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Do-It-Yourself Framed Canvas Project – From an Ordinary Photo

Last night was our monthly craft club meeting. Our lovely neighbor Tara hosted, and she taught us how to turn a regular photo into a framed work of art! As a professional photographer, Tara has a houseful of amazing photos that I thought were printed on canvas. One hanging in her hallway is stunning, and inspired this month’s meeting!

I know its hard to see in photos, but when you walk up close and touch the surface, they have the delicate texture you find on a canvas. Last night, she let us all in on her secret. And now you can craft your own canvas look-alikes, too (for a fraction of the price I might add)!

Here’s what you will need:
-A standard printed photo of any size (a great place to get prints at really reasonable prices is Costco)
-A frame
-A piece of foam board (you can buy this by the sheet at any craft store with a framing section)
-Mod Podge and foam brushes for applying
-A straight edge, cutting board and exacto knife (if you need to cut down your photo, or foam board)
-Sponges
-Rolling pin thingy
-Black and gold paint (optional)

2) First, find a photo you like and get it printed in the size you desire. 
Ever since a trip to Luckett’s 2 years ago, I have wanted a huge piece of art with a white horse on it. They had a gorgeous framed arabian horse, and wow – I stared at this beauty. But the price tag was insane! I haven’t forgotten that horse, so when this opportunity to make my own big piece of art came along, I hopped on a stock photography website to find my own white horse. I used Shutterstock. I was able to purchased and immediately download a “Super” high-resolution sized image (28.6″ x 19.0″ at 300 DPI) for only $19!! Once I downloaded the image from Shutterstock, I then uploaded it to the Costco photo center website. There I opted to printer a poster-sized photo in 30″ x 20.” This only cost $8.99! And it was ready in just a few hours!
3) Find a frame. Ideally, you want your frame to be the same size as your print. But, if your photo is bigger than the frame, you can always cut it down. Simply use a straight-edge or ruler, cutting board and exacto knife to get the size you need. Cut your foam board to the same size as your print.
Here’s a tip – custom frames can be outrageously expensive (Trust me – the one I wanted for this project from Michael’s was $400!) So, there’s a few things you can do, buy a plain frame and paint it, which is what I did. Or, go to a place like HomeGoods, and score a clearance mirror and just remove the mirrored part. Instant frame!)
4) Once your print and foam board are cut to the correct size, gather your Mod Podge (we all used Matte, but Glossy is also available), a foam brush, and the rolling pin thingy. Liberally apply mod podge all over the foam board, creating a smooth layer. Cover the entire piece and make sure to get the edges. Here’s Tara demonstrating!
5) Next, place your print over the foam board, and begin smoothing it out with the rolling pin thingy. Try to remove any and all air bubbles. Move in all directions. Once you have it smoothly in place, allow it to dry. This might take about 10 minutes – it dries rather quickly. At this point, we stopped to enjoy Tara’s delicacies, which included homemade candied walnuts (to die for)!!

Isn’t this a great photo? Another one of Tara’s awesome shots!

6) After it dries, here comes the fun part…
Spread another liberal layer of mod podge right over the print. Work quickly, so it doesn’t dry, because you immediately want to “stipple” the mod podge with a sponge. We used everyday dish sponges, that were split down the middle to reveal the bumpy texture inside. You can used other sponges, too – choose the size of the holes you prefer. Some sponges create larger stipple, while others create a smaller, finer stipple. We all opted for these dish sponges, which made larger stipple.
 Quickly dab the sponge on the wet mod podge. Dab the whole print, until you see the texture everywhere.

You dab fast, hence the speedy hand photo here!

When you are done, your entire print will look like this. Don’t worry, the mod podge dries clear, and will only leave behind the texture – giving it the canvas look! We waited for it to dry, and then went back and did a second layer of the stippling.

Here’s the white stippled mod podge on my horse.

After they dry, you simply insert your piece into the frame!

Here you can see the texture well in the top-left corner! Liza made this work of art!
She also made this one of her wedding bands on the beach – again you can really see the texture on the shaded areas in the bottom right.
Here’s Tara’s – isn’t the frame awesome! It was originally a mirror!

Here’s two Kelly did!

And Kim’s shot from Hawaii!
Now that we’ve told you how this is done, let’s talk about a few “special techniques,” for aging your photos. Kristi worked on these two dog images as a special memento for her parents who just lost their beloved pets. Since her original photos were a bit blurry, she wanted to make them look old and “grainy,” like a lot of old photos used to be back in the day. For the Photoshop users out there, you would called this adding “noise.” To achieve this noise, Kristi added a tiny bit of black craft paint to her mod podge, stirred well, and then stippled. You can really see it well on the right-hand shot.  They turned out great!
In this photo Tara showed us how to age a piece two ways. She watered down a gold craft paint, and sponged it all over the image. You know how photos tend to turn yellow over the years – she made it happen instantaneously! Then she used watered-down black craft paint to create a silhouette around the edges. So cool!

Tara turned her kitchen into a serious studio for us with long tables covered in paper!

Here she is demonstrating the aging techniques!
Since my horse piece was so big, I needed help to get it smoothed out quickly and remove the air bubbles before the mod dried!

I LOVE how it turned out. I know its really hard to see the texture in my photos, especially on the white areas – but trust me, its there, and it feels so cool!

Remember how I said you could paint your frame? That’s what I did here…finding a cool 20×30 frame or mirror was impossible. I could only find a plain black one. So, I dry-brushed a couple of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors over the black, and it changed the whole look. I can’t wait to hang this in my home!
Thank you to Tara for all of her hospitality, and for teaching us how to make our own custom-canvases! I know I will be doing this again and again!
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Open Framed Wall Decor – our April Craft Club project!

I love Craft Club! Why you ask? Two words: wine -and- friends. Craft club is like most other social clubs – there’s food, alcoholic beverages and ladies shooting the shit. Craft club is no different than book club, bunco, even some mommy play groups I’ve been to. It’s a group of gals meeting for a purpose that’s really not the sole purpose for meeting. Does that make sense?

Sure, we craft. We make stuff with our hands. But, its much more than that. It’s time away from the kids. Time away from the laundry, lunch-making and lists of to-do items around the house. It’s time for ourselves. Time to be creative. Time to be an adult again. Most of the gals in my group have little kids, and we spend a great deal of time being something for everyone else. Nurse, chef, personal assistant, dog-walker, and boo-book kisser. At Craft Club, I free the inner me. And that me is Hot Pink!

So, after all that bla, bla, bla about the higher calling of Craft Club, let’s get down to business and talk about the open frame wall decor we made!

Jackie hosted in her lovely home, and chose a project that was fun and easy to make. Michael’s called this an Open Frame Monogram Wreath. You can read the instructions here. Here’s what our group did!

We all personalized the project in different ways – some chose to add the silk flowers to their frame like in the Michael’s version. Other’s painted and hot glued wooden embellishments to frame. Some made flowers from paper. I thought the best part was checking out everyone’s gorgeous papers they used to decoupage the wooden monograms. Today’s scrapbook paper is just so beautiful! I swear, I am compelled to buy it up and save a stash – just to have it and look at it. It really wouldn’t matter if I ever used it, I just love having it!

Our talented artist in the group, Gail, chose not to decoupage her initial, but instead hand-drew designs on it! Is it beautiful!

I loved the paper flowers on Laura’s frame!

I opted to not do an intial. Instead I picked up a couple of wooden crosses. I decoupaged each and stacked them – topping the whole thing with a pretty cross I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I thought hot glue would hold this whole thing together, but it didn’t work so well. I then decided to use screws through the back to keep them all snug. Here it is hanging on my wall!

I love the rustic, rough nature of the frame, combined with the delicate french toille paper.

Did I say how much I love craft club?

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The decoupaged document dresser

Say that three times fast! (I love a good tongue-twister)

Here’s one of my latest paint projects – an Ethan Allen dresser with matching mirror. It started off a golden honey color, and now looks like this:

I painted the whole thing in Old White. It’s heavily distressed and sealed with clear wax. Dark wax was added for aging. A while back I ordered several rolls of document wrapping paper from Ballard Designs, and this piece was begging for something different. A little Mod Podge and the drawer fronts got a cool new look. And to make it even more unique, I pulled out the BBQ lighter and scorched the edges of each piece of paper. (my house stunk for days!)

What’s next? I’ve got a couple of unfinished wall cabinets to do for a client, and a girly toy box to personalize with stencils for another. My own stash includes two twin beds to finish, and two antique chairs to paint and reupholster! I seriously gotta buckle down and get in the garage! Later friends!

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2012 Project Highlights and Tips for Succes

January 1, 2013. Today’s a day to reflect on the past year and plan for the future. And its been a good year filled with many changes. My family is happy and healthy, and professionally I couldn’t be more pleased. The new book publicity job is going well, and this past Spring I rediscovered how much I enjoy painting furniture.

Between custom work for clients, and the pieces I painted to sell, the projects were, for the most part, highly enjoyable (excerpt for painting a few sets of dining chairs – oh they are a bear)! Here’s some of my favorites from 2012 and tips for success:

My FAVORITE furniture makeover was the french chair…

This was so fun – I really loved the upholstery aspect of this piece, and I hope to do more chairs this year. If you’re going to reupholster a piece, here’s my suggestions to avoid pulling your hair out:

1) Invest in a good stapler – at least an electric one, or you will find you need a lot of muscle just to get them in flush
2) Save the pieces of old fabric you tear off to use as a template when cutting the new fabric
3) Buy more fabric then you think you will need

Here’s the original posts for this project if you want to see and read more:
Ripping it Apart
Painting the Chair
The Reveal


The Antique Bedroom Set – a close tie for second!


Oh how I loved working on this set that included a queen headboard, footboard, side rails, a dresser, vanity and two huge mirrors. The furniture was beautiful, with amazing appliqué details, curves and rasters. Did I say I LOVED this set? And after the paint, I loved it even more. 
Tips for success:
1) Tape off your mirrors with green (Frog tape brand) painter’s tape. Do not use the blue kind – or you will have bleeding. Trust me on this!
2) Invest in beautiful knobs – they make such a difference
3) When painting appliqués, use a small artist’s brush and take your time
Click here if you want to see some before shots of these beauties.
Mona’s Sideboard


This console was a custom paint project that I fell in love with. I swear when it was all said and done, I secretly wished it was mine! I hope to find a similar piece some day and paint it for my own dining room.
Tips for success:
1) Frog tape is great for getting crisp lines around edges if you don’t trust a not-so-steady hand
2) Use dark wax sparingly for an aged patina. If you smear it over the whole piece, it will just look dirty.
3) Sometimes the lack of hardware truly makes a piece stand out. Don’t be afraid to take it off and fill in the holes. But be sure you can easily open drawers.
Here’s more photos!

The bench from hell


Sometimes a piece of furniture is so easy to transform you’ll amaze yourself. At others, it’s such a pain in the ass you could cry. This one fell into the latter category. And I have several posts to explain why linked below. BUT, what’s important is that the end result. This pretty piece sits in my spare bedroom and when I walk past the room, I still find myself stopping to admire her. 
Tips (or maybe I should calls these bits of advice warnings):
1) You will get blisters when removing thousands of staples!
2) Upholstery needles are very long and sharp!
More links:
Removing cushions is hard work!
The next step – fabric.
Making the tufted seat.
Little Red Accent Table


Okay, I have a thing for red. Love red accents in a home, and this piece turned out great with its black wood peeking out from underneath.
Tips:
1) Always remove hardware before you start painting, unless of course you plan to paint right over it
2) Don’t be afraid of color. A striking piece will make you smile! The 2013 Pantone color of the year is emerald green – who wants to try it out first??!!
Click to see more photos of red furniture.

Gorgeous Wood Plank Desk


This gorgeous desk was also a custom project. The stunning plank top was to die for! I’m not kidding, I’d go out in the garage and just run my hands over it. Just. Beautiful. Wood.
Tips:
1) The Black and Decker Mouse is an awesome little hand-sanding tool that strips off old surfaces so quick and easy! Perfect for smaller hands and very light-weight. 
2) If you don’t like your wood to have a shiny surface, make sure you use a matte finish. I prefer Minwax Wipe On Poly. They even make a wipe on stain too, that you just brush on, let sit a few minutes and then wipe off. Easy-breezy!!
Annie’s Secretary

This was a pretty custom project I enjoyed doing. It started off solid black. We used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey, and Old White. 
Stenciling tip:
To avoid stencil bleeding, always make sure to wipe your brush on a paper towel to remove excess paint, before you begin stenciling. Each time you reload your brush, wipe first. This will keep paint from seeping underneath the stencil and giving you that blurry edge.

Decoupaged Kitchen Storage Cupboard


This petite cupboard made my favorite list because of the shabbiness and it’s decoupaged interior doors.  Truth be told, I was completely out of Paloma (the purplish color) and Old White paint when I discovered that I had failed to paint the insides of the doors. I was taking this piece to a sale the next day and I had to do something. In a pinch I decoupaged the doors with Modge Podge and scrapbook paper. I loved the surprise of opening the doors and finding the design!
Decoupage tips:
1) Make sure paint is dry before you decoupage over it
2) If air bubbles form, pierce it with a pin, then smooth out with your fingers
3) Avoid using ink-jet printed designs, as the ink can smudge from your decoupage medium
French Coffee Table


The french coffee table was one of my fav’s this year too. The piece was curvy, with scrolls and shell motifs. I chose to dry-brush Old White over Paloma and it created a lovely layered look.
Dry-brush technique tip:
The dry-brush technique is literal – you load a small amount of paint on your brush, and then wipe most of it off onto a towel or rag before you start painting. Keep the brush very dry to deposit very fine amounts of paint on the surface.
More photos here.

Gold Gilding Column Table


I loved this little piece of furniture for its many crevices. Turned grooves allow dark wax to settle in and create such a perfect, distressed and aged look. Gold gilding wax also looked great on those column legs.
Gilding wax tip:
A little goes a long way! Seriously, use a fine-tipped brush and wipe it back to get your achieved luster. Let it set and then buff lightly. Ahhh – so rich!
More photos here.

As I think about the coming year and the things I’d love to take a brush to, a list is quickly developing:
1) A stenciled accent wall in my powder room
2) A mammoth hutch
3) My kitchen cabinets (I just want to wax them. They’re already an antique white color and I think the dark wax would make a huge difference!)
4) I’ve got about 5 pieces of furniture in my house that need a makeover, from dressers to a storage bench.
5) A TV console
6) A mini bar
7) More French chairs
I’ll stop now. Heck, I’ll paint just about anything! Give it a try folks – I think you’re gonna love it!

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Paint Demo Inspires Craft Club

This weekend I had a nice group of neighbor ladies over for a paint demo. A few were really interested in learning how to transform their old furniture with the shabby chic style that is so popular. We worked on this tray, which can be purchased already decoupaged with this pretty floral paper from Jo-Ann’s Fabric. The wood was unfinished, and the handles come black.

We painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antoinette – a pretty soft pink color. I showed the gals how to distress with a sanding block and seal with clear wax. Then we even added a little gold gilding wax to the handles for some added glamour!

It was so much fun, sitting there talking about painting, drinking wine and generally gabbing with the girls.  And so, we decided this would become a monthly craft club. Like a book club, a different member will host a meeting at their home, where they will lead a craft. I’m starting in October with a Halloween craft – stay tuned – I’m sure to write a blog post about it!

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Decoupage Flower Vase Step-By-Step

I made a couple of decoupage vases the other day, and thought you might be interested in a quickie tutorial – since I bet we all have several of those plain glass vases that come with our flower deliveries.

It had been several years since I decoupaged anything, and I’ll warn – if its your first time trying to decoupage, maybe skip using a vase, and try this on a flat surface, like a table-top. The process is the same, no matter what you are decoupaging. The difference is that adhering to a flat surface is a little easier, as you can smooth out the paper. With the curved surfaces of a vase, its a little trickier. But, still easy enough for a beginner (don’t let me scare you out of trying this).

So the first thing you want to do is choose the paper you want to use. I used plain old scrap-booking paper.

Then I poured some Mod Podge into a plastic container. Mod Podge is the brand I use – but there’s several to choose from at your local craft store. It’s very similar in consistency to regular white school glue. You’ll need a sponge brush or a regular paint-brush will work too.

Dip your brush into the glue. Not too much, just a small amount until you feel comfortable working with it.

Next take your piece of paper, cut to whatever size you choose, and put the paste on the side you want to stick to the vase. For me it was the white side of the paper. Cover the entire piece with glue, making sure to get even the edges. Don’t worry, I worked on the granite counter, and the glue wiped right up with a wet rag.

Put the sheet on the vase and smooth it down onto the glass.

Don’t spend too much time positioning for perfection…because you’ll want to quickly cover the entire piece you just layed down with a layer of mod podge. Smear it over the whole piece of paper. You’ll notice how it now lays and adheres to the glass much better.

Smooth out as many of the wrinkles and air bubbles as you can with your brush or your fingers.

I folded the edges at the bottom of the vase down and pasted them into place too.

Cut your next sheet and repeat the process. For this square-shaped vase, I used 4 sheets and pasted them all on. It was a quick and easy project. For the vase below, it was a bit more time consuming, because I chose to paste small pieces on, using the flowers on this paper.

But, the process was the same: cut the paper to the size and shape I wanted, paste the back-side and put it down on the glass, cover the entire piece of paper with a layer of mod podge, and smooth it out.

The glue will dry clear after a few hours. Obviously, you don’t want to get the outside of the vase too wet, or the glue can come loose. And you wouldn’t want to stick the flowers to the inside of the vase unless you were only planning on putting in dried flowers or branches that don’t need water.

Here’s how the vases looked the next morning after drying:

And here they are today – ready to be given to Saxon’s teachers for Teacher Appreciation Day. He signed the bottom of each vase with permanent marker, and we made little tags with their names on them.

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I’ve discovered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Last weekend I attended the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint workshop in Leesburg, Virginia. For those of you who are new to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, as I was just a few months ago, it’s this very popular brand of paint used to give new life to furniture.

I discovered the paint while doing online research, as I was going to attempt my first furniture refinish job in over 10 years. That’s right – year’s ago I dabbled in refinishing old furniture. I’d go to auctions and buy old stuff, then strip it, and paint it. The only piece I still have today is this TV armoire. It was a hunter green piece from Ikea that lacked any character. So, I painted it black, decoupaged the door insets, and added new handles. I’ve always loved how it turned out and get tons of compliments from people who visit. But now that I know about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I might be tempted to refresh this baby! (If I could get it into the garage – it weighs a ton!)

Two months ago I decided to redo a filing cabinet. It was purchased from Home Decorators about 3 years ago and had lots of life left in her. Except it was black (like so much of my furniture purchased during the “black is mod and cool” phase). My new office is a white-wash oak. So, I figured I would strip this puppy and give it a wash. I wanted it to look like this piece I scored at HomeGoods.

Well, after hours of stripping, sanding and white-washing, here’s how it turned out. I’m less than thrilled. Too much grey. It will go back to the drawing board and get the Annie Sloan treatment.

So, this experience of trial and error helped me find the light! I learned of the Annie Sloan American Tour in Leesburg, which just happens to be about a 30-minute drive from my home. I registered and the rest is history! Now I feel so much more confident about painting furniture. I’ve already started a sample piece, and will share that with you too in a post to come.

In my next post, I will show you what I discovered at the ASCP workshop!

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