This Simple DIY Upcycles A Vintage Thrift Fave Into Custom Art
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Thrifted finds aren't just for admiring, they're also a great starting point for DIY upcycling projects. With a bit of imagination, some patience, and a little bit of artistic flair, you can turn a vintage thrift fave into a custom piece of art that's completely your own. Using some lace, a canvas, and paint, you can create a textured and one-of-a-kind piece that's just as unique as it is stylish.
The idea for this DIY is to glue old thrifted lace to the canvas with old thrifted lace, let it dry, then paint over it. Use a paint roller to cover the entire canvas and lace in one shade, then switch to small brushes to add details and paint inside the holes, almost like coloring within a drawing. The options are limitless with this DIY; you can alternate shapes, colors, and sizes. You could repeat the process over and over and never create the same piece twice.
Since the canvas will be covered with paint, you can upcycle old wall art to create a new decor piece. Alternatively, you can purchase a new canvas to use, like this Fixsmith stretched white canvas on Amazon. As for lace, repurpose old vintage doilies or thrifted lace curtains. You'll also need some glue and paint. Mod Podge is an easy option for these types of crafts, but fabric glue or spray-on adhesive works just as well. For paint, acrylics, fabric paint, or even spray paint work, depending on your style and what you have on hand.
How to create wall art with lace, paint, and a canvas
To start, apply your adhesive to the canvas and carefully position the lace over it. Where you apply the glue depends on how much of the canvas you want covered. If the lace is larger than the canvas, cover the entire area with adhesive, lay the lace over it, and trim the excess afterwards. You can also use smaller pieces, like doilies, and adjust them like a puzzle to cover the canvas. Another option is to leave sections bare so only the paint shows. Try this with small thrifted mats, doilies, or cut pieces of vintage lace from clothes, curtains, or tablecloths.
Once the adhesive is cured and the lace is secured, it's time to paint. Use a roller, large brush, or spray paint, cover the canvas with a base layer. Once this dries, paint over it using small paintbrushes. The goal is to paint within the details of the lace, like petals and leaves, while letting the base layer be visible to act as a textured outline. Bring the lace's details to life with color, letting your creativity guide your palette.
@spenserbower Excited to share this new lace painting. What do you think? #lace #viral #goldleaf #collage #fyp
Once the painting is done and dry, look for ways to add small details. For example, attach these gems or small beads to the canvas using hard glue. For extra pop, fill petals and leaves with gold leaf for instant charm.