DIY Artwork

April 2, 2010

Image via Budget Wise Home

Budget Tip of the Day: Foam Core

DIY Artwork doesn’t need to have a frame. If you haven’t yet discovered the beauty of foam core, you are in for a fantastic discovery. One of the many uses of foam core is for mounting pictures. It is a very inexpensive alternative to traditional picture frames and can save you a lot of money on very large pictures you may want to hang. Simply lay your picture on the foam core board and trace a line around it. Cut the foam core on the lines with an exacto knife . Apply spray adhesive directly to the foam core and press your picture in place. Use plastic or metal foam board picture hangers to place on the wall. You can find large sheets of foam core at any craft store for super cheap. Wal Mart also has foam core, but it is a bit more expensive. So get out all those old photos you’ve been meaning to frame and try this DIY artwork project the foam core way.

April 1, 2010

DIY Artwork

Image via House and Home

Budget Tip of the Day: Pressed Botanicals

Just take a walk outside and you’ll find everything you need to create your own pressed botanical diy artwork. OK, maybe not everything, but this project couldn’t be easier. Try to find greenery that lays flat or gather leaves and flowers. Whatever you can find. Hold up the greenery to your frame and trim to size if necessary. Then place it between two pages of a book (preferable one you don’t care too much about as the pages may warp or wrinkle slightly). You can play with the shape of the botanical by curving it to the right or left before closing the book. Stack lots of heavy books on top and let it sit for a whole week. Gently remove and secure to your background paper with a little rubber cement. Just use enough to keep it from sliding in the frame. Pressed botanicals look great and provide more impact when hung together in a grouping. So get outside and gather all the FREE diy artwork you want. To save money on frames, switch out pictures from frames you already have or use spray paint to give thrift store frames a brand new look.

Come back tomorrow for a new DIY artwork idea.

Posted at: 12:00 am by Heidi |Filed Under: Budget Tips | DIY Artwork | diy artwork ideas, pressed botanicals Leave a Comment

March 31, 2010

DIY Artwork

Image via Real Simple

Budget Tip of the Day: Use Paint

There is no need to hang anything on your walls if you go bold with your paint. DIY artwork doesn’t get much easier than this. Create a pattern of painted squares on your wall, or let a single square stand on it’s own. Use painter’s tape and a level to achieve an even square pattern. You can get quite creative using different colors, sizes and arrangements. If you want a variety of colors, but don’t want to fork out the money for that much paint, use paint samples. They are usually only two to five dollars per sample and come with more than enough paint for this project. Most of them come in a flat finish, but if you want something a bit more shiny, gently rub some wipe-on poly (available at any home improvement store) over each square before removing your tape.

Come back tomorrow for a new DIY artwork idea.

Posted at: 12:00 am by Heidi |Filed Under: Budget Tips | DIY Artwork | diy artwork ideas, Paint Leave a Comment

March 30, 2010

DIY Artwork

Budget Tip of the Day: Books and Calendars

Books and calendars are such a great place to find inexpensive DIY artwork. If you are not opposed to tearing pages out of a book, you can find some amazing treasures to adorn your walls. Just carefully tear out and cut to size. Pop it in a frame and there you go. The same goes for calendars. Use books and past calendars you already have, or shop the clearance section of any bookstore. The sunflower book pictured here was only $1.00 on clearance and is full of hundreds of beautiful images. This also works great for kids rooms. Just frame pages of a children’s book. Try using something a little vintage looking or a nursery rhyme themed book to add some charm. If there is a particular artist or piece or
artwork you just adore, but cannot afford, search for a book with those artist’s images. You’ll save money and still have beautiful artwork to enjoy.

Come back tomorrow for a new DIY artwork idea.

Posted at: 12:00 am by Heidi |Filed Under: Budget Tips | DIY Artwork | books & calendars, diy artwork ideas Leave a Comment

March 29, 2010

DIY Artwork

Budget Tip of the Day: Framed Fabric

This is such a simple way to create instant diy artwork without spending much money. If you’ve already got fabric lying around and picture frames then this is a FREE way to change up your walls. Take frames you already have and swap out the picture for the fabric. Adhere the fabric with with spray adhesive (available at any home improvement store) or fabric glue. Buying the fabric shouldn’t cost much either since you probably won’t need a large amount. If you’ve got an old frame that doesn’t quite match the fabric you want to use, a few coats of spray paint will transform your frame for cheap. Thrift stores are also great places to find cheap frames to paint. Create a grouping of coordinating fabrics, use a matte, or let one frame stand on it’s own. Use your creativity to come up with your own unique and affordable diy artwork piece.

Come back tomorrow for a new DIY artwork idea.

Here are a few more pics to give you some ideas: