Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Art I Heart!

Ladies, I wanted to share with you one of the neatest things I have seen in blogland decorations!  It is
an easy, inexpensive, cute way to have art on your walls.  It's the kind of project I can do!
Here's the materials you will need:

Picture Frame

Whatever Art that you want to hang.

String

Craft clothes pins (I call them baby clothes pins)  I think they're so cute!


Tiny nails and hammer

Scissors

and, ah,  probably a ruler.  I'm so bad about not measuring.  But if you're a perfectionist, you will probably want a ruler or some way to measure.

Here's what you do! 

First, get your picture frame.

Wait! Before you do, let me tell you about the deal I got on the frames for my art project at
Hobby Lobby's 90 percent off sale.  They were originally $39.00.  Can you see what I got them for?  Yes, you're seeing it right....$3.99.  My daughter Rebecca, at Plesant Lines,  brought them to my attention. I think she bought a doz. of them( JK).   I grabbed a couple.  Thanks, Bec!


So, first, you turn the frame over and remove the back.




Then remove the glass (unless you want to leave it in there).  I removed it.


Then you cut the string to the desired length (I placed the picture inside the frame at this point just to see how long to cut the string.)



Then with the tiny nails and hammer, nail the string to the frame in the corners of the frame. You could use tacks to do this or even tape if your picture is not very heavy.




Then you remove the picture from the mat.  The first one came off easy for me, but....


  with the second one, I had to get my husband's help.  It was stubborn and didn't want to come off.    He has patience with things like this and I knew he wouldn't tear it.  I might!


My next step would have been the finishing step - to hang the picture on the string with the  clothes pins, but then I discovered the writing at the bottom of the pictures.   Now why would they go and do that?!

So, my next step is to cut the "wordy" stuff off.  I had two pictures (don't know if I mentioned that), so, guess what I did!  I put 'em together, and cut them both at once. (actually "eyeballed" them, shhhh, don't tell)  Now if one is crooked,  so is the other one! Surprisingly, they turned out ok.  You'll see later, that with the look I'm going for it really doesn't matter!

OK!  Now, we're ready to hang the picture on the string with the little clothes pins.  I couldn't wait to do this part. 
Actually, I forgot to take a picture of this step!  Ha! Ha! Well, have you ever hung clothes on a line to dry?  I sure have.  When I was a young girl growing up that's the ONLY way we dryed clothes!    It's the same thing.
So now I will give you  what I'm sure you've been waiting for; the final step.  The art... on the string... in the frame.... even hanging on the wall!  See it doesn't have to be perfect!  There is enough perfectionist in me, though, that I do see something that I will have to "fix" with this picture.  It is the staples at the bottom of the frame.  Do you see them?   They will have to go....someday!

                                                              Here's the one on this side:


Here's the one on the other side:

 I like the look, because it serves several decorating purposes, I think.  The black frames make it a little modern.  The string and clothes pins make it a little country for sure.  It is,  I guess, what would be called an element of surprise.  Who would expect to see art hanging up on a string unless it is has just been painted and is drying.  Ha ha!  Do you think I will be able to fool anyone with this?  Probably not! 

 The main reason I like it is this;  look at how easy it would be to change the art.  Oh yes, my friend,.....with the seasons!   If you come to visit me in the future, don't be surprised it it's changed!  Hey, seriously,  at Chirstmas it would be a great place to hang Chirstmas cards!
Well, there you have it for my "Art I Heart" project.  Yep, I "heart" it because it was cheap, easy and quick and I guess it looks ok!

I'm linking this to Traci's at Beneath My Heart's DIY Project of the month Party.  Thanks Traci!