DIY Rustic Flower String Art
2:21 PM
Another post on the blog is years overdue, so I figured it's time to bring the blog back. And what better way to do it than with a DIY project?! This go around on the blog will definitely be more craft and lifestyle centered and I'm excited to start writing again.
Chances are if you've browsed around on Etsy before, you've come across the style of home decor that consists of lots of white-washed wood and light and airy flowers. I know I'm not alone when I say I want everything I own to look like that but my wallet says otherwise. I've seen string art like the one I made go for $50-60 on Etsy! Yikes! So, the next best thing is trying to make it on my own.Today, I'll show you how to make your own rustic string art. I went to my local craft store and picked up these items:
- Thin plywood squares/rectangles- keep in mind you want them to be thin enough that it's not too heavy to hang but also thick enough that you can put a nail about 1 cm in to it for the string
- Embroidery floss (or string of your choice)- I chose white embroidery floss because it's inexpensive and comes in a big spool so I didn't have to worry about running out.
- Small nails- use your judgement and get nails that work with the wood and string you get
- Wood stain- either a store bought, or homemade (I tried my own by combining about 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and fine steel wool and let it sit overnight)
- White paint- this gives it the worn look, you'll water this down so go for the cheaper kind if you need to buy it
- Flowers- choose any kind you like, hydrangeas are my favorite so that's what I went with!
Once you've made your stain, or bought it, sand down your wood (I couldn't find my sandpaper, so I had to skip this step, but it's definitely worth it). Then apply your stain.
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| Homemade Stain |
In the above picture, you can see that the bottom left corner is darker than the rest. That corner has two coats of stain and is drier than the rest. It might take some experimenting with the stain to get the exact shade you want, I ended up watering mine down to make it lighter. Be patient and don't be afraid to use both sides of the wood. Allow your stain at least an hour to dry, or the time suggested on the store stain.
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| Left- white-wash and stain, Right- just stain |
If you want the rustic look keep reading to make your white-wash, if you love just the stain the wood is ready for nails! The white wash makes a big difference. Take a small amount of white paint in a small bowl and add enough water that the paint becomes runny. In big strokes,brush the paint onto the wood then immediately after take a paper towel and wipe the excess paint off.
Now on to the basket!
There are so many options for the string art; mason jars, baskets, vases. I went with a basket and used a piece of printer paper as my guide. Remember to leave room at the top for the flowers. Any shape will work, just as a rule of thumb, leave between 1-2" between each nail and be consistent.
Finish line in sight, weave the string around your nails, following the pattern that you made. And you'll have your own rustic string art! Here's how mine turned out!
Thanks for reading and have fun crafting!
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