Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 3

Another step toward a completed TV room that we actually like to go into and enjoy.  I guess it looked so bad when I first started, the task of improving the space without a huge budget seemed a bit overwhelming.  A complete report and shots of the finished room by the end of this month - I'm waiting for one more thing to arrive before I can show the entire space.  

until that time.....a sneak peek of my recent solution to the BIG blank white wall behind the sofa.  I had hoped to have a large contemporary piece of art done for the space - but I decided that this month was not the month to blow my wad on new art. 

 A few weeks ago my sister had put this in a garage sale:



When I mentioned I liked the poster and especially the colors - her response was "take it".  So my free poster was the beginning.  I knew it wasn't large enough for the wall, but decided that I could let my creative juices flow and come up with something that would work as an interim solution.  So, a quick trip to IKEA for some frames came next.  I get home to find that the matting is just a wee bit to large for the print I have to work with.  Next up a trip out to pick up some black poster board and ta-da my little vision turns into this:

and a close up , so that you can see how the black poster board not only serves as a filler for the .25" shortage once the print was cut into the 4 individual squares.  It actually looks like it's double matted.

Total cost for my short-term solution to art ..... until I can purchase that contemporary painting that is out there waiting for me:

4 IKEA Ribba frames $80.

Poster Board $2.

Poster FREE (Thanks MB and CW, who long ago gave it to MB)

I'm very happy to have completed the project for $82 and every time I see the cheerful color on the wall it makes me happy.  Can't wait to add up what I have ended up spending on the entire room - but I'm contently finding inexpensive solutions for the space.  Truth is, every single budget minded find I come up with, makes me just as happy as spending small fortunes on things as I once did in a former life.  Maybe even more happy! :)