I shared this a few months ago on my friends blog but wanted to share it here as well!!
I have a creative brain...which means I have issues with ideas popping into my head and then ACTUALLY making them a reality. I fully realize that not every idea that pops into ones head needs to become a reality...but for a creative person we kinda think they do!
This project was loosely inspired by a photo my best friend shared on Facebook one day (years ago). When we were getting our three girls bedroom all set up I knew I wanted to make this project come to life...and it has changed a bit from the original idea but I love how it turned out.
It started with a HUGE blank canvas, 20x30 huge! And this wrapped canvas was hung on the girls wall...and neglected. When you run a creative business and have 5 kids and a part time job the things you want to do for YOUR home rarely get done in a timely manner. So this hung in their room for almost a year. And then I had had enough and I needed to get working on it so I wouldn't go crazy!!
So the first thing I did was paint the background...I used a few shades of blue for the sky and a few shades of green for the grass. I tried to give the grass some texture and I tried to make the sky look like a clear bright spring time sky. I think both of the objectives were achieved. Then the painting sat again...for about two weeks. Then I made time to work on it again. I found some off white rice paper when I was cleaning up my craft space and thought it would make for some great clouds!! I tore the pieces somewhat randomly and then used Mod-Podge to stick them to the canvas.
Then I found some newspaper and painted two shades of green on the newspaper. I then cut the paper into thin strips so I could use it for the stems.
Again, I used mod-podge to stick the newspaper down. The newspaper didn't lay down as smoothly as the clouds but I am really glad it didn't!! I love the dimension it adds to the whole project.
So here is what it looked like with the background colors, clouds and flower stems!!
So then I wanted to add the words...so the first thing I did was write the words in chalk directly onto the canvas. This is a great tip if you have an acrylic painting that you want to add details or words to. It wipes away very easily if you mess up and painting over the chalk is super easy!
Once my words were where I wanted them I painted them onto the canvas. I will tell you that painting words with a brush and actual paint is very challenging for me...but it is something I am working on. So, I am not 100% happy with how the words look but it's about learning in the process so that's okay with me!
So here is the piece with everything but the flowers! It's starting to take shape but really missing the pop of the colors and textures from the flowers!
My friend Danica and I traded creative services. She made me these beautiful crocheted flowers and I designed a logo for her. (I'm always up for a good trade if you have something in mind.) I found my big jar of random buttons and just started to sew the buttons on top of the flowers directly to the canvas. If you have a good needle you can stitch right onto the canvas! It's so much fun. The possibilities are endless!!
I love how this project turned out and I'm so excited that I still have some more flowers so I may make some smaller versions of this project as well!!
Have you done a mixed media project?
I would love to see it. I have some other mixed media project ideas in mind but I need to learn more about the process...I would love it if you would link up a project you have done in the comments!!
Have a blessed week!!
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