Hi friends! Today I am excited to share with you a DIY art display and a free Fall printable! I have been wanting to create one of these cute art displays for quite a while, and I finally took the time to finish one. It is a quick and easy project that you can complete in under an hour, and requires very few supplies. One of my favorite things about it is that you can change out your artwork depending on the season. I’ve included a free Fall printable for you to display just in time for Thanksgiving!
DIY Art Display + Free Fall Printable
Let’s get down to the details of the project. You’ll need some paint, a paintbrush, paint stir sticks (from the hardware store), magnets, twine, and glue. You probably already have many of the items already at home!
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Materials needed:
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Speed Square
- 4 Paint Stir Sticks (ask for them in the paint section at your hardware store, they are free!)
- 8 Small Craft Magnets
- Super Glue
- Twine
- Artwork (free printable is below!)
Instructions
You will start by cutting down your stir sticks (to get rid of the indention/handle). I used a ruler to draw my cut lines and made sure that they were all the same length. Make sure that they measure at least 8.5 inches long so that they are the same size as the width of the print. You could cut these using a saw if you have access to one.
I simply used my razor blade to make cuts on both sides (I ran my blade down each cut line 4-5 times), and then I gently pulled and pushed back and forth on the handle until it broke apart. If you get any rough or raw spots you can sand them down a little to get rid of them.
Next you can either paint or stain your sticks. I picked up some grey paint (in the color elephant) at Target and painted both sides of my sticks. I only did one coat, and I liked how the wood grain still showed through a little. You don’t have to worry about covering up the printed side of the stir stick completely, because it will be on the inside and won’t be visible.
After the paint has dried you’ll start gluing on your magnets. The magnets will hold the print in place, and make it so that you can change out your print throughout the year. I first tried using hot glue – and let me tell you that it was a big fail! The magnets started falling off after only a few minutes … so don’t use hot glue. Next I tried using superglue, and that has held up great. The magnets have stayed glued onto the sticks and are staying put!
You will glue 2 magnets on the inside of each stir stick, one on each end. Before you glue them on, make sure you are gluing on the correct side of the magnet – to make sure that your sticks won’t be repelling each other. You want them to stick to each other once you place the print in-between them.
Next you will cut your twine to the length you desire. Then on the inside of one of the sticks you will glue your twine on each end. You can place them underneath the magnets, or on either side of them.
After the glue has dried, you can place your print in between the sticks and display it!
Download your free printable here!
This display can be customized in so many different ways. You could paint a pattern on the sticks, use a stain to coordinate with your current decor, or even place some decorative ribbon or washi tape on it to make it unique. How will you customize yours?
If you loved this DIY art display tutorial and free printable, you’ll also love my free menu planning printable and my DIY Fall hoop wreath tutorial!
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