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High-End Dollar Tree Fall Art DIY + FREE Fall Wreath Printable

You would never guess this little piece of fall artwork started with a plastic Dollar Tree picture frame!

I came across this sweet arched frame at Dollar Tree and immediately loved the shape. The plastic finish wasn’t anything special, but I knew that with a few simple changes, I could give it a much more expensive, vintage-inspired look.

And the best part? You can download the fall wreath artwork I used for FREE from my Free Printables Library! More on that in a minute.

This is such an easy and inexpensive fall DIY, and the finished piece is perfect for adding to a bookshelf, console table, kitchen counter, entryway, or any little fall vignette around your home.

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Supplies You’ll Need

Arched Dollar Tree picture frame
European Gold Rub ‘n Buff
Fall wreath printable
White cardstock
Gloss Mod Podge
Paintbrush
Scissors
Dollar Tree glass container and candle, optional

Step 1: Give the Dollar Tree Frame an Antique Gold Finish

The original frame is plastic and fairly basic, but it already has a dark undertone that works perfectly for the look we’re creating.

I took the entire frame apart and applied European Gold Rub ‘n Buff over the surface.

Because the frame already has a black undertone, there is no need to spray paint it first. The plastic also has a slightly rough texture, which helps the Rub ‘n Buff adhere surprisingly well.

Work your way around the frame, applying and layering the gold finish as needed. Some areas may require a little more product than others.

You don’t necessarily want the finish to look perfectly uniform. Allowing some of that darker color to peek through helps give the frame the aged, antique appearance we’re going for.

Once finished, that inexpensive plastic frame suddenly looks much more like an antique brass or vintage gold frame.

Step 2: Download and Print the FREE Fall Wreath Artwork

Next, I used the glass from the frame as a template to trace the correct size onto my fall wreath artwork.

I printed the artwork onto white cardstock rather than regular printer paper. The heavier cardstock gives the finished piece a little more substance and works beautifully for the next step.

Get the Free Fall Wreath Printable

I’ve made this fall wreath artwork available as a FREE download in my Free Printables Library.

If you’re already a subscriber, simply head over to the library, enter your password, and you’ll find the fall wreath artwork ready to download.

If you’re new here, you can sign up for access to my Free Printables Library.

After entering your name and email address, you’ll receive an email from me containing the password and a link to the library.

Once inside, you’ll be able to download this fall wreath artwork along with all of the other free digital artwork and printables I’ve created for you!

Step 3: Give the Printable an Oil Painting Look

This next step makes such a difference.

Instead of simply placing the printed artwork into the frame, I wanted to give it the texture and appearance of a small vintage oil painting.

To do that, I applied a fairly thick layer of Gloss Mod Podge directly over the printed image.

Rather than smoothing the Mod Podge completely flat, use your brush to create different strokes and textures across the surface.

The brushstrokes mimic some of the texture you would see on an actual painted canvas.

Once everything dries, the artwork has a beautiful textured finish that makes the inexpensive cardstock print look much more substantial and high-end.

Step 4: Put the Frame Back Together

Once the artwork was completely dry, I reassembled the frame—but I made one small change.

Instead of putting the glass in front of the artwork, I placed the glass behind the print.

This allows you to keep the original glass with the frame without having it cover the artwork. More importantly, removing the glass from the front eliminates glare and allows all of that beautiful Mod Podge texture to show.

The finished piece looks much more like a tiny framed painting than a printable sitting behind glass.

And that’s it!

For just a few dollars, you have a sweet little piece of vintage-inspired fall artwork that looks beautiful tucked into almost any vignette.

High-End Fall Decor Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

This is exactly the kind of Dollar Tree DIY I love—simple supplies transformed into something that doesn’t immediately look like it came from the dollar store.

The antique gold finish, textured artwork, and vintage-inspired wreath design work together to give this inexpensive frame a much more collected and high-end appearance.

It’s also an easy project to customize and reuse throughout the year. You could simply switch out the artwork for Christmas, spring, summer, or another seasonal printable while keeping the same beautiful antique gold frame.

For more inspiration check out the new video below!