DIY Deck of Cards Wall Art

What I Made Today - Bathroom Reveal Part 2

You may have seen my earlier post on how to wallpaper using book pages here. I love the little feature wall in our downstairs bathroom now but wanted to make some artwork to accompany it. I had picked up this little pack of herb playing cards in the local charity shop because the botanical theme matched the book of wild flowers I used to paper so perfectly, but I wasn't sure how I was going to use the cards for a while. This is what I came up with!

If you'd like to make your own artwork using an illustrated deck of cards, here is a super easy tutorial...

What you will need

A pack of cards

A box frame

Small sticky foam pads

Paint or wood stain, paintbrush (optional)

Backing paper and double-sided tape (optional)

Method

I began by selecting the suite I wanted from the pack of cards - I considered mixing them up but felt it might look a little messy, so went for the hearts. I then laid them out on the box frame and decided how to arrange them.

My box frame (12x12") was £6.50 from Wilkos and is square, but I did have to leave the Ace card out because of this - if you buy a portrait frame you could include the Ace on a row of its own.

I next took the box frame apart and painted it. I wanted a darker colour to frame the white playing cards and so I used a tester pot of Cuprinol exterior wood stain in 'Wild Thyme' that I had lurking in the shed - and was quite pleased with how it turned out. I'm a big believer in making use of whatever is available in the shed!

If you are unsure what colour to paint your frame, I would suggest picking a colour out of the card illustrations. Or you can't go far wrong with buying a black frame!

Remember to paint all the parts of the box frame that you will see when it is reassembled, like this spacer section that fits between the glass and the back of the frame.

While the frame dries, you can start to stick the cards to the back of the box frame. I decided to leave the back of my frame unfinished, as the brown colour worked well with the dark green in my botanical theme. If you want to cover your board, however, now is the time to fix your backing paper to it - I suggest using double-sided tape around the outside edges for a clean finish.

Tip: check you have the frame's hanger in the right place before you start sticking cards down!

Spot the not-so-deliberate mistake!

To fix the cards, I used small sticky foam pads, as seen in the pic. I got these from Hobbycraft but most stationers' or large supermarkets stock them. The foam pads give each card a drop shadow, and means they stand in relief from the back of the frame. I love the extra interest this creates. 

If you are just wanting to place your cards flush(!) against the backing then you could use a normal frame instead, as the extra space a box frame gives you would not be necessary.

When your cards are fixed on and your box frame paint is dry, reassemble the frame and voila! Your playing card artwork is complete.

I felt a bit sorry for the Ace card being left out and so made him a frame of his own! I painted the backboard to this small frame the same colour as the box frame to tie in the colours.

must. buy. a. good. camera.

Now I just need to hang it along with a few other pieces!

Reloved Toy Box

What I Made Today

A lot of the furniture in my home has either been 'adopted' from my friends and family, or picked up on eBay and upcycled, or even found on Freecycle for, well, free. It's not so much that we have had to be really thrifty, as much as the fact that I love having furniture and items around me that have a history, or that I have been able to shape and alter to my will!

So when I was pregnant and my parents were moving, it was a great opportunity to get my hands on some furniture that they weren't taking with them to their new houses, and that my little baby could use. 

This toy box was made by my dad and was much loved, shall we say! My mum had last recovered the cushions for my younger brother, but the foam was still in good shape. I can't say who the culprit for all the stickers was, I think that might have been all of us...!

I started by wiping down the wood with a sugar water solution to remove all the dirt and general grime (who knows what some of stains were caused by), then soaked and attacked the stickers with a wallpaper stripper tool.

I waited for the wood to dry then lightly sanded it. To be fair, it was pretty well keyed from its years being scuffed. I am also terrible at preparation - if I could get away with doing none at all and going straight in with the paint/sewing/whatever craft I'm doing I would!

One of the feet had also fallen off so we added a few new screws. Next it got a couple of coats of Dulux Mint Macaroon, which I have also painted the sproglet's wardrobe in. No pictures of this stage...ahem

Then I created some REALLY simple cushion covers, based on the existing ones. I essentially cut a long rectangle twice the length of the square foam, with enough fabric to go round the sides and form seam allowance. I hemmed the two shortest sides of the rectangle, then folded it in half lengthways, right sides together, and sewed along the longest edges. This formed a tote-bag shape which I slid the foam into.

I used fabric from the Bluebird Park range by Moda bought at ... Abigail Crafts of course!

To close the cushion cover I stitched Velcro in three places to the opening, then simply folded the corners in for a tight fit. I'm sure there is a more professional way of creating a box-shape covering but, well, see the earlier comment about me and preparation...

Here you can see two of the three Velcro fastenings.

I love this fabric and also have made curtains from it, and plan to make bunting from the Bluebird Park range. Like the Rupert Bear dress I posted about, it's pretty but not pink and sickly girly ... if she had popped out and actually been a boy I would still have been happy with this fabric! Check out my mood board for the nursery on my Pinterest page 'Little Rooms' and here.

I really wanted the room finished before she was born but it didn't quite happen - let's blame the fact she was two weeks early! The toy box, however, was ready :). Here it is in all it's reloved glory.

Don't you love the baby Converse? Bought by her fab uncle, but too big atm. 

My next project for the sproglet's room is this handless chest of drawers... I am not responsible for the baby modelling in this photo! Hope to start this project soon and have an idea for the handles that are missing I can't wait to try - watch this space!

Chest of drawers from the in laws this time - she does not look impressed with grandad!