Decorating with heirlooms: Vintage Wall Art

Is it wrong that an inanimate object makes you swoon? I am in love with my new Vintage Wall Art in my dining room and it’s one of my favorite DIYs for this room.

I love that they were gifts from my family, that they were cheap to make, and that it only took about 15 minutes to transform the look of my dining room.

A few months ago, I was invited to join my Mom and my aunts on a girls trip. I think I started packing before I hung up the phone! A weekend away for a stay-at-home, working, homeschooling momma is like winning the lottery. So many times, we get so wrapped up in our everyday busyness that we forget to take moments for ourselves. I knew that not only would it be a weekend to rejuvenate my soul, but it would be a sweet opportunity to get to know my aunts better.

It was a lovely weekend! Memories made, laughs shared, and my cup overflowed. Right before the trip came to an end, my aunt handed me something so special. In early 2016, my grandma passed away, and my aunt found two old marriage certificates stuffed away in a drawer of a musty dresser. She knew my love for heirlooms and family history, and she gave those certificates for me.

Yes, I was a sobbing, blubbering mess.

My dining room is my heirloom hot spot. I have filled this room with beautiful pieces given to me from my and my husband families. It makes my heart oh-so-happy to surround ourselves at meal time with treasures from someone else’s past. I feel so much love in this room with all these sentimental gifts.

I originally framed in our vintage hutch with my old DIY artwork. It worked for a while, but the small frames and prints seemed to disappear in this room. After getting these gorgeous marriage certificates, I had to add them to this room. I knew if I framed this Vintage Wall Art, they would be right at home amongst all the other heirloom photos from my family hung in the opposite corner.

There are two certificates from the same marriage of my great grandparents in the early 1920s – one is from the church which is so colorful and still in great condition.

The other certificate is from the state and is equally as ornate. I got the frames from a local store, Olde Time Pottery, for $9.99 each.

Taking some satin ribbon I already had in my supplies, I added trim above each picture. I stumbled upon these metal embellishments while looking for the ribbon. So excited to find them, I added them to hide the nails holding the ribbon.

Don’t you just love when something works out like that?!

The ribbon added height to the frames and made the Vintage Wall Art just pop!

See that sweet little scale? Another gift I received from my great aunt.

Living on the family homestead, she helped her mother sell homemade butter. She used that scale to weigh the butter before packaging it.

Now it’s a part of my home and is perfect for my growing vintage scale collection.

I hope this Vintage Wall Art inspired you to rethink your family heirlooms! Do you add vintage elements to your decor? Given special gifts and you’re not sure how to incorporate them into your home? Let me know how you display your family treasures!