This post is one of my favorites from the archives. I just took some additional photos for it so I thought I'd give it a proper repost to show off its new snaps. You can find lots more affordable DIY art ideas here.
I'm big on projects that anyone can do. And this is one of those projects. If you can smear paint on wood and use scissors, you can make this easy "reclaimed wood" DIY wall art. All in, this project costs less than $7. That's a lot of eye candy bang for your buck.
And how do we ensure we get this awesome organic woody texture? Coffee stirrers.
Yup, you heard me, coffee stirrers.
Coffee Stirrer DIY Wall Art Supplies
• Wooden frame(s). We got these at Michael's in the wood section for $1.49 each. (Talk about a cheap frame!) I used three for my project. You could also use a normal picture frame and remove the glass to let all your great woody texture show.
• Acrylic paint.
• A paint brush.
• Coffee stirrers. ("Borrow" them from Starbucks!) I also got some extra wooden sticks from Walmart for $3 that were a slightly different width to add extra texture and dimension. I've seen LOTS of wooden sticks of varying sizes at Hobby Lobby too.
Additional Supplies
• Scissors.
• Glue. Tacky glue. Elmer's Glue. Whatev.
• A picture hanger (optional).
Okay, first things first. Choose a color palette. Doing this first, before I crack the first bottle of paint, always helps reduce my hemming and hawing during the creative process. (I'm quite an slippery noodle when it comes to decision making.) If you need color palette ideas, I suggest checking out Colour Lovers. It's a great resource for color combo inspiration and an easy way to create your own palette. I selected colors that are fairly similar in tone because I wanted the overall look to be a bit subtle.
So, once you've got your palette, it's time to paint your frames and your coffee stirrers! I just sort of guessed how many sticks I needed in total and I ended up needing to paint more which was kind of annoying. I'd suggest painting more than you think you'll need. Coffee stirrers are basically free anyhow.
My mom and I made this project together. We did our painting as the sun was setting, which is always a questionable decision. Seems to have turned out okay.
I was going for the reclaimed driftwood sort of look. Like these coffee stirrers were wood siding that had been battered by 100 years of ocean rain on the coast of Maine and freshly plucked from the side of dilapidated house. (A doll house. These sticks are tiny.)
To achieve this look, I developed a simple, very unscientific technique. I'd paint the a brighter color (say, pea green) and then let it dry. Then I'd paint a second coat of a 50/50 mix of black paint and water. I'd let it sit for about a minute and then I'd go to think sink and rinse off some of the black paint, exposing the "weathered" green wood underneath.
Once your coffee stirrers are painted, it's time to trim them to fit into the frame(s) you've chosen.
I found the quickest way to do this is to measure one stick to be the length you need it and then use it as the guide for trimming all the others. (Please excuse the paint under my nails. DIY dirty girl!)
This next part is fun because you'll start to see your piece come together fairly quickly. Starting on one side of the frame, put down plenty of glue and begin laying your sticks down.
I used some sticks at their full length and then I also combined multiple pieces to create more of a patchwork effect. The key when combining them is to use sticks that are the same width so that you aren't left with awkward gaps in between the vertical rows.
After I finished the set of three, I realized I didn't like the red splashes of color. Nothing a little butter knife couldn't pry out.
Since the "frames" I used were really just very thin wooden boxes, I needed to add hanging device to the back. Unfortunately the picture hanging thing came with nails that were made for elf hands.
What's left? Plop those puppies on the wall. Voila! DIY wall art that cost less than $7 total.
There are lots of cool things you can do with these sticks, from placing them in the frame at an angle, or even cutting the "seams" between the sticks at angles. There's no wrong way to do it. And as far as I can tell, there's no shortage of coffee stirrers either, so go ahead and get crazy!
If you love handmade, texture-rich, budget-friendly accents for your wall, you'll love these ideas too:
How To Make a Mid Century Modern Hexagon Shelf With Popsicle Sticks
Honeycomb Shelves From Popsicle Sticks
Awesome Typography Wall Art With Faux "Letterpress" Printing Blocks
DIY Button Art Tutorial - Perfect for nurseries or playrooms!
Jo Smith says
Great idea! Might have to try this. Question: is it ok to use popsicle sticks? I have a bunch of old ones that I don't use.
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Sure! I'd definitely experiment with popsicle sticks. I have had luck trimming the curved ends off popsicle sticks using really sharp scissors. That might help you achieve the "coffee stirrer look" if you want to. 🙂
Stephanie (Travelcraft Journal) says
Oh hey! I saw this after commenting on your popsicle stick hexagon post. The stirrer art was one of the first projects I pinned on Pinterest – did not realize that was also you! I've added your site to my Feedly now, so maybe I can stay in the loop. 🙂
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Ha--it's me! Apparently, I love to make projects from little wooden sticks 🙂 Thanks so much for pinning my posts. I really appreciate it.
Your site has such a fun premise. I have always loved the combination of DIY and travel, but I never thought to share it with anyone. I'm glad you did!
jess
Stephanie (Travelcraft Journal) says
Thank you – and thanks for checking it out. I think there is a lot of overlap between exploring the world around you and being creative.
That is funny that it happened to be two "little wooden stick" posts I came across, but they are great materials (plus easily available/cheap!) Always happy to pin awesome stuff! 🙂
ardee says
Hi Jess. Thanks to your tutorial, It inspired me to make one. Instead of making it as a wall art/deco, I turn it into a desk/wall clock. You can check it out on my blog. And yes, I did linked the post back to your site =)
http://ardeepapercrafthouse.blogspot.com/2014/07/frame-clock.html
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
A clock! What a brilliant idea! Thank you so much for sharing. Happy crafting!
Krystal says
Fabulous idea. Would be a perfect piece in any room.
Josie McHale says
I LOVE THIS! My 7 year old daughter loves collecting stir sticks whenever you go into a coffee shop or a restaurant. I am constantly throwing them away. Now, I can work on an art project with her and enjoy collecting the stir sticks. Thanks for posting!
Meghan says
Nevermind! I'm sorry, I just saw that you already answered this question above. Thanks again for the craft inspiration!
Make and Do Girl says
Glad you found your answer. I've recently seen some larger wood "trays" at Michael's in the wood section that might be a good option if you want a bigger project.
Happy crafting.
j
Meghan says
I love this! I'm just curious; what size is the frame pictured? I'm having a hard time finding anything like that on the Michael's or Hobby Lobby website but it looks like the size you used is about what I'm looking for. Thanks for your help!
Dar says
Thank you for not only the fantastic inspiration, but also for the love and care you put into all your posts! Hugs . . .
Make and Do Girl says
Thanks Dar! I appreciate the kind words.
j
Charlotte says
I love this! You inspired me to make my own version. Mine is much bigger, though. You can see it here: http://charlottesempire.blogspot.com/2013/10/im-pretty-excited-about-this-project.html
Make and Do Girl says
Wow! Awesome, Charlotte. I love how you re-dyed the wood to make it more muted. Looks great!
j
Kay says
Thanks for the idea! My boys (6 and 2) just helped me do this fun project. We used an old frame (without the glass), frame backing (glued the sticks on this back), and a mixture of jumbo and regular sized popsickle sticks (with the curved ends cut off). It was easy enough for them to do with me and now for no cost, we have new beautiful art in their bathroom 🙂
Make and Do Girl says
Kay,
I love to hear that this project inspired some good old-fashioned quality time with your boys! My daughter is still a little squirt, but I so look forward to the days when we can do stuff like this together.
Thanks for reading.
j
JAG says
Surprisingly simple yet good looking piece of wall art there! I think it's the color scheme that makes it look as good as it does to be honest.