My kitchen has been in need of some serious decor love, and I have wanted to make something like this framed silverware artwork for a long time. Last week, I finally went to Goodwill over my lunch break in search of supplies to bring this craft to life.

Let me tell you, my Goodwill store has BINS and bins of silverware to choose from. So there I sat on the floor, silverware scattered around me, in search of the perfect patterns. Don't judge - sometimes you have to do what you have to do in the name of a good craft. Look how beautiful these patterns are!

I also found 3 old wooden frames to use. So... 3 frames, 15 pieces of unique silverware, all for $10. Gotta love thrift stores (and coworkers who lend you money when you forget your wallet - thanks Ike!).

There are a LOT of different versions of this craft all over Pinterest, but I took mine a step further by "antiquing" the frames and silverware. I also decided to paint and antique wooden letters to spell out "EAT," which I ended up hanging on the other side of the kitchen. See below for supplies and instructions to make this craft yourself!

DIY Silverware Kitchen Art

SUPPLIES

Drop cloth or newspaper
Sand paper
15 pieces of silverware (5 forks, 5 spoons, 5 knives)
3 old wooden frames
Wooden letters (I spelled out "EAT")
1 can spray paint of choice (I used Rustoleum Satin Heirloom White)
Foam paint brushes
Folk Art Home Decor Antiquing Wax (brown)
Cotton rags
1/2 yard burlap of choice (I got this dark gray from Joann Fabrics)
Electrical tape (or whatever tape you want)
Hot glue gun + glue sticks
Small nails or frame hangers of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

If you are painting wooden letters, you'll want to sand the sides and edges. The ones I bought at Joann Fabrics were very rough.

Cover your work surface (preferably a well ventilated garage or outside) with newspaper or a drop cloth. Spread out all items to be painted with enough space in between so that you can easily maneuver the can of spray paint.

Paint all items according to the paint can instructions - 10-16" away, overlap strokes, thin coats, etc. I'm sure you are supposed to let the paint dry overnight but I was feeling pretty impatient. I did 2 thin coats pretty much back to back, then waited about 15 minutes before painting some more. On the frames, I noticed some dripping so I used a foam brush to spread out the paint and smooth the sides. I did not paint the backs of the frames, letters, or silverware. By the time I was pretty happy with the coverage, my spray paint was gone - so that was that!

Allow all items to dry overnight.

The next day, spread out your drop cloth or newspaper again and get ready to "antique" the pieces using Folk Art Home Decor Antiquing Wax.

TIP: If you don't have any cotton cloths as specified on the bottle instructions, cut up an old t-shirt to use as rags.

Shake the bottle of wax, and dip an edge of your rag into the lid. Apply wax to the piece over the details you want to accentuate, then wipe away with a clean part of the cloth.

You can control how much "antique" effect shows up by wiping away more or less of the wax from the cracks and the overall frame/silverware. See below for the before & after on one of my frames and the forks. I also applied some of the wax to the edges of the "EAT" letters and wiped it away so they matched the frames and silverware.

If you're going for a really clean look, you may want to skip this step, but I really love how it brings out the detail on the silverware and the frames!

Next up, assembling the frames...

TIP: Here's where you can learn from my trial and error. I assumed that I could just cut the burlap to a certain size, lay it over the frame, insert the cardboard backing, and call it a day. Well, here's how that turned out - a big loose wavy mess!

So, I improvised. Cut the burlap so that it is about 2 inches longer than the glass from the frame. Fold the burlap over the edge of the glass and secure on one long side using tape (I used electrical tape since that's what I had). Pull the burlap taut and tape it on the opposing side as well. THEN place it into the frame, pulling the untaped sides taut. Trim the untaped sides as needed. Add another piece of burlap to ensure good coverage (burlap fabric has holes ya know), then top with the cardboard backing and fold/secure the little metal holders.

At this point, you are ready to glue on the silverware. Lay the silverware out on each of the frames to determine your pattern. For spoons and forks, you will need to apply hot glue to both points that will touch the burlap -- the highest point sticking up on the back, and the lowest point at the bottom of the silverware. For the knives, you can do a strip down the whole thing with a thicker blob at the top and bottom.

TIP: Work quickly as hot glue hardens fast, especially when placed on cold silverware. Don't use TOO much so that it oozes out and is visible, but try to use enough so that it adheres well. Glue your middle piece first, then the outside pieces, then the remaining two. This will help with your spacing. Try to find all of the pesky hot glue strings and remove them.

Now all of your frames should be done and after the hot glue has set, they are ready to glam up your kitchen! I originally planned to use the frames and "EAT" letters in one collage - but I wasn't loving the way they were laying out, so I ended up splitting them up.

Determine your layout/design, pound some baby nails into the wall, and hang -- voila!

TIP: I used my knives in the middle since that was the tall frame. Center/hang the middle frame first, then measure to figure out where to hang the others based on where the hanger on the back is and where you want them in relation to the center frame.

To hang the wooden letters, I used some velcro command strips that I found in my husband's tool box. Who knows if this will be a permanent solution - but hey, it'll work until one comes crashing down!

ANNNND see that hot pink thing of beauty in the lower right hand corner of that picture below? That would be my brand spankin' new, never been used, hot pink Kitchenaid Mixer -- a Christmas gift from the best husband in the world. Obviously, to be featured in upcoming blog posts.

We didn't choose the red paint, but we will live with it for now. And someday, I'm going to have to do something about these horrible track lights. The good thing is, these new decorations are completely neutral, so they will work with whatever color I paint my kitchen someday! Sam def approves.