*This is a sponsored (paid) DIY in collaboration with eFrame who kindly provided me with the frames for this project.
Buying artwork and prints can be pretty expensive. We’ve all seen the fabulous gallery walls on Instagram, filled with stylish artwork and prints – but let’s face it when you still have half a house to renovate, you don’t necessarily have the money for those kinds of finishing touches. I definitely don’t at least!
But that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own art – and you don’t even have to be particularly artistic either! I’m sharing five seriously simple DIY ideas which anyone can achieve, regardless of what GCSE you got in Art!
So this blog post is in collaboration with eFrame who provided me with the frames for this project and challenged me to showcase how DIY and framing can go hand in hand as an activity. All their frames are handcrafted in the UK with a large variety to choose from, including a ton of different mounts, they’re made to measure and you can even upload your own photos to print as well! I’ve been really impressed with the quality of these frames, but I’ll share more on that at the end!
So if you fancy taking on some DIY crafting (maybe with the kids?!) over a weekend, then here 5 simple ideas with a step-by-step guide for each, to get you going!
PS – Scroll to the end for a full how-to video!
1. Create Your Own Stencil Art
You Will Need:
- Card
- Cutting Mat
- Craft Knife
- Pencil
- Coloured or Patterned Paper
- Glue
Step 1 – Cut a Piece of Card to the Same Size as the Backing Board
Remove the backing board from your frame, draw around it onto a piece of card and then cut using either scissors or a knife with cutting mat.
Step 2 – Create Your Shape Cut Out
You can buy your own stencil to draw around for this DIY, print one off from the internet, or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous you can make your own! To help me with mine, I bought a flamingo stencil from The Range, however, it was too small. So instead, I used it as inspiration (read: copied) to re-draw it myself to the size I wanted. You can use any shape at all for this DIY – from a cactus to an ice cream!
Once I’d drawn my flamingo shape out, I then cut around it using a sharp craft knife and a cutting mat. This looks a lot more tricky than it actually is! If it’s your first time using a knife in this way though, I definitely recommend doing a practice one first. You’ll soon get the hang of it though, I promise – it’s just like drawing, but with a knife. 😉
Step 3 – Layer Different Coloured Card On the Back and Glue Down
Once you’ve cut out your shape, layer some coloured or patterned paper out onto the back. I’ve used three different sheets of paper for mine – two pinks in different patterns and one green, each covers a different area of the body. One for the legs, one for the beak and one for the main body – this just adds a bit of interest to the design I think! I used a glue-stick to attach the paper to the back of the cutout and voila, the job is done!
I think this one looks fabulous against this gold frame, although perhaps the flamingo deserves a gold crown to go with it?! This DIY is seriously affordable, I bought several sheets of decorative paper from a local craft shop for just 30p and it only took an hour or so to achieve! You can’t go wrong really, can you?!
2. Hanging Photos with Pegs
You Will Need:
- Tissue Paper (or patterned paper)
- Scissors
- Pencil
- String or Leather Rope
- Mini Pegs
- Photos
Step 1 – Cut Some Tissue Paper To Sit Behind the Glass of the Frame
Remove the backing board from your frame and cut some tissue paper to the same size. If you don’t have tissue paper around, you can also use a decorative card or even leftover wallpaper! This is the one I’ve used.
Once cut to size, inset your paper behind the glass of your frame and re-attach the backing board.
Step 2 – Add Your String
Next, decide how many rows of photos you’d like to add and mark up where your string will sit. I’ve made sure to evenly space mine apart within the frame so it looks nicely balanced!
To attach your string, simply push it underneath the frame and on top of the glazing. You may need to loosen the back slightly to do this, but once the backing is secured down, it should be strong enough to hold your string in place! Repeat this for each length of string/rope.
Step 3 – Attach Photos with Mini Pegs!
Once you’ve attached your rope, all that’s left to do is add some photos! I’m using old Instagram pictures for this (which were from this DIY tutorial 5+ years ago) and some miniature pegs. Hang up on the wall and voila, done!
I think this is my favourite DIY of the lot – it would also make a great memo board or even a gift! Again, this one cost just a couple of pounds to make – easy and affordable! The leafy design of the tissue paper goes so well with the natural wood frame too – it all feels very earthy together.
3. Washi Tape Art
You Will Need:
Step 1 – Cut Washi Tape Into Arrows
This DIY is incredibly simple and all you need is a selection of different washi tapes, a cutting mat, and a craft knife! To cut my washi tapes into arrows, I used the grid on my cutting mat as a guide, cutting two 45-degree angles on either end of the tape. I alternated the way the arrow points for each row and did a total of 5 rows, which suited the size of my frame.
Step 2 – Cut Card to Size and Stick Down the Washi Tape
Cut some card to the same size as the backing board in your frame and then move across your washi tape from the cutting mat to the card! I decided to leave a gap between my arrows and space them apart slightly. I’m not entirely sure this was the best move – I think I preferred the way I’d aligned them before?! But anyway, that’s it! Dead simple! You could do loads of different shapes/patterns with this idea, how about triangles or maybe a sunburst pattern?
Well, I told you this one was easy didn’t I! I think this grey-washed frame is my favourite of the bunch – it’s something a bit different and I’m actually thinking about getting a couple more in this style for elsewhere in the house!
4. Marbling Word Art!
You Will Need:
- Card
- Marbling Inks
- Tray (I’ve used a foil roasting tray)
- Cutting Mat
- Craft Knife
- Scissors
- Printer or Letter Stencils
- Glue
Step 1 – Fill Tray With Water and Add Ink
I’m using a disposable roasting tray for this, but any similar tray will do! Fill it around 1-2cm deep with clean water and then add your marbling inks, drop by drop. You don’t need much of the ink for this and you can mix different colours together for a different effect each time! Once you’ve added your ink, use a stick or spoon to swirl the water around to create the marble pattern!
Step 2 – Add Paper!
Drop a sheet of paper into your ink, making sure it’s fully touching the water surface. Leave for a few seconds and then remove, placing it ink-side-up to dry. I recommend using rubber gloves for this, otherwise, your hands may get a bit inky! Repeat step 1 and 2 for each sheet of marbled paper you wish to make!
Step 3 – Cut Some Card and Print Some Letters
Cut out some card to the same size as the frame backing board and then print out some letters for any wording you wish to make. I’m using the word ‘Travel’ for mine. You’ll need to cut around your letters to use as a stencil for the next step.
Step 4 – Draw Around Your Letters onto the Marbled Paper and Cut Out
This one is pretty self-explanatory I think! Draw around the letters you just cut out onto the marbled paper and then cut these out using a knife and cutting mat.
Step 5 – Glue Your Letters To Your Card
Finally, stick down your letters onto the card you cut earlier and voila – you’re done!
I love the different marbled effect of each letter and I think you could use this marbling effect for so many different uses. The ink for this DIY was the most expensive at £8 for the set, but you need so little, I think it will last ages! It was really fun to do this DIY as well and would be great for getting the kids involved!
5. Plant Picture Collage!
You Will Need:
- Old Book
- Book with Plant Images
- Glue
- Scissors
- Washi Tape
- Greaseproof Paper
- Plants
Step 1 – Layer Old Pages of a Book Onto the Backing Board
You’ll need an old book you don’t mind sacrificing for this DIY – if you don’t have one, I recommend visiting a charity shop for some really cheap options! Rip out the pages and layer them across your backing board, gluing into place.
Step 2 – Cut Out Images and Secure with Washi Tape
I’m using another old book here (again from a charity shop) to use some lovely drawings of plants as part of my collage. You could use old photos if you wanted or anything to suit your particular theme! Cut them out and use washi-tape on the corners to secure down.
Step 3 – Dry Some Flowers/Leaves
Next, you’ll need to collect some leaves/flowers from the garden. Place them in-between two pieces of greaseproof paper and sandwich between a book. You’ll want to weight the book down to press your greenery and leave for a minimum of 48hours, if not longer! Once they’ve flattened out and dried nicely, you can attach using some super glue. Re-attach your glazing and frame – and that’s it, the last DIY is done!
So that’s it – all five DIYs! I told you they were pretty simple ideas didn’t I?! I think they look great together and I’m dead chuffed with the overall effect they’ve added to the room. I’ve cut out some more pages of the same flower-picture book I found from a charity shop to ‘fill out’ some of those spaces and also add a bit more interest to the wall as well. And I’ve also added a wooden print, which was from our old house too.
So here’s a look at the overall finished result as a collection of art pieces:
I loooove it! But of course, the great thing about DIYing your own creations is that eventually, you can always find artwork to take its place if and when you get fed up of it. I’ve tried to pick fairly standard sized frames for this project and a couple has actually been made to measure for some travel prints which I planned to swap out eventually, however, I actually I really love what I’ve made, so probably won’t now.
As mentioned previously, all the frames used were from eFrame.co.uk who sell handcrafted made-to-measure frames. They have literally tons of choice and colours with a large selection of different mounts available too. They come with fixings to hang them and the attention to detail is fantastic! Even the packaging was recyclable, which is just an extra level of care and detail. Oh and did I mention, they’re all made in my old hometown, St.Neots too! 😉
I’m honestly really impressed with them – so thought I’d give you a close-up look at some of the frames that I picked and let you know which ones they are. Please do check eFrame out if you’re looking for any new frames – as the quality is honestly fantastic, but I’ll let you have a look and be the judge yourselves…
Gold Wood, 14mm Frame without Mount
Grey Wood, 16mm Frame, without Mount
Natural Wood, 20mm Frame, With Iced White Accent Mount
Black Wood with Gold Trim, 20mm Frame, without Mount
Black Wood with Gold Trim, 20mm Frame, with Iced White Basic Mount
I would love to know what you think to these DIYs and do let me know if you re-create any of these looks, or if you’ve been inspired by any to create something a bit different of your own! I would love to see!
Watch the How-To Here:
*This is a sponsored blog post in collaboration with eFrame.co.uk. All words and opinions are my own – thank you for supporting this blog!
**Post may also contain affiliate links.
No Comments