DIY Wall Art

I should say, that I like to think I am a savvy shopper and that I am always looking for a way to get nice things for next to nothing!!  haha!!  My entire house is that way.  Check out my post Looking Normal Again to see a lot of the sweet finds I have around my house!  Well, the same goes for the art on my wall.  I wanted a big statement for a little price.  So, I decided make my own art....well, kinda.  haha!!

On the long wall that leads to my hallway, I needed something large, but what you find in stores can be so pricey. So, I used several pieces to create the same effect.  First, the canvases.  The one on the left was done by my son when he was about 2 1/2.  I like to encourage him to be creative, so I bought him some paint and a canvas, and let him go to town.  Of course he was so little that it doesn't look like much to others, but to me, it's a masterpiece!!  The other canvas was a gift from one of my students.  I will cherish it forever!  It is so bright and creative, I just LOVE it!  The plaque at the top right was also a gift from a student.  It says, "Teachers affect eternity: They can never tell where their influence stops."  Another gift I will cherish FOREVER!!  It was so truly meaningful to receive a gift like that!  The bottom three photos (which didn't show up so well in the picture, sorry!) are inexpensive frames that I got at Wal Mart for like $5.00 a piece.  I then framed some of my son's artwork in them.  The first time he ever wrote his name is framed on the left, a cute "octopus" that he drew is in the middle, and on the right, is a picture he drew of the two of us playing.  I love being surrounded by his artwork, and he LOVES getting to see his stuff up on the wall.  He is very proud of himself and his work when he sees it displayed like that!!  It makes it easy to change it up too as he makes more.  To make it even look nicer, you can always frame it with scrapbooking paper.  I have done that with past work that was framed up there, but the current stuff has so much detail, I didn't want to cover anything up!

Finally, the center of the art wall, is a piece that I made using a cheap frame, wrapping paper, scrapbooking paper, and rhinestones.  The frame I bought on sale at Hobby Lobby for like $10.00.  I then used some gold striped wrapping paper I had at home to jazz it up.  I then took scrap pieces of scrapbooking paper and cut out the letters.  You can put up anything you want, I made one for my sister using their last name.  Although you can't see it very well, some of the paper has sparkles, some are more matte, some has vibrant colors, and some have crazy patterns.  Just mix it up with the colors you have in your room and then use rhinestones and other little "bling" items to finish it off!  It is really easy and really inexpensive!  I think in total I spent about $20.00!  Not bad for a piece that is so large!



HAPPY CRAFTING!!!!