your vacation to Daytona Beach, you just tell them you are frugal and that was the last time you spent the time and money to print pictures. 

via The Nest

I like this sort of circular pattern tucked in a corner. 

via Jessica Comingore

This is bananas. I love it. Also, they may be more expensive but I highly recommend 3M strips for projects like this. They stick good enough for a long term hold but they won't damage your wall or pictures. 

Fabric Wall Art

If you are even remotely crafty you probably have random bits of fabric hoarded away some where. Or maybe you have an old shower curtain or duvet cover lying around. Either way you probably have fabric of some kind that can be repurposed as art. Whether framed (I've used fabric as faux picture mats before) or hanging like a tapestry, fabric looks great on walls and if you use what you've got it can be a pretty cheap project too. 

via Couture Splash

I love this big ol' piece of framed fabric. They could have easily used that fabric for pillow covers but framing it is unexpected. 

via Randomitus

With the aid of an inexpensive curtain rod these two panels of fabric look like a dramatic headboard. 

Art

Making your own art can be hard and often more expensive than you planned but here are a few projects that are actually cheap.

via Pinterest

I love this image for a lot of reason but mostly for that dark grey wall and the bright yellow branches. So go find a few branches to clip off and spray paint them yellow (or whatever color makes your heart happy) and stick them in whatever vase you have or lay them on top of a bookcase or on your coffee table and then just enjoy them. 

via Sweet Home Style

I've been obsessed with paper cranes since I was in the 4th grade, I still remember how to make one, so this installation of floating paper cranes makes me very happy. Gather some colorful paper, string, and thumbtacks, watch a YouTube video on how to make a paper crane and bam! You have an awesome art installation.

via JKizzle

String art is majorly trending and I can't say I'm a fan, but I do like this one because they just nailed it right into the wall and wove the string around. It's sort of irreverent and I like that. 

via Trendenser

I'm super inspired by all the creative inspiration boards floating around out there but there is something about this big piece of unfinished plywood leaning against the wall that I really like. It's bold and raw. Bonus points for the use of washi tape and the bulb draped over top. 

Good luck trying not to catch seasonal affective disorder!

Trend Spotting: The Swiss Cross

Do you ever look at Pinterest and see reoccurring trends? Over the past few months I've noticed several pins featuring the Swiss cross. Famous for being on the flag of Switzerland and the symbol for the Red Cross, the Swiss cross is a clean and bold symbol. I love patterns that are strong and simple (like chevron or thick stripes) so the Swiss cross fits right into my aesthetic. Bonus points for it being most often in black and white, my favorite color combination.

Let's have a look, shall we?

via EmmasDesignBlogg

via Pinterest

via Tokyo Jinja

I can't tell if this backsplash is paint or tile, but either way I like it.

via Tokyo Jinja

via mthree design

This garland would be a cute and simple way to incorporate this trend.

via Vart Nya Hem

This is the image that got me thinking about this trend. I love the bright yellow. This would be a basically free project (you could use whatever paint you have on hand) and it would have such a big impact.

via Design Sponge

This is actually chalkboard paint and they just made little Swiss crosses all over it to give it a wallpaper look. Love it!

via Love Life

I'm not sure if that back wall is wallpaper or a stencil but either way I like it. Double like for it being mixed with the bold stripes.

via SF Girl By Bay

This is actually an IKEA hack. The medicine cabinet came plain white and they painted a Swiss cross on it. Since this cross is an international symbol of health care it's funny that it's on a medicine cabinet.

via Houzz

via Houzz

via Emily Henderson

This is one of my favorite interior designs ever.

via Elsie Marley

What do you think? Are you into the Swiss cross? I love it! I'm going to keep my eye out for something with the symbol on it or maybe just I'll make something that features the cross... or maybe I'll just go to Switzerland. Anything could happen!