Easy Artwork

I shared in my last blog post how I have been redecorating on a budget by repurposing the things I already own. Well, you know how expensive new artwork can be, so how do you change things up without breaking the bank?? I have a ton of frames. One trick I learned over the years is to buy a big frame, even if your picture is small. It makes soo much more impact on your wall to have an 11x14 frame with a 5x7 or 8x10 pic in it than to simply hang your 5x7 photo in a 5x7 frame. Also, buy (or spray paint :0 ) frames of the same color. Have some old outdated brass pic frames in the basement?? Whip out the ole black, brushed nickel or white spray paint and go to town. You'll be glad ya did!! I had an old framed piece of art from Pier1 that I got over 15yrs ago. I was tired of it. It was in a brass-ish colored frame, so I of course sprayed it black. Then, I took the back off the frame and turned the pic around to reveal a solid cream piece of paper that already fit the frame. Next, I took the matting from another frame and placed it in the middle of the cream paper. Next, go to Joannes or Michaels, armed with your coupons and brouse the hundreds of possibilities in the craft paper/scrap book paper aisle. I have recently fallen in love with fleur d'alis (how DO you spell that). I found several differnt pieces of craft paper for .50 to $100 each. Place it behind your matting or on top of a plain piece of black or cream construction paper so it looks like matting! and Voila..new art. Here is what the finished product looks like. (I have GOT to get better at taking more "before" pics).

Here is another piece I made for the bedroom.
And....the hallway.


And, if there weren't enough fleur d'alis yet....