Cheap and Easy Wall Art

I gave this wall in our dining room a makeover back in September. I showed you all about it and talked about how proud I was that I did the whole thing myself. I knew I wanted to do something simple to dress this wall up, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money or time on it, because, frankly, I don't have a lot of either to spare. :-) Actually, the real reason is that the majority of this wall will be removed when we remodel the kitchen in a few years, so I didn't want to invest in something that I wouldn't need in a couple of years.

A few days ago I came up with the idea of putting a quote onto this wall. It's cheap, fast and easy, and easily removable when the time comes to tear out this wall. There is an enormous variety of cute quotes out there, and I was faced with the insurmountable task of choosing one to place on our wall. Decisions like this are really hard for me. Which quote do I want? Will I like this quote a minute after it's been up? What sentiment do I want to express with this quote? I hemmed and hawed over it for about a week, and then decided I was overthinking it. I'd simply wait till I came across a quote that jumped out at me, and then I would use that one. The very next day, I went to and antique and crafts store, and saw the perfect quote. Here's what my wall looks like now.

I love the sentiment that this quote expresses. This castle is filled with love, and even though I like things to look nice and pretty, my most important goal for this house is that it be a home to those who live here. (and those who come to visit!)

In the end I decided not to use a vinyl quote, simply because I had the materials on hand to paint it on the wall myself, and that would be much more frugal! I used a yardstick and a level to draw straight guidelines on the wall, and played around with different fonts on my computer until I found some combinations that I liked. Then, using a piece of chalk, I traced out the basic design of each letter onto the wall, taking my time and erasing parts I didn't like. Once the outline was complete I went over the design with my Painter's pen (left over from this project). I found that if I drew right next to the chalk line the painter's pen didn't get too mucked up with chalk, and I just kept a wet paper towel on hand to wipe off the tip as I went. I let the paint dry for about twenty minutes, then went back and wiped off the rest of the chalk with the wet paper towel. The water evaporated in about a minute, and then I set about filling in each letter until it looked the way I wanted it too.

I worked on this project off and on for two hours total, I would say. I love how it came out, and the fact that I spent almost nothing (just the chalk!) for this little part of my dining room.

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Made it for Monday @ Cottage Instincts

DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land