No Budget? No Problem - How to Create Free Wall Art

No Budget? No Problem - How to Create Free Wall Art.

Need more art in your home, but don't have the budget? Don't worry – check out this post to find out how you can make stunning, meaningful art for walls without spending any money!  Making free art for walls is actually easier than you think - all it takes is some creativity and a few household materials.

Hello, and welcome to January!  Another year in the books as they say... can you believe it?  I feel like life just continues to fly, if you don't stop, it just may pass you by.  

Well, we did say we would support Meredith in her No Spend January and so here is our first no spend project.  Oh you have seen many of these if you have been reading along with us, but I decided why not another one?  I am slowly, okay, not really... my Christmas décor is still up!  

My husband asked if it could stick around for another week, and of course since I always hate saying goodbye to Christmas, I decided why not?  It's not like I care if we still have Christmas up.  I bask in the holiday glow that is Christmas.  I always have the most difficult time saying good bye to our holiday decor.  Another week will not kill us.

In case you missed the info on No Spend January on Whimsy Home Wednesday, it is where you do not spend money on unnecessary items.  Home decor is one of those things we really do not need in order to survive (despite me thinking I need all the things), and so I think this month will be a lot of fun seeing what we can come up with.

I did decide to begin in our entryway this week, at least thinking about what I wanted to change up when Christmas comes down.  I took stock of what has been there in years past, and decided I think I am ready to change up a few things.  

Remember the octopus wall hanging, then it went into Halloween with our ghost, and then Santa decided to jump into the fun?  Yep, same frame for all of these projects.  See how easy it is to change up your decor from one season to the next spending very little to no money?  I just do not have the storage for all of the pieces I make, nor do I want to spend money on new frames all of the time.  

Plus, you know the best part?  I can store all of the pictures I made behind each other inside the frame so I always know where they are, they stay nice and flat, no wrinkles or tears, and it is so easy to change out from season to season by simply removing the back and inserting a new picture.  I am hoping my easy tips and tricks makes their way into your home.

I decided the lovely rub-n-buffed frame was a good place to start on our no spend January journey.  Embracing the no spend way may just need to spill over into other months.  It makes you get creative using items you already have, and I love seeing what I can come up with when I shop our house.  You can too!  Just look at items you have in your home and see how you can give them a new look.

I went to our organized closet, which might I add, is still in order.  I know, can you believe it?  I am telling you it is amazing to me what a few storage boxes and hooks will do for a gal.  I pulled out my wrapping paper bucket and said okay, what do we have here?  

I chose a gold damask pattern and then went off to check what lovely images I could find in my stash printed from Graphics Fairy (you can find this image by clicking the link).  I love her designs and enjoy using them in our home. Free!  That is the best part, all you need is a printer in order to make beautiful pictures for your home.  Simply print off her vintage designs and use them throughout your home.  How easy is that?

Do you see how my gold paper looks a little worse for the wear?  It is an oldie, but goodie, and has been around a while.  I cannot seem to stop myself from buying wrapping paper at the end of the season (I use it for projects like this AND wrapping gifts).  I think it adds to the vintage charm I had in mind for our entryway.  Plus, it is at the bottom of our picture and you will not see it when it is framed, I promise.  

Yep, added Santa to the back, for some reason, I always put the one that is not being used upside down.  I do not have a reason for this, it is just what I do.  

I cut the wrapping paper to size for our frame, and then I clipped the white part around our printed image to give it a more finished look.  I used double sided tape to adhere it to the wrapping paper (if you do not have double sided tape, use tape, and make a loop and place it on the back so both sides of the tape can adhere), placed it inside the frame, added my Santa to the back, and viola, I had myself a cute as a button new picture for our entryway.  

What do you think?  I am really loving that we will have birds in our entryway for the winter season.  I really love vintage advertisements too; this advertisement was for a candy store located in New York.  I have saved so many graphics from Graphics Fairy, but have never really share those projects here.  I need to get on the stick and keep creating more.  I find I am happiest when I am working on a new project.  

This is one of those projects where you do not need any sort of skill in order to complete either.  No difficult machinery to use, no painting or drawing skills needed.  Creating wall art for our home is something I have done for years.  You will have to let me know if you enjoyed this one.  The best part?  Free!  I love free art for our walls, do you?  

I especially love the way the gold damask wrapping paper sets off the gold rub-n-buff around our frame.  It is those small details that really elevate a free art project.  At least that is my opinion.  

Those brass bells on our door bell are always in the photos I take.  They have grown on me.  I used to try not get them in photos, but they are a part of the wall, and not going anywhere so might as well embrace what we have.  

Ahh... I am loving our snow birds this winter, are they not the cutest?  If you have followed along with us for any length of time, then you know birds always remind me of my grandfather, and so now I can come down the stairs every morning and see these birds and think of him with a smile on my face.  Maybe one of these days I will take up bird watching like he did, but for now, I will just enjoy the ones in our entryway.  

Has this small no spend project given you some inspiration to make a few changes in your home décor without spending any money?  I am hoping so, I love it when I get inspired to make changes around our home, and I especially love those projects that require me to spend little to no money.

This photo from Graphic Fairy is called Snow Birds.  Are you a snow bird yourself, or wish to be?  Not familiar with the term?  Snow birds are folks who live in the northern part of the US, and then migrate to the southern states for warmer weather during the winter.  

I have to say, I do not think I could feel my winters were complete without snow being present.  We love snow, and colder weather.  One, my allergies are less since a lot of things that causes my breathing issues is dormant, and I can actually go outside and breathe in the fresh air.  You would be surprised how much you appreciate the little things in life when you have had difficulty breathing.  

I am sure those Ohioans are not asking this question, but some may wonder which state has the most snow birds?  Florida would be the state with the most snow birds.  We have several friends who have retired and migrate south for the winters.  I understand it, the warmer weather is kinder on your joints and bones, but I still find myself loving the brrr, it's cold out there weather despite my need for a winter coat these days.  Hope you have a wonderful week, and enjoyed this No Spend January project.