A Feature Wall On A Budget

Plain. Boring. Old. Ugly. These are the words that I would use to describe the wall in our main bedroom.  

See? ...

But, seeing as we're renting here, I couldn't go about changing the paint colour, as much as I would've liked to. I also wasn't wanting to spend a lot of money transforming this wall from ugly to beautiful. So, I headed out to visit my favourite shops in the world, op shops, to see what lovely bargains I could find among them!

I wanted the walls to have a personal feel. And so I decided to add some of my own artworks to the collage wall too. I only used canvas boards (the thin, flat ones) and two boxed canvases that I already had in my art cupboard and set to painting a couple of pieces. I scoured the house and found some paintings I did that were under our bed and have a 'history' in our relationship, so to speak. 

It is very possible to create a beautiful wall with very little cash spent at all. 

I absolutely love buying and making art for my home that hasn't broken the budget and adds the personal touches that tell the story of my family.

1. A favourite photograph of my man and I that I printed onto canvas paper and framed in a basic white frame. The frame doesn't even have glass in it! I like that though, as I can feel the texture of the canvas paper that way! 
2. A beautiful stitched piece that I found at Vinnie's, I only paid $5.00! I love the bright yellow happiness it adds to the room!
3. This cute little birds nest is, I think, the most expensive thing on this wall ... it is new, and was $7.00. Adding three-dimensional pieces was something that I really wanted to do, and the size of this nest is perfect.
4. My husbands initial. $5.00 chipboard letter, painted turquoise and stripped with black and white polka-dotted washi tape (I've got to put washi tape in there somewhere!)
5. Another piece that I drew using oil pastels and a light blue water colour wash for the background swirl. It's also in a glass-less frame & I like the reminder the verse gives us.
6. My husband loves sunsets and sunrises. So I painted this on a boxed canvas with acrylic paint to remind us that His mercies are new every morning.                                      
    
7. When we were dating, I painted this piece for my husband of the Twelve Apostles. I used oil paints on a flat canvas board. He loves the ocean, and he loves this painting too. I was actually going to get rid of it when the frame broke, but I'm so glad I didn't. It is something that we both love.
8. Another 3D little piece. A butterfly glass, lid thingy ... very technical name I know! It was only 20c at an op shop, so I don't really care about its name, it's just beautiful!
9. My initial. Chipboard letter painted cream and lined with a strip of yellow patterned washi tape and a thin strip of turquoise washi tape.
10. I really love trees. This is a simple little artwork that I painted, using acrylic paint and cotton buds! I already had the boxed canvas, so it cost nothing really!
11. A cute little country cottage that I painted on a tiny little canvas board with acrylic paints. I like that the lights are on inside the home, I imagine a family living in there all warm and snug.
12. Another 'tribute' to my husbands love of the ocean! This is a canvas that I painted at our children's school in an art lesson (before we began homeschooling). It is painted in acrylic and I just love it!
13. Last but not least ... a very cute little oil painting that I brought at an op-shop for $3.00. If you look closely you can see a lady sitting under the tree wearing a lovely dress. It is just peaceful and pretty, so I had to add it to the collage!

I love what Myquillyn Smith writes in her book 'The Nesting Place' ... "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful" ... I think I tend to agree!

Have a lovely day!

(Linking up with Amaze Me Mondays)