Adding a Vintage Touch With Sepia Art

I found these hymns on an online crafting shop. They were pages from an old hymnal, which someone removed and stained slightly to give them an older touch. Then, she hand-drew illustrations around the title and along the sides of the hymns. Some are of flowers. Some are wheat. Some are scroll-like patterns.

When I saw them for sale, I immediately jumped at the chance to buy a few and begin a collection. This was back in 2008, when we were renting. We had renter’s insurance, a monthly rent check to write and plenty of things to add into our budget. Thus, we had to get creative and decorate on a dime. I scoured our local thrift stores for pre-loved goods and even brought home a little loveseat in the back of my truck one time! Ultimately, I’m so glad we went that route, especially in our early years, because it allowed us to slowly curate a collection for our home. The items weren’t just purchased off the floor from a big-box store. Rather, they were ones I actively searched for and loved.

So, if I were going to start a collection, it needed to be an affordable one. I deeply considered investing in some great quality cowboy hats to hang in a gallery display on my bedroom wall, but in the end, even those proved to be too costly. These hymns were unique, reflected my spirit and were cost-affordable, to boot. I bought five, along with a two-part sign.

I could have just framed them all and called it a day. Yet, I knew I wanted these to be special. There are some decorating investments you make with the knowledge that these pieces will be a part of any home you’re in, no matter where that might be down the road. These were along those lines. I brought them to our local hobby store, bought cream-colored mats to match, as they wouldn’t draw too much attention away from the sepia paper, and finished the look with thin wooden frames. When I bought them, the frames were raw, natural wood. To give them a rustic feel, I lightly stained them with walnut stain. There are a few imperfections here and there, especially on the backs of the frames, as it was my first time working with the substance.

Overall, I am so pleased with the way this collection turned out. In this home’s past life, these frames were hanging in a two-row formation above our living room couch. Then, when we bought the property, we tore that wall completely down. Now, they still hang above our couch.

Only, instead of an antique love seat that we rescued, it’s a custom-built microfiber sectional we had created just for the cozy living room nook. The walls might not be the sweet, skinny, painted-white bead board they once were, but they were replaced with drywall painted a deep, gray tone. This house is different, but still very much us and I’m glad my hymn collection reflects that.