After Christmas comes down, I always love easing into winter decor rather than jumping straight into the next season. This year, I wanted something soft, neutral, and wintry — but I also didn’t want to spend any money. That’s when I remembered a broken frame I had tucked away.
The glass and frame itself were ruined, but the frame backing was still in great shape. It was thick, sturdy, and already had hanging loops on the back — which honestly made it the perfect base for a DIY project.
Using What I Already Had
The backing was made of a heavy cardboard-like material, much sturdier than regular cardboard. Since the hanging hardware was already attached, I didn’t need to add anything extra to turn this into wall art.
For the design, I decided to try a mosaic-style pattern. I had seen a rough inspiration on Pinterest, but this is one of those projects where you really can’t mess it up. Any mosaic pattern you like would work.
I wanted it to feel very wintery, so I stuck to a soft color palette:
Light blues Creams Whites Light tans
When it was all laid out, it almost had a snowflake-like feel, even though it wasn’t meant to be an exact snowflake design.
Creating the Mosaic
I cut my pieces and simply hot glued everything down, working from the center outward and following a loose pattern. There was no pressure to make it perfect — it honestly felt like doing a puzzle, except I was creating my own puzzle pieces as I went.
That was probably my favorite part of the whole project. It was relaxing, creative, and very low-stress.
Framing It with Fabric
Once all the pieces were glued down, I needed a way to finish the edges. I had a piece of frayed fabric that already had a finished look along the edges, which worked perfectly.
I hot glued the fabric:
Around the corners Along the edges in a straight line to create a very narrow “frame” Then folded the fabric over the bottom edge and glued it down
This step really helped the piece feel complete and intentional, instead of looking like raw cardboard.
Finishing Touches
To clean everything up, I lightly painted white paint into the seams between the mosaic pieces. This helped hide any visible hot glue and gave the whole piece a more polished, cohesive look.
Then, just for a little extra something, I added a silver sparkle paint that’s mostly clear with fine shimmer. I brushed it:
Lightly into some of the seams where the white paint was On a few of the light blue pieces
Not every piece has sparkle — and I actually love that. Some areas catch the light, some don’t, and it gives the art a soft, snowy effect rather than an over-the-top glitter look.
The Final Result
I really enjoyed this project more than I expected. It was creative, calming, and felt meaningful.
I reused a broken frame backing I used fabric from clothing that had flaws I spent zero dollars I created something unique for winter decor
This is the kind of DIY that reminds me why I love crafting so much. Simple materials, no pressure, and a finished piece that feels cozy, creative, and perfectly suited for winter.
If you have a broken frame, leftover fabric, or even random scrap materials lying around, this is such a fun way to turn them into something beautiful.
— Your Cheap Crafter
Dandychandee 