Framed Ferns + Garden Link Party

By Kate Riley July 25, 2011

Hello everyone, happy Monday, and I hope you’re all finding ways to stay cool in the sweltering July heat!  Today is the last of the Fair Weather Forum summer link parties, and the topic is ‘Gardening’.  I had big plans to build a planter and feature it today, but life got in the way, funny how that happens!  Maybe later, maybe next year, who knows!

Instead, I opted for a simple art project with a few stems from the one single fern growing in my yard.  My backyard gets mostly afternoon and evening sun, which is great for grapes but not so good for shade loving plants.  However, I do have one small fern plant tucked underneath our deck, and it thrives there year after year. 

I’m fixing up our guest space since we’re expecting a lot of visitors this upcoming tasting season, and I love bringing the outdoors inside.  I was looking for an inexpensive way to create some simple and unique wall art, so I decided to flatten and preserve some of those fern fronds from our garden, and frame them behind glass.

cg fern wall art

 

framed ferns

 

Simple Garden Art Project:  How to Frame Ferns

fern art steps

1) Gather ye fern fronds while ye may.  2)  Lay fronds between wax paper and press flat between large heavy books for 2-3 days.  3)  Lay flattened ferns on paper and affix to paper with a tiny bit of Mod Podge or craft glue, 4) display behind glass in frames.

If feeling extra crafty, make them look aged by using cream colored craft or tea stained papers, and stamping them with botanical Latin terms. 

fern art from side

 

fern art on wall cg

Sources: turquoise lamp from Lowe’s; white vase from Crate + Barrel; oak console table given to me by my parents which I primed and painted white; teal vase from Marshalls; wall color is Ben Moore’s ‘Camouflage’; hydrangeas from my garden. 

Before I forget, congrats to the two winners of the $75 Amazon Gift Card giveaway, sponsored by About One, #98 Kathleen Mughannam and #221 Michelle Peterson.  Winners, your gift cards are on their way, look for them in your inbox!

Now it’s your turn.  Have a garden related post you’d like to share?  Be sure to link it up today, can’t wait to see! 

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53 comments

  1. I love it! I am so jealous of your fabulous garden. Your visitors will feel first class all the way.
    Thank you Kate for hosting parties all summer long! You’ve been a great hostess! :)

  2. Love your ferns! I found some 5 x 7 see-through frames last year at Ross for $3.99 and made some myself. Would post a picture but they are up at the lake house. May have to make some more….love the idea of tea staining and stamping the botanical name.

  3. Lovely project Kate. I love botanicals and the ferns are perfect!!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

    Exciting New Giveaway from Dr Perricone! Come and Enter!

  4. Kate, your ferns are beautiful! So simple yet so elegant. I’m looking forward to seeing your guest room. . . I’m sure it’s better than ever! Lucky guests, coming to your house during wine tasting time!

  5. What a great idea. I love how fresh it is and of course, how cheap it is! Botanical prints can get pretty pricey and this look is even better! Thanks for sharing!

    abodelove.blogspot.com

  6. I love your framed ferns! and I love that you say your “fixing” up your guest space! I thought it was just a southern thing to say! Thanks for the wonderful parties too!
    Debbie

  7. I love this idea! Passing this along to a friend because I think it would be perfect for her bathroom!

  8. Wowza- I am lovin’ up all of these garden links! If Satan ever reclaims his weather from Illinois, I will be inspired to garden again!
    Thank you for hosting!
    Kerry at housetalkn.blogspot.com

  9. I love those! I love anything using ferns. My brother-in-law took some black and white photos of fern fronds that he layed out flat like yours, and then framed them for me one year for Christmas. I absolutely love them.

    Thanks for hosting the par-tay. I LOVE looking at other people’s gardens.

  10. Hi Kate, What gorgeous artwork, yet simple and easy to make. Gotta love that! You’ll have to give us another look at your guest room now that you’ve added that lovely bamboo dresser and the artwork. I’d love to stay in the room any day! Have a great week. : ) ~ Catie

  11. Hi there – I LOVE your Framed Fern creations! They are gorgeous – and your final arrangement on the table looks lovely. Sweet, simple, serrene…Framed ferns are some of my favorite wall decor items to have in any household.

    Am your Newest Follower visiting from the hop! Lovely hop – sad it’s the last one!
    I’ll still follow you after the hop, though!

    Happy Monday!

    Linda
    beachside cottage

  12. Your ferns look great! I have done the same thing. Well almost the same. I just ironed the wax paper on and spray glued them to a piece of ironstone. I will link it up to show you. They last a long time!

  13. Love the framed ferns. Going to go share the link with my Facebook fans. I have a framed flower that my grandmother did more than 50 years ago. She hand wrote a Bible verse underneath the flower. The flower does look old and brittle but it is still beautiful after all these years. Thanks for sharing!

  14. Hi Kate, I absolutely love this idea! I’ve been following your blog for a while and have been inspired by several of your ideas. Especially that kitchen makeover you did recently. I just picked up a Rustoleum Transformations pamphlet at Lowe’s yesterday. Considering doing that in my next home.

    And thanks for hosting the link party. I am thankful for the chance to participate!

  15. so excited to see what everyone’s been working on! We just finished a whole ton’o outdoor/gardening projects! I totally linked up! Heading out to check out everyone’s work!

  16. I also love the idea of bringing the outdoors in. Your ferns look very pretty, Kate. Nice simple and budget friendly project with big impact on the wall. I saw a photo of you from the blogger meetup. You looked gorgeous in your fun red dress!

  17. Thank you so much for the Amazon gift card!! I can’t believe I won! I have been LOVING (aka: stalking) your blog for.ev.er ! :)

  18. Yay! I am loving my lucky gift card :-) Totally made my day! Thanks again for all you do – paving the way and inspiring all of us.

  19. you make everything look so easy!! thanks, will try this once I get the ferns!

  20. I love the ferns, love the frames, love the vignette. It’s your basic lovefest. I doubt it would look quite as elegant if I were to smash a pine branch under glass, but since my chickens have eaten every other thing in my backyard … it’s gonna have to do. ~ karen

  21. these look fantastic!! I will just have to give it a try :) I have this lamp in my nursery and I simply LOVE it, turquoise is my favorite color! great job.

  22. Thanks very much for hosting. Your ferns are lovely but the white table is stunning. I don’t have any ferns but I’m pretty sure my neighbor does so I’ll have to go begging with my scissors! Have a great rest of the week.

  23. I love the frames you choose (and of course the ferns). Just found your blog (where have I been???) Do you mind sharing where you got your frames? Love them! So simple and chic.

    Thanks!
    Sarah Baker (www.sarahtoshreveport.com)

  24. Love the idea!! Have lots of ferns in the back yard can’t wait to try this..what type of paper did you mount them on?

    • Hi Amanda, great question, one of them actually did a few months later but the other three are still green. I’ll replace the brown one next year and hope it stays green like the others. There must be some sort of preservative out there that does this sort of thing, I’m going to look around at my local craft store.
      Kate

  25. Hi,
    Love the wall color here! Would you be willing to share the brand/name? Thanks!

    • Sure Jen, it’s Benjamin Moore ‘Camouflage’ – that grayish green is all over my house!
      Kate

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