Rather than buying wall art that’s marketed as wall art, I like to create my own out of stuff I’ve already got around the house.
I had picked up a package of Anne Taintor postcards at a local museum gift shop a few years back. I saved my favorites for myself and sent the ones that reminded me of particular friends to those friends.
I could have left the ones I wanted to save for myself shoved away in my desk, but I feel that if you’re going to spend the money on something and have it in your house it needs to have a use. Using the postcards I wanted to keep as decor is a great use.
The frames I used are the cheapest frames available at Michael’s in the smallest size and cost a dollar or two each. Instead of using matt board for the border, I used sheets from a small pad of scrapbook paper (I’m not a scrapbooker myself but I find plenty of other crafty uses for scrapbooking supplies). Check your Sunday paper for a Michael’s 40% off any item coupon every week or sign up for their email newsletter because sometimes they send out 50% off any item coupons via email.
All you need to do to put these together is cut the scrapbook paper to the size of the frame, center the postcard on the scrapbook paper (you could use some double stick tape if you’re having trouble keeping it centered while you get the frame put together), and then close up the frame and hang it on your wall.
Total cost of this project (7 postcard sized finished pieces like I have in the grouping above) including the postcards, frames, and paper is less than $30. You don’t have to use strictly postcards, take a look around and see what you have in terms of paper items that looked so nice you had to save them. If they’re special enough to keep, they’re special enough to have on display.
Here are a couple close ups of individual postcards:
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are great and they look awesome! How long did they take you to make?
July 20, 2009 at 10:24 AM
not including the trip to michael’s to get the supplies just a few minutes each. they are so simple.
This is great! It reminds me of how I decorated my very first apartment
I went to the dollar store and found cheap ( hence, dollar store) picture frames, funky paper, placemats and ribbon. I nailed the placemats to the wall to make my small frames stand out, then printed quotes on the funky paper to make neat art. Framed the paper, hung the frames on the placemats and voila!! A $7 art project that filled a nice big blank wall and no one knew it was dollar store finds. It looked so good I continued using it in my next apartment, even though I had a lot more money! Creativity is a MUST when determining to be frugal 
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These are pretty good – and actually if you buy the small magnets at any craft store you can put them on your refrigerator.
Anyway – if anyone have any theme ideas – I’ll be moving at the end of this month back to my parents- and planning on decorating my room but I’m not sure how I’m going to do this just yet. I would appreciate any creative ideas.
Thanks!
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