How to Make A DIY Moss Frame Art Gallery

Let’s reuse some old picture frames into a DIY moss frame art gallery. I wanted to create my version of a green wall for my front porch. 

I have beige siding on my home and it needed a pop of color on the porch. As much as I would love a living wall, it was just not practical for our home. The watering would be a nightmare, so I decided that I could still use real moss that is dried to create a similar look.

Today is a special day, I am joining four of my friends for an adventure of Thrifting With The Gals.

Thrifting with the Gals

If you are new to this series, this group of friends share a love for vintage and thrifted decorating.

These gals all live in different parts of the country, but come together once a month to share thrift store shopping ideas and how to decorate with your treasures.

• Ann from Dabbling and Decorating
• Kristin from White Arrows Home
• Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest
• Rachel from The Ponds Farm House  

If you have come over from Rachel’s Blog @thepondsfarmhouse, welcome. I am sure you loved all of her gorgeous vintage baskets and how she has styled them.

My name is Wendy from WM Design House and I have the pleasure of being a guest of the Thrifting Gals today.

DIY moss wall art

While I was thrifting in the historic West Bottoms of Kansas City, Missouri this month, I came across some fabulous vintage frames at a great price. I had a great idea of what I wanted to do to upcycle these beauties into a preserved moss wall gallery with a slant. 

On my blog, I may sometimes use affiliate links, which means a small commission is earned if you purchase via the link. The price will be the same whether you use the affiliate link or go directly to the vendor’s website using a non-affiliate link.

Of course, getting them home was the challenge, I even had to cut the large frame in half to fit into my suitcase. I had not paid much for the frames, and I knew that my plan to cover them in sheet moss would help to cover the wood glue when I put the frame back together. I knew this would be a great way to add some color to the walls of my front porch.

You can create many types of moss wall gardens by purchasing a DIY kit, or you can create your own as I have. You can choose to use a frame and fill the entire frame with moss to create a true living moss wall or add touches of dried moss for a similar look like I created.

Watch this short video of how I upcycled these old frames

Supplies needed to create a DIY moss frame art gallery

1. A collection of  different sizes of vintage picture frames
2. Sheet moss
3. Different colors of sphagnum moss
4. Spanish moss
5. Reindeer Moss
6. Blended turf (powder turf in a jar)
7. Natural elements
8. Air plants (if you would like to use them)
9. Hot glue gun
10. Mod Podge
11. Wood glue (if you need to glue any of your frames)
12. A clear matte finish varnish spray
13. faux plants or branches
14. Small red clay flowerpot
15. Bird’s nest
16. Bird eggs
17. Fresh pussy willow branches (I picked these up at Trader Joe’s)
18. Wire to connect frames and flowerpot
19. Ribbon to hang the frames
20. Command strips or nails to hang the empty frames on the wall
21. Staple gun

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Creating DIY moss frames with different textures

When selecting your frames, keep this in mind:

1. Purchase different shapes of frames.
2.  Find frames with plain molding and others with fancy molding. 
3. Choose frames that are made of different materials such as wood, metal, or resin.
4. Think outside of the box, put two frames together, take a frame apart and use the pieces of molding to add to another frame.  
5. Collect a variety of sizes to create interest in your moss wall decor.
6. Do not be put off by artwork that may be in the frame, you can always get rid of the artwork.

Once you have collected all of your frames, plan out the placement of the frames on your wall. You can use these frames on an interior space or exterior wall as long as it is not in the direct sunlight. You can use one frame or multiple frames. I do believe in the theory of using odd numbers when designing a gallery wall. 

Odd numbers of details can make a room more visually captivating. It’s true! Odd numbers force your eyes to explore and move around a room, creating a unique and engaging experience. That’s why one or a set of three is more appealing and memorable – they have just the right amount of oddness to capture your attention. Plus, who wants to be stuck in pairs!

The best part is using your creativity and thinking outside of the box. So let’s get started. 

Directions to make DIY Moss Frames

1. Gather all of your supplies from the supply list that you will be using.
2. Decide what treatment you will create on each frame. 
3. Using wood glue, glue any pieces of the frame that may be coming apart.
4. Cover each frame using a layer of Mod Podge and then sprinkle the blended turf onto the frame. I used a mix of both brown and green.

1. For my largest piece, I added moss to the entire frame. I loved the gold patina on the smaller frames and wanted to show that off, so I only added a strip of moss within the interior of the frame.
2. Once I let this dry, I went on to add a second layer of sheet moss to the frame using a hot glue gun.
3. Add any natural elements or pussy willows and greenery using a hot glue gun.
4. Next, I put a piece of wire through the hole of a small clay flower pot and wired it to the bottom of the frame.
5. Lastly, I added some Spanish moss and hot glued a small birds nest onto the top of the flowerpot. Add a few bird’s eggs if you desire.

Directions for completing the set of three DIY moss frames

1. Allow your frames to dry.
2. I added the smaller round frame to the larger oval frame using a small piece of wire.
3. You can take smaller pieces of molding (I broke up this gold small frame) and hot glued the pieces onto the larger frame for an added touch.
4. Add some moss to cover any wire you may have used to attached the frames together.
5. Using a hot glue gun, attach some faux greenery and pussy willow branches.

Hanging your picture frames

There are several ways you can hang your picture frames.

You can use Command Strips or put a nail in the wall if you choose.

I used a very small nail and then added ribbon to the frames to hang them. I liked the additional charm that the ribbon added to the wall.

Creating DIY moss frames using old picture frames from the thrift store can make for a unique and stylish wall gallery. Not only does it add a stunning design element to your home, but it also has a positive impact on the environment, as you are reusing previously owned items.

If you loved this project and want to learn more, check out my guide All About DIY and Crafts for more ideas.

More Thrifting With The Gals

Next up is my friend Ann @dabblinganddecorating, wait until you meet the newest member of her family, you will be so impressed.

Be sure to also stop by to visit the other gals below as well, you won;t want to miss what they have found thrifting.

Ann- Meet Ann’s newest treasure Miss Mannequin / Kristin – 20 Things To Look For At The Flea Market This Spring

Rachel-How To Decorate With Vintage Baskets / Robyn – How To Decorate With Yard Sale Finds

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this fun adventure today of Thrifting With The Gals!

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