Thursday, May 26, 2011

Unique but Easy Wall Art




Tying together a nursery theme can be expensive, as well as frustrating. My problem is that I get an idea of exactly what I want and get frustrated when I don't find it. If I do ever find it, it tends to be out of my price range. This is how my oldest ended up with a virtually undecorated bedroom until age two. At that point, we embraced his train theme and I got smart enough to create the decor rather than depend on stores selling me cutesy train items. (Our boys' now-shared room is more vintage than Thomas.)  Easy, unique, and fun.


How to Make Fabric Silhouette Wall Canvases:

Supplies:
Blank canvas
Fabric
Staple gun
Decoupage glue (like Mod Podge), in matte or glossy (I like glossy)
Cardstock or thin cardboard
Scissors
Pencil
Tempera paint
Paintbrushes

1. Trim fabric to cover the front of the canvas and stretch around to the back. Stretch and staple two opposite sides with a staple gun. Fold the corners and staple the other two sides.

2. Coat the front and sides of the fabric with decoupage. This acts as a primer. I like to use a sponge brush when decoupaging for a more even application. Let dry completely, at least 30 minutes.

3. While you wait, create a template. You can either print out silhouettes you find online or you can freehand your own. I created my own, especially since trains are boxy shapes easy to create with just a ruler.  Draw onto card stock and cut out.

4. Trace template onto canvas. Paint in the shape. I start with a thin brush, outlining the shape, and then filling in with a wider brush. Allow paint to dry. Apply more coats as necessary.


Twist on the project:
Once the paint dries, embellish. Some ideas for extra flare include buttons, ribbon, fabric cut-outs attached with decoupage, glitter, and gems.


adapted from The Martha Stewart Show


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