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Showing posts with label wooden canvas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wooden canvas. Show all posts

Sunday, October 1, 2023

31 Days of All Hallow's Eve - Day 1 - Autumn canvas

Hello, my peeps! Starting today, I will feature crafts, decor, haunted tales, cartoons, etc. all with a Halloween vibe. Be prepared to be inspired and a little spooked by my offerings. Today, I created wall decor for my home, altering a wooden box/sign from the Dollar store that was an Easter decoration, now bringing in the Fall season. 

I used some of my leftover stash of papers and adhered it to the front, after peeling, scraping and sanding the original clean. Searching through my Halloween craft supplies, I found the sticker letters spelling FALL and added them after placing a line of pumpkins from my ribbon/trim stash.

I finished off my project with tiny leaf die-cuts and a button (the tree). This was a very simple project that took me more time looking for the supplies than to put it together. Don't you love that kind of project? LOL

I will be showcasing a new make every day in October, some cute like this one, others bringing out the creepy, spooky vibes. At the end of the month, I will randomly pick someone who has left a comment on any of my blog posts and send them a digital copy of my new coloring book. This book features a lot of my Zen doodles as well as others I have not published. Being digital, you can print and reprint on any kind of paper repeatedly!

Do you know why leaves change colors in the Fall? While chlorophyl keeps them green in Spring in Summer, the chemical decreases its production as cooler temps appear in the shorter days. According to Science Notes, leaves also contain flavonoids and carotene (orange and yellow) as well as lycopene and anthocyanin (red and purple). As chlorophyl decreases, these chemicals show their true colors. When the temps lower, leaves lose their bright colors, turn brown and brittle and then die. 

The Four Seasons - Anything Fall Mood Board
Challenge Up Your Life - Autumn Leaves
Creatalicious Challenges - Anything Goes w/option Autumn colors


Saturday, July 22, 2023

That's Nine Altogether - Thrift/Dollar Store Upcycle #7

 

One of my all-time favorite Halloween movies is Hocus Pocus. Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as three witches released from a curse and looking to drink the life essence of young children, this Disney classic has plenty of humor and comic moves to give it a PG rating. It was good enough to get a sequel, new in 2022.

Above, Bette Midler tries to impress upon her sisters how necessary it is to suck the lives out of children so that they don't "cease to exist". I gave new life to this free clipart by coloring her hair and skin, as well as some black trim and Halloween stickers. 

Below I used up my 3D bird stickers to create another canvas. This one reads, "Take time to laugh, for it is the music of the soul".



Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Wall Decor Gone Wild


 My stack of thrift store upcycled wall decor is getting higher with every passing day. Featured above is my newest canvas, one my mom would have appreciated. She was a Star Trek fan of every movie, TV series and offshoots. She went to conventions and cruises where she got to meet, dine with and get autographs with all numerous celebrities from each venue.

I found a clipart of Mr. Spock from the original TV series and colored it. I added the ST insignia onto his shirt. I love his quote, "Are you a Vulcan or a Vulcan't! 

I've got to say that the time invested in scraping and sanding the Dollar Store wooden wall decor is well worth the effort. I plan on selling these at the next craft fair on my calendar... 

Here's another canvas below. I used one of my Zen Doodles to create it. I added a few paper flowers and adhesive pearls for dimension.



Sunday, July 16, 2023

Can't Have Too Many Shoes - Dollar Store DIY/Upcycle #5

 

I found a huge dresser drawer filled with stickers! These beauties are felt stickers, and I used a strip of designer paper from a previous project for the quote. The paper is one I've had for years and I thought it went perfectly with the shoe theme. After all, shoes are as much about style as clothing.

I remember wearing heels like these when I was younger. I had a lovely pair of "platform" heels that were lined in black velvet. They had clear plastic straps over the toes, with a black silk flower on each. The straps around my ankles were black satin. I called them my hooker shoes! LOL
Comment if you remember wearing platforms, hot pants, bell bottoms (now called flares) and jackets with fringe (purses, too). What a blast from the past!

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Faith - Dollar Store DIY/Upcycle #4

 

Today I upcycled another Dollar Store wooden sign. This time I used a stamp from Crafters' Companion for the sentiment. The cardinal is a 3D stamp (isn't he beautiful?). The paper is once again a grab from my paper stacks. I swear, unless I need a specific paper, I won't have to buy another sheet until the year 2035. LOL

I admit it. I am a paperholic. If I say I'm on my way to a paper-crafting, intervention, I'm really on the way to buy more paper. And that has to stop! My sister and her hubby are coming in to stay with me in September, and that basement (where my craft supplies are located) must be cleaned out and organized before they take step one into my house.

I will say that a lot of paper came from clearance racks, thrift stores and 50% off sales, and I haven't bought a single piece since before COVID. But then I inherited my mom's stash of papers when she passed. I had bought a shelf (on clearance) from Michaels craft store to keep everything in one place, but I later discovered that I had only put the 12x12 papers in it. I recently found a couple drawers full of cardstock in all the colors of the rainbow, so the pressure's on. Of course, I could go back to making cards and scrapbooking, but I'm having so much fun painting and upcycling and creating wall decor and patio decor...and those projects often clean out more space that using paper and tape!!!

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Beach - Dollar Store DIY/Upcycle #3

Since I bought a bag of 15 Dollar Store signs at a thrift store for $5, I decided to create a post each time I finish one. Today's project uses designer paper, stickers and buttons. All my upcycled boxes have a 3D element on them. I pulled everything from my leftovers stash. The letters spelling BEACH were part of a scrapbooking goodie from a crop weekend and the flip flops are buttons. 
My favorite type of vacation features a beach. Cozumel is one of my favorite destinations. Later this year, my sisters and I are going on a cruise in the Caribbean, and I plan on spending plenty of time on the beaches, soaking up the sun (properly covered with sunscreen), splashing in the waves and searching for shells.
 On the first anniversary of my hubby's passing, my daughter and I went to Cozumel and spread his ashes into the Caribbean Sea. It was sad and yet he loved it there. I don't think we'll go back any time soon.  The hotel we used to stay at changed owners and is not as well-maintained as it was previously. Add in the fact that we had always traveled with my girlfriend and her family, it was a lonely trip (she had passed away three months before my husband). But we'll always have the memories, all put together in a scrapbook.


Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Using Nature to Paint a Canvas

 

I finally broke out of the "painters' Block" I was stuck in. I pulled out a circular piece if wood for my canvas. I had seen on Pinterest this technique of using a leaf to paint on and transferring it over to my canvas. I sanded and coated it with chalk paint and then stated the tedious process of "stamping" with my leaves, waiting for that to dry, then going over the whole area with watered down paint. While impatiently waiting for the opportunity to paint another layer, I had to admit that the time was well worth it.

There are about six layers of acrylic paint on my project. I can either hang it on a wall, sell it or make a plant stand or patio table out of it.I seem to remember having a couple of these round pieces of wood. Hmm...

What do you think I should do with this? Do you have other ideas I can use for it? Let me know in the comments section please!