Art from What We Had

A handmade birthday gift created from wallpaper scraps, thrifted frames, and a little creativity.

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Sometimes the pieces that end up meaning the most aren’t the ones that cost the most.

For my husband’s birthday, I wanted to make something personal. Not necessarily perfect or expensive — just thoughtful. Something connected to our home, our style, and the things we already loved.

Around the same time, we had finished wallpapering the bathroom in this watercolor forest print that I absolutely loved. I couldn’t bring myself to throw away the leftover scraps, so they sat for a while waiting for a purpose.

Turns out… they became the inspiration.

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The Starting Point

I started sketching out a few ideas using thrifted frames and leftover wallpaper pieces, trying to figure out proportions and layouts that would work together as a collection.

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The Wallpaper That Started It All

This was the original wallpaper from the farmhouse bathroom renovation we shared in a previous post — a soft watercolor forest print that completely transformed the space and quickly became one of my favorite parts of the house.

I couldn’t bring myself to throw away the leftover scraps, so they sat for a while waiting for a purpose.

Turns out… they became the inspiration.

If you missed the farmhouse renovation project, you can see it here.
https://vicariouslysisters.com/one-year-later-building-a-dream-in-the-foothills/

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Using What We Had

The frames themselves were thrifted and reworked a bit to fit the style I had in mind.

I loved the idea of creating something meaningful out of materials we already had around the house instead of buying something brand new.

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The Finished Pieces

What started as scraps and sketches slowly turned into a set of framed pieces layered with texture, small details, and little reminders of nature.

I added tiny natural elements and meaningful words to make each one feel personal and connected.

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Altogether

Seeing the finished pieces together made me love them even more. They felt collected, personal, and connected to our home in a way store-bought art never quite does.

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Sometimes the best creative projects start with leftovers, secondhand finds, and an idea you can’t stop thinking about.

And honestly, those are usually the ones that end up carrying the most meaning.

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Creativity doesn’t always start with something new,
~Joani