Repurposed art turned DIY "masterpiece"

The previous owners of our house left behind a huge framed poster of the Rat Pack. It sat in our garage forever and I was a little ticked that they hadn't taken it with them. It's BIG and the frame was busted which is, I'm sure, why they opted to leave it behind and make it our problem our treasure.

Fortunately, I had an "ah ha" moment the day I was dreaming of an oversized piece of art for our dining room but, unfortunately, didn't have an oversized budget.

This moment consisted of me ripping off the back of the framed art to see what lay beneath. Here's the front...

And, here's the back...a beautiful blank canvas in my eyes!

It's hard to tell in the pictures but this frame is HUGE and would cost a fortune to have made. Hence, why my brain kicked into overdrive trying to figure out a way to save it since it had seen happier days. 

While I problem-solved, I also began searching for the perfect art to fill my new canvas with. I did a google search for abstract line drawings and quickly ran across one that peaked my interest...

{Abstract Line by Japhycat}

While I give absolute credit to the original artist, I figured this was a fairly simple piece that one (namely me) with limited art experience could pull off with minimal effort. I drew it in pencil initially then busted out the black paint and had at it. You should really give it a try, I'd put this DIY art project in the "beginner" level for sure.

So, back to that pesky busted frame...

Each corner was coming apart and needed special "V" staples to properly pull it back together. I didn't  have special "V" staples so I loaded this giant frame in the back of our SUV and walked it into Hobby Lobby only to find out they didn't have the special "V" staples either. Man, I knew I should've called first! It was no small task walking this piece of art that's about as big as I am into the store and all the way to framing department which, of course, was located in the back of the store.

I was super bummed when they told me they didn't do frame repair. What?! They must have felt really sorry for me as I stood there and looked at them with a complete blank stare, trying to figure out my next step, because they decided they'd "give it a try" and call me if it worked. I figured this was going to cost me a fortune but they tallied things up and said it'd be $37. I said "sold!" and ran back to my car to say a little prayer.

Obviously, things worked out in my favor and that's the story of how I scored my first piece of oversized art for a mere $37. One man's junk is another man's treasure!

By the way, if you haven't entered the Rugs Direct giveaway, make sure you do it today. The winner will be selected Friday!

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Knobs and Pulls- a perfect match?

Okay quick, when I ask you to think about kitchen hardware do you think of a matching set? I'd venture to say most of you said, "Yes." Traditionally, knobs and pulls do match.

Let's think outside of the box a bit now. What if they didn't match? When we moved into our house, one of the first projects we did was add hardware to the drawers and cabinets. We didn't do this in the first house and we began to quickly see wear and tear on the wood. Anyway, I purchased glass knobs and metal pulls from Hobby Lobby.

 

I didn't think anything of it and honestly the thought of these two having to "match" never entered my mind. When people come to visit, one of the most common comments I hear is, "Wow! I never knew you could mix hardware." Why not, friends? Don't you think it's much more interesting to look at things that blend rather than being an exact replication of each other? I do!

Here's what they look like in my kitchen...

There are so many great options when it comes to cabinet hardware. Have you checked out Anthropologie's collection?



 

 

Need a less expensive option? Try Hobby Lobby, like I did. They run their hardware 50% off almost every other week!

 
 

They give Anthropologie a run for their money, don't they?

So, what are your thoughts? Are you a matchy match person or are you willing to push the limits and mix it up a bit?

Do you need someone to help you create a beautiful kitchen? Contact me and let's get to work!

Party in the Bathroom!

Today's Roomspiration party continues at Homemaker on a Dime. If you're just joining the party, stop in here and here to see what you've missed. Today is all about bathrooms. My master bath has a very masculine feel. My husband has some cherished duckies (not the yellow kind) that served as the inspiration when decorating. This duck was owned by his grandpa and I loved the color scheme. So there ya have it, we decorated around the duck!

 Check it out- black, grey, brown, rust and cream. How does this translate to the rest of the room? Lookie here...

I solicited the help of my mom to make the window treatments. She did the sewin', I did the stylin'. I love the texture they add to the room. Eight cheap-o belts were purchased from Target, in XXL size, then pieced together to add a little lift to the fabric.

Let's take a look at the mirrors. I think the easiest way to add a special touch to a bathroom is to replace the huge, builder mirrors and bring in something with more personality. I love Hobby Lobby's half-off mirror sales when I'm tackling a bathroom project.

Lastly, let's add a few accessories...

That's it for today, friends! Thanks for stopping by!