The Boondocks Blog

How to Make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays

by 43 Comments

Today I am sharing with you another repurpose of a picture frame that I made into easy wall decor for the holidays. 

I started out with this simple plastic frame. It was cheap plastic but I was determined to make it something special – something gift worthy.
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I would also like to invite you to visit my friends at the Creative Christmas Link Party below. 

Upcycling a plastic picture frame to make it look rustic wood and adding a printable. #holidaysign #upcycledprictureframe #easycraft #christmascraft #printables #JOY How to Make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays www.theboondocksblog.com

What I Used:

Disclosure: I was compensated for doing this post with product.  However, all the opinions stated here are my own. I only use products I love and would recommend to my viewers. 
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  • A cheap plastic picture frame.  Mine had a divider creating the illusion that there were three separate picture frames
  • Americana Chalky Type paint in Everlasting
  • Decoart Americana Acrylic Paints in red and yellow
  • Decoart Dazzeling Metallics in Black Pearl
  • PicMonkey to create the graphic 
  • Mini Christmas wreath​

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Plastic picture frame painted with chalky type paint, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com


​The How To:

I  started out by painting the front of the plastic frame with two coats of the chalky type paint.  As I’ve said many times before I use it as a primer.  It covers the black and it is a great way to prepare the slick surface for whatever you are going to add after. In fact I have done the same exact thing for a dresser makeover. 

Below you can see the back of it.  I was so excited to start I didn’t get a shot of the front.  It is cheap black plastic.  They seem to show up like weeds in my house. 

Back of Plastic picture frame, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com

The next step was to create a warm color.  I wanted the look of the frame to be rustic, warm and woodsy.  I took red and yellow acrylic paints and mixed them together along with the black metallic paint. This gave me the brown you see below. I brushed on two coats in long brushstrokes. The paint dries really fast so it is not a difficult or time consuming project. 

Picture frame painted in a wood colored tone, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com

The next step was to create the “JOY” printable.  That was easily accomplished in the  PicMonkey app. (I have not been compensated by Pic Monkey in any way, I just really like using them.) Just go and pick out the font you like, create your printable and then print it out. 

​In fact you can download this one that I made.  I chose the De Walpergen Pica font for this project.  And no the J is not a mistake, it was designed to look that way. Here is a tutorial on how to use the fonts.  
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printable of the word Joy as I used it, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com

Here is where I ran into a problem. You see the frame was longer than the paper size.  So what I did was to print out my “Joy” sign twice and then cut it out the way you see below.  The first sheet of paper was placed on the bottom  and the “O” was exposed.  The second sheet of paper was cut in half and the “J” and “Y” were cut large enough so it would fill the whole width of the frame.  

I also should mention that the frame came with a divider creating the illusion of three photos. And now you know why I chose the word “JOY”.
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How I positioned the letters on the back of the picture frame, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com

The final step was to add a Christmas embellishment over the center and I was done. 
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adding a Christmas wreath over the frame, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links and link to Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission, that way I can continue to provide you with lovely content.  There is no extra charge to you for purchasing through my affiliate links.
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Finished wall decor with the Joy framed words and the Christmas wreath on top, How to make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays, www.theboondocksblog.com

I was going for an understated look, something a bit traditional but we could also easily say it looks like rustic farmhouse depending on the embellishment added. 

​Can you see that nice sheen on the plastic frame?  It doesn’t look plastic anymore.  It has texture and depth.  And even some imperfections which only add to the charm. 
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Close up of the rustic

This would actually make a great gift!  And in fact that is exactly what I did!  It now hangs on the wall of my friend’s house. 
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Upcycling a plastic picture frame to make it look rustic wood and adding a printable. #holidaysign #upcycledprictureframe #easycraft #christmascraft #printables #JOY How to Make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays www.theboondocksblog.com

You see how easy it can be to create personalized Christmas wall decor with just a little time and very few materials?  In this case the addition of the Dazzling Metallics paint made all the difference!
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Upcycling a plastic picture frame to make it look rustic wood and adding a printable. #holidaysign #upcycledprictureframe #easycraft #christmascraft #printables #JOY How to Make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays www.theboondocksblog.com

I hope this project inspires you to take a second look at your old abandoned picture frames.  This was super easy to update and it is perfect as a Christmas gift.  

Below is a link party that I am participating in with my Blogging Fifty friends and we are all sharing … you guessed it, all things Christmas. 
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Upcycling a plastic picture frame to make it look rustic wood and adding a printable. #holidaysign #upcycledprictureframe #easycraft #christmascraft #printables #JOY How to Make Easy Wall Decor for the Holidays www.theboondocksblog.com

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Creative Christmas Link Party www.theboondocksblog.com


The Creative Christmas Link Party is hosted by Janet of Shabbyfufu and the bloggers of Blogging 50. Please visit all of the talented bloggers below!
More Holiday Ideas:
<<Preparing for the Holidays           HOME         Practical Gift Guide for the DIYer >>  

Linking up to these Link Parties

This blog is for entertainment purposes only; my DIY tutorials are not professional advice. Read my full disclaimer here.​

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Katrin

    Mary you would never believe that it was a plastic frame, it looks so rustic and wooden and just cozy and perfect! What a wonderful idea and lovely sign for the holidays! I too love picmonkey for my printables!

    Reply

  3. Barbara Chapman ~ French Ethereal

    Happy Holidays, Mary!
    I love this idea! I pinned out to my Crafts to Make and Decorating boards for you. I also used Tailwind, so pins will go out later, too. Great idea and THANK-YOU for the tip about creating two “Joy” prints ~ very good to know! Glad to be with you on the Christmas Creatives linky tour. <3
    Hope you are having a lovely Thanksgiving week ~ happiest of Thanksgivings to you and your family,
    xoxo Barb

    Reply

  6. Florence

    You did a good job with that Mary. It does look like wood now instead of plastic. Love the way you put the whole thing together. It turned out so nice. I would be proud to receive it as a gift.

    Reply

  7. Tuula

    Your sign is fabulous Mary! Joy is one of my favourite words and states of mind. Great makeover of the frame too. Love the wreath around the O. Perfect finishing touch!

    Reply

    • Mary

      The person’s home I made it for has an elegant understated style so I wanted it to blend in and not stand out so much. Thanks for noticing that Debra.

      Reply

  11. Natalie A

    I LOVE this wall decoration! It is super cute and a great gift idea! I love that it says JOY! The embellishment is a great added touch! I love that you added that to the frame!

    Reply

  12. Nikki Frank-Hamilton

    Mary, I love it. The mix of the paints made for the perfect wood color and the way that you painted it added so much texture. It looks like old wood, and I dig that look so much! Joy is one of my favorite things, this would be a treasured gift, for sure.

    Reply

    • Mary

      Thanks Nikki, maybe I can make one for you and send it over? 😉 I’m sure I have lots of frames around here, only I would write “Grace” on yours.

      Reply

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