So excited to share my first Christmas project with you today and it may end up being my favorite project of all! I made this DIY Christmas carol sheet music framed art to go above my nativity scene.
I have wanted to make something like this for a while and finally did. I am sure you have seen other projects done by printing architectural prints or blueprint prints at the local print store and then turning them into art. I’ve heard some stores won’t do it anymore if it is a picture but I had no issues with my store printing this large sheet music print. I used Office Depot online, and under print shop selected blueprints or architectural prints, and uploaded this one as 24×36 inch black and white print so it is huge! And it only cost $3.59 which was awesome. It was ready the next day and I picked up in-store. Oh and here’s the link to the site where I got the sheet music although depending on what you wanted to do you could just google and find any sheet music, type up your own poem or saying, or even use a free printable from another blogger and submit it online to be printed. The possibilities really are endless with this and I can’t wait to do more!
See how crystal clear the print is? It turned out great! I considered several options to mount and frame it. You could get a canvas at your local craft store but for this size the cheapest canvas I found was about $18 and that was 1/2 price. If you were doing a smaller print a canvas would be more reasonable price and easier. I had some super-thin plywood in the garage and opted to use that -here’s the link to the same 2 foot by 4-foot project sheet at Home Depot that costs under $8.00
This part I am going to have work on to perfect – I used matte Mod Podge to adhere the print to the board but ended up with a lot of wrinkles even with smoothing with a large trowel or any flat thing I could find. I read other tutorials where people used spray adhesive and still got some wrinkles (but not as many) so I am not sure what the perfect solution is. But if I find it I’ll be sure to update this post!
Since it wrinkled I decided to embrace that look and just make it look antiqued and vintage. My little helper was helping me paint a layer of the Antique Mod Podge on top which gave it a bit of an antique white look instead of bright white and also sealed it.
I built a simple frame using 1×2 pine boards and stained them with Varathane Dark Walnut stain. And then just carefully nailed the frame to the plywood with my nail gun. I ended up doing a light coat of DecoArt Dark Wax mixed with some DecoArt creme wax on top as well once I had it framed.
And here’s the finished look! It definitely looks like an old sheet of music which is the look I was going for so I’m glad the wrinkles blend right in with that. 
Its the perfect piece to hang over my hallway console where I display my Willow Tree Nativity.
I ended up finding 11 pieces of this nativity at Goodwill of all places last year right before Christmas! It was in the glass case so wasn’t super cheap but still much much cheaper than buying new. And then my husband added the shepherd and camel set to it as a Christmas gift last year. Right now I am just using this small wood crate that I stained as the creche.
I had wanted to start collecting this set for years and am so thankful to have it – it’s my favorite Christmas decoration!
What Christmas carol or song would you want to be blown up as art in your home?
I just did a chalk board sign that says “Silent night, Holy night, all is calm, all is bright” and am planning to put it in our bedroom.
“Hark, the herald angels sing” would be cute over our piano…especially since my boys love singing that song, very loudly, over and over. 🙂
That is so beautiful! And such a unique idea. I’m blown away you found that nativity set at goodwill! My sister in law has part of the set and it is pricey!! Looks lovely together.
Thank you for sharing! This turned out beautiful.
I love everything about this frame! My OD will not print this as blueprint Arch since it not really an Architectural document and I think if I print it on poster the price is much higher. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Wonderful! Looks amazing and thanks for the great idea!!
This is absolutely beautiful!!!
Aww, I love this!!! My mother in law gave me some of this willow tree set a couple of years ago. She got a great deal on it after Christmas. I would love to make a sign like this to hang with it!
Also-I saw a Mod Podge tip on YouTube where a lady used an iron to adhere the paper to the board where she had already applied Mod Podge. I used this technique once in putting wrapping paper inside a desk drawer and it worked for me. However in your case, I agree that the wrinkles add to the look you wanted. Very pretty!!!
I tried this and the modge podge turned out much more yellow than yours looks – how did you get it to be more brown?