Art on a Budget with Scrapbook Paper

I was SO tired of empty walls I just couldn't take it any more.  I had seen a few ideas on Pinterest, that involved floral foam or scrap wood and scrapbook paper and decided it was worth a shot for some cheap art since I wasn't finding anything I liked that was super expensive.  I picked up several sheets of scrapbook paper in color schemes I was thinking of going with, that matches what I already had and our paint colors. 

I originally was going to use the floral foam, but it was pretty expensive at the craft store I was at.  I walked around a bit and found some Elmer's foam board for $1 a sheet.  Poster board sized and I was able to get two 12x12" and several smaller sized pieces out of one sheet.  I think I bought four sheets and it was plenty, I still have some left over.

I used a glue stick to put the paper on, and then cut around it with a razor knife.  I probably should have used spray adhesive, I think it might have worked a little better, but the glue stick is holding up just fine for me.  They have bubbled a little in some places, but I can tell it's just where I didn't put the glue, if I do this again I will make sure the entire surface of the foam board has glue before I put down the paper.  I don't mind the bubbling though because to make it's just that much more more texture and character.  

I sanded the edges smooth since they were a little rough from the razor cuts, and used a foam brush to put on a little black paint around the sides to hide the foam board look.  I brushed a little on the edges of the paper too, to give it an aged, inked look.  I'm not a scrapbooker so I don't have any ink pads laying around for distressing things.  

I did this for five rooms!  I don't think I spent $10 on everything total, but I did already have the paint on hand.

I already shared my living room photo collage, you can see smaller versions of this in that...I did them all on the same night.

For the brown floral paper, sitting on the shelf, I did apply a coat of clear gloss spray paint since those are in a bath room.  They are directly across from my shower, and I do take HOT showers, and they are holding up perfectly well.  It made me think I should have coated the rest of the "art" with clear gloss as well, but I didn't want them to be so shiny.

Oh, to hang up the smaller ones, I used that smooshy putty stuff to hang them up...but it didn't work on the 12x12" squares, they just kept falling down, so I super glued soda can tabs to the back and hung them up with nails.

I will probably replace some of these as I find more substantial artwork to fit in these spaces, but for now, at least I'm not staring at blank walls! :)