SUMMER: Vintage Sheet Music Wall Art

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Creating 'art' isn't as complicated as it often seems... 
Sometimes, it's just finding an item that appeals to you, and hanging it on the wall!

Case in point: Vintage sheet music. In my case, vintage Hawai'ian sheet music.

While at our library bookstore one day, I decided to thumb through the STACKS of vintage sheet music they had ('Vintage' because NOW people use music on iPads!). Lo and behold, I flipped a few books of Mozart and Liszt and found a beautiful green cover with darling Annette Funicello's photo and the song title 'Pineapple Princess' on it!


If you know anything about the 'Mickey Mouse-keteers' or any of the Frankie & Annette teen movies from the 50's, you know who Annette IS. I think she's adorable, and I also think that the Hawai'ian music + Disney history combo is absolutely perfect for our home!

And though I didn't actually know WHAT I would do with this, I handed over the FIFTY CENTS owed and brought her home with me. Just one day later, I decided what to use the sheet music for, and within ten minutes I had new wall art!

TUTORIAL

Materials:

Vintage Sheet Music Pages + Covers

Pick out music that has sentimental meaning to you, or illustrations + subject matter that you enjoy, or simply just coordinate the color of the cover with your home decor!

You can find vintage sheet music at your local 'Friends of the Library' bookstore, 
vintage & antique shops, vintage & antique shows, thrift stores, and yard sales.

Vintage Wood Clipboards

You'll need one clipboard for each sheet of music you want to display. 

Mine were my Dad's, from his warehouse. Wood clipboards are available at dollar stores, or you can search for vintage ones in antique + vintage shops. If your style is modern or playful, colorful acrylic clipboards are everywhere! 

Method:

This truly is 'easy-peasy' - simply clip each page / cover onto the clipboard:

I love that the collection I found in this book has illustrations and the history of the songs, along with that gorgeous cover shot - in GREEN! Perfect for me. 

After clipping the pages onto the boards, you can quickly hang them using clear pushpins - they go into a wall easy, and are simple to remove. 

Another touch you can add is a 3-D accent piece:

I have had this coral plumeria hair clip since 2012...
My sweet Dad bought them along with other similar items to sell (he had a wholesale business), and asked me to help him with photos of the merchandise for his website. I served as his model while he snapped the photos, and then I added them to his website. This flower was in the last group that I 'modeled', and he told me to keep it... and I have. (I used the blue flower for the photo on his website, though, and that photo really makes me want my dark auburn hair back!):

The coral flower had been clipped to a tiki mug on our nearby bar, so I grabbed it and added it to the clipboard with Annette's picture. I think Dad would approve ;) 

The clipboards are hung in a line in our secondary hallway, across from our indoor tiki bar. The hallway is pretty dark as there is no direct light, so this simple and light-colored 'art' livens up the space. It's the same space I hung some 'paint dipped' frames in the past (I'll link that post below!).



More ideas for clipboard wall art:
➽ Clip on hand-lettered favorite verses, phrases, or names as shown above.
➽ Clip your kids' art and hang in a hallway - this makes for an easy switch when your lil' artists create something new.

➽ Clip on a page from an old family recipe book, or recipe card box, for a sentimental touch in your kitchen.
➽ Clip up old family photos from the seashore or camping in the forest, and bring old summer memories back to life.

Related Content:

Paint-Dipped Frames


Old School Clipboard Update

Words of Thanksgiving Wall Art

Shared Online:

Funky Junk Interiors | New Upcyle Ideas #787

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SUMMER: a tiki birdbath fountain

Nine years ago when we moved into this new house, I created a fun fountain for our backyard using galvanized buckets. You've seen that fountain here on the blog, as well as shared online and published in Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine (past post links are below this post).

Well, after nine years, this spring I was ready for a NEW look - as well as something that fit our tropical decor a bit more than galvie buckets. I had an idea and began collecting the materials I would need, but the main element eluded me. Until one day, I saw something in a facebook Marketplace listing that was the missing piece!

As soon as I had that, I was able to get this project underway. I completed it in April and have been waiting to share this project! I re-purposed a concrete birdbath into part of a fountain in our backyard... along with the relaxing sounds of a fountain, it still functions as a birdbath & watering spot for all of our wild birds. Which makes Deb one happy girl!

Continue reading for my tutorial...

SUMMER: NEW Sweet Sweater Tomatoes!

A departure from tropical decor this week...
Summertime isn't complete without ripe, juicy tomatoes - and I've come up with a fun new Sweet Sweater Original creation that captures their appeal!

Whether you love fresh-grown summer tomatoes in a Caprese salad, on a grilled burger, or just on a plate with a sprinkle of salt, they seem to be the design accent of the season... everyone from Target to World Market to Pottery Barn has tomato products right now.

My idea was inspired by a fuzzy red 'tomato' pillow (more like a giant pincushion) that I saw in the Bullseye's Playground bins at Target - made from red microfleece and felt, it was... cute.

Yet I knew I could make it BETTER. With a SWEATER! ;)
Yes, sweater decor in summertime. I am obsessed!

Continue reading for an easy tutorial...