Repurpose Doilies and Paint Samples into Unique Wall Art
Do you have a collection of delicate vintage doilies tucked away and a pile of colorful peel-and-stick paint samples gathering dust? Prepare to give these often overlooked treasures a vibrant new purpose! This tutorial will let creativity flow to repurpose doilies and paint samples into unique wall art. Time to think outside the box! Forget store-bought decor; let’s use some thrift store finds and ordinary peel-and-stick paint samples to craft a one-of-a-kind piece that blends vintage charm with a modern, textured twist.
When I came across this pack of doilies, I envisioned a wall hanging or garland. The price tag was also too good to pass up for a future project. You may have some of your grandmother’s or your auntie’s doilies. Why not make something with them?
I love to upcycle and repurpose items. Grab that stash of doilies from your grandmother or thrifty store bargain finds, and let’s have some fun. You can transform simple materials like old glass window frames and vintage rusty chains into captivating statement pieces inside your home or front porch.
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Willow Planters with Square Bottoms
Set of two!
Easy Step-By-Step Tutorial To Create Unique Wall Art By Repurpose Doilies and Paint Samples
Supplies:
1. Attach The Chain
Old window frames can be found at thrift stores, Amish and vintage markets, yard sales, and other places. I found this one digging through junk at a roadside junk shop, as my husband called it.
You can repaint it any color. I loved its current state with all the dents and marks. They add character and charm to the piece.
This rusty old chain came off of something. I thought it would be great to use it on a project. It is the perfect chain to hang this frame. To use the chain to hang the window frame, adhere a wood-screw about 1 inch from the top. You will place the wood-screw through the chain and tighten it with a screw driver until it is securely against the frame. You need to make sure the screw head is larger than the chain. This will hold the chain in place. Do this on each side of the frame.
2. Creating The Background
To create a cardboard insert, measure the inside of your window frame. Once you have determined the size, transfer the measurements onto scrap cardboard. Use a pencil or a Sharpie to draw your line with a ruler. Cut out a cardboard square with scissors. Repeat until you have four squares.
Peel the back of the paint sample. Lay your cardboard square onto the sticky side of the paint sample. Press firmly down. With a pair of scissors, trim the excess paint sample from around the cardboard. Flip over and smooth out any air bubbles.
3. Adding The Doillies
Before gluing any doilies to the color squares, lay them out to determine which design or group of doilies you want to use. Then you can apply a few dabs of hot glue in a few places to secure the doilies to the paint squares.
For one of the squares, I layered two beautiful, delicate patterns together. Then, hot glue was applied in various areas to hold the doilies in place. Please use caution when hot-gluing doilies to avoid possible burns. The doilies are open in many areas, so I recommend using silicone thimbles to protect your fingers.
The doily was lifted on one side, and hot glue was strategically applied to preserve it. Continue across the doily in various areas, dabbing some hot glue.
4. Creating The Final Wall Artwork
Determine your layout of the doily squares. Push the square against one of the glass window panes. It should fit snugly into the pane. If you feel it is a little loose, add a piece of clear packaging tape to adhere it to the cardboard and frame for extra security.
Do not glue the cardboard tiles into the frame because you may want to change the look later. This way, you can return to a plain window frame and use it for another project.
Other Craft Project Ideas Using Paint or Wallpaper Samples
Remember not to throw away peel-and-stick paint or wallpaper samples. You can use them for a multitude of craft projects. Below are some ideas!
With Peel-and-Stick Paint Samples:
- Bookmarks: Layer a few samples or adhere a single one to cardstock for unique and colorful bookmarks.
- Greeting Cards and Gift Tags: Use them as colorful accents or backgrounds for handmade cards and tags.
- Kids’ Crafts: They’re perfect for little hands to create collages, decorate paper crafts, or learn about colors and shapes.
- Laptop or Phone Decals: To personalize your tech, cut out interesting shapes or patterns.
- Drawer Liner Accents: Add a pop of color and pattern to the inside of drawers or shelves.
With Wallpaper Samples:
- Framed Art: Mount striking wallpaper patterns in picture frames for instant, impactful wall art. Group several in different sizes and patterns for a gallery wall.
- Bookbinding or Covering: For a fresh look, use wallpaper to cover notebooks, journals, or even old hardcover books.
- Drawer and Shelf Liners: Wallpaper adds a touch of elegance and protects surfaces inside drawers and on shelves.
- Decoupage Projects: Cut out interesting motifs from wallpaper and use them for decoupage on furniture, boxes, or trays.
- Gift Wrapping: Unique and beautiful gift wrap alternative, especially for small items.
Unique Wall Art
This unique wall art is exactly what this space needed. Before, the window frame was plain and boring, but now it has a touch of vintage charm.
Below is the before photo of the frame hung. It appears washed out on the light gray wall.
This potting table was once raw wood. It was finished with paint and stain. You can read about it in the DIY Potting Table Makeover: From Plain to Pretty in One Weekend.
Nestled in my garage is a farmhouse potting table, a haven for all my gardening supplies. Above it, a vintage drawer, now a charming wall-mounted organizer, holds smaller tools. This setup provides an ideal stage for my growing collection of vintage flower frogs. Are you familiar with these fascinating little treasures? I’m a devoted fan and always on the hunt for affordable finds! Find out what they are and how to use them here.
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About The Handcrafted Society
It has been a joy to be a part of the Handcrafted Society. Follow along each month as we share the inspirational projects you can create for your home. This month, we will focus on projects using doilies.
What I love about the Handcrafted Society is seeing all the passion and creativity. We are creating using the same medium or a similar theme. It is so inspiring to see everyone’s project interpretations.
You will find a gallery of this month’s projects at the end of this post. Each image links to the blogger’s tutorial, inspiring you to create something that reflects your style.
More than just a decorative piece, this doily-and-paint-sample artwork embodies the beauty of giving new life to the old. Hanging above my potting station reminds me that even the most humble materials can be combined to create something unique and meaningful. It’s a little handmade charm in a hardworking space, a testament to the joy of making and the stories our repurposed creations can tell.
Head over to the links above to see the incredible creations from our talented Handcrafted Society members, and don’t be shy – share your project using #HandcraftedSociety on social media! We can’t wait to see what you come up with.
If you make my project similar, please send me a photo at whitelilacfarmhouse@gmail.com. I would love to feature your project on my blog.
XOXO,
Hi Tammy, this turned out so fabulous, doilies make the most beautiful art! I adore how you repurposed an old window into a frame, and using paint samples as the backing is genius! It looks wonderful hanging over your potting bench!
Thank you so much, Donna. I loved your project too!
Such a fun way to add a personal touch to your garden supplies and potting station, Tammy. The colors you chose are a beautiful shade of green. I love the way this fabulous piece of art complements the entire space. It makes me ready to welcome the season. Hugs, CoCo
Thank you, CoCo. The frame was perfect to do an upcycle project. It was a fun and easy project.
Tammy – I love how everything you used in this project was repurposed! So creative. This is a great example of how you can use things you already own to make something for your home that is very budget-friendly.
Lynn, exactly! Why throw stuff away when it can be repurposed into something fresh. It saves you money too!
Such a cute idea, Tammy! What a great way to recycle something into pretty art!
Thanks so much, my dear friend.
So cute Tammy! I love that you used different shades behind each pane of glass. I probably would not have thought to do that — and it looks fabulous that way!
Thank you, Diane.
I love how the colors you chose for the back of the doilies harmonize with the color of your potting bench. The whole combination looks as though they were meant to go together. Thanks for the inspiration and clear instructions. This would also be cute with pressed flowers in a window – hung up in a potting shed! Pinned.
Anna, yes it would be amazing with pressed flowers. You would have to seal them from fading in exposed to light in a potting shed.
Tammy, this looks so cute above your potting table! I love the colors you chose!
So pretty!
Thank you so much! It was a fun and inexpensive way to upcycle the old window frame.