Plywood Panel+Paint+Placemat=Wall Art

Wall art made easy... no, seriously easy!  When we first moved into our current home (a rental), I was struggling to find wall art for the dining room.  I had already hung one of my paintings, but I wanted something more.  Then I came across the capiz shell charger/placemat at Pier One Imports...

  At $12.95, I knew had the beginning of something.  I bought two.  I wanted them on the wall, but didn't want to do a frame.  Off to Home Depot I went, and found 2ftx4ft Birch Underlayment project panels for $7.97. 

One free lumber cut later, I was off to the oopsie paint section and found something that would work.  As soon as I got home, I painted each panel lightly so some of the wood grain was visible, let it dry and glued the "placemats" on with glue.  The end result wasn't too bad considering the fraction of time spent start to finish.  xo, -Inger