It’s #MonthlyDIYChallenge day! This month our challenge item was fabric. We decided to use burlap to help create this DIY botanical wall art.
If you’re not familiar with our monthly challenges, each month we get together with some of our very best blogging friends and each create a project using the same challenge item. Some of our past challenges include dollar store items, faux pumpkins, and stuff we found in the trash.
I don’t have a before picture of the frames for you because I originally painted them for our booth. They didn’t sell right away and I decided I wanted to keep them. You’re not missing much though..they were gold and I paid $8 for the pair.
I cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the frame and wrapped it with burlap. I used duct tape to hold it in place on the back. Not pretty but it’s functional.
I found the botanical prints at the New York Public Library Digital Collections. Have you ever visited this website? It’s SO cool! Over 800 thousand free images for you to print and use. There’s so many options for creating unique decor. And did I mention it’s free?
The original botanical images were in color. They were gorgeous as is but I wanted them to look more like a sepia-tone print. I used picmonkey.com to change the color, and if you’ve never heard of it, it’s another cool website you’ll want to bookmark. It’s a free website you can use to edit photos and create collages.
To change the look of my images, I just uploaded them into pickmonkey, Hit the “effects” button and chose “daguerreotype, then chose “shiro”. It instantly changed the images from color to the tan you see in the pictures.
To print the images I had to copy and paste them onto a word document then print.
I used mod podge to adhere the prints to the burlap. In all honesty, I’m not completely sure I’m finished with them. I’m thinking about using thin pieces of wood trim to create frames around each print to finish them off a little more nicely. I like them but it still feels like they need a little something to me. What’s your honest opinion? Do you think they’re missing something?
Don’t forget to check out what my friends did with their fabric! They’re all super talented and you won’t want to miss their projects. Just click on the pictures below to see their posts.
One more thing before you go.. The same friends we do the monthly DIY challenge with have a group Pinterest board where we pin and share all our projects. We’ve decided to open the board up to other bloggers. If you’re a blogger and would like to join the board, you can find more info here. We’d really love to have you!
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I love how these turned out! Burlap and sepia together just make my heart happy 🙂 I think adding one trim around the pictures could be interesting, but I also LOVE it as is.
I need to check out that image library too! Sounds awesome!
Thanks Nicole! You definitely need to check out the library. Tons of project inspiration!
Amy – these turned out beautifully! Your instinct for the sepia tone are spot on. I think that framing the prints would add an extra finishing touch. Ever since you shared this NY library image collection, we have gone down the rabbit hole many times! Great images and endless possibilities! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! For now they’re hanging on my wall as is but I think I will trim out the pictures and see what it looks like. Hope you both have a great weekend!
Absolutely gorgeous! And I had no idea about that awesome image archive!!! Thanks so much for sharing! I love the idea of trimming them out as you suggested, I think it’ll be the perfect way to finish it all off 🙂
Isn’t that image library fantastic?! So many things I want to print. I may never buy wall art in a store again :).
They look so beautiful, Amy! I love the prints you chose! I honestly like them the way they are mounted, but I’m sure your idea of trimming them would look awesome too!
Thanks Kendra! I like them this way too but might play around with them a bit. Thanks for stopping by :).
I am loving this for fall! I didn’t know that trick in picmonkey either. I think little wooden frames around the individual art prints would look really nice. 🙂
Thanks Erin! I stumbled across the button in picmonkey that lets you change the color and tone of your photos. It’s a really cool feature!
I adore this project, Amy! I think it looks beautiful without individual frames, but adding frames would be a lovely touch, too!
Thanks so much, Bre!
Ok this is awesome and I had no idea about that archive of prints!! Totally going to be taking advantage of that 🙂
That image archive is amazing, isn’t it?! Thanks for stopping by :).
These are so gorgeous, Amy! I would have kept those frames too! So pretty! And thanks for the heads up about the image library site. That will be fun to browse through. 🙂
What beautiful rustic decor! I didn’t know about the New York Library collections – thanks for the tip! I really think this looks fantastic as is, but adding some wood around each print might look neat too! Either way, I totally love it 🙂