CREATE Wall Art

When I sat down to think about this month’s project, something that I am thankful for, of course the obvious comes to mind. Family, health, friends, happiness, but we were asked to create a project for something else we are thankful for. While thinking about all the different things I could create or how I would create something, it hit me.......I am thankful for my creativity! Without the creativity, there would be no DT, there would be no scrapbooking, there would be no crafting at all! When I have given a gift of a hand crafted item, all the way from the age of 7, a common response is “oh I wish I knew how to do that!”

My project is a wall art piece that is going into the craft room above my window so that everytime I go in there, I will be inspired to “CREATE” something meaningful and special!

I started out with some chipboard, which just happened to be the backing boards to some used up note paper pads that I found at work. Cut the letters on my Cricut using the San Serif font at 4 1/2 inches. I then cut the paper, same font and size. Glued the paper to the chipboard using the Tombo Liquid Glue and then let it sit for at least 24 hours, under something heavy (to keep it from bowing), to dry. Once dry, I inked the edges using TH Distress Ink and then started the elements for each letter.

Since the R was going to be covered in a sewing pattern and not patterned paper, I worked on that one first.....to give it time to dry. I found an old sewing pattern in my sewing box, found a piece that had some distinctive markings and glued it on! I also used the Tombo Liquid Glue for this as I didn’t have any modge podge on hand. Worked well, a little more shiny than I would have liked, but did the job just the same. After that I took a piece of the patterned paper and cut a strip about an inch wide. Folded it in half, and “fringed” it. I then rolled the strip of paper into a flower shape and used a glue dot to adhere it to the letter. Fanned it out a bit, inked the edges a bit and viola a flower! I found that idea in CK magazine. Used a puffy brad like a pin cushion and stuck in two sewing needles as pins.

Next moved onto the counted cross-stitch. I have cross-stitched since I was a kid. Started out with needlepoint, advanced onto crewel and counted cross-stitch. As you can see, I have accumulated A LOT of floss over the years! I found a pattern that would fit online, printed it off, gathered my colors and needle and sat down. This was a unique part of the project because as I sat down to get started, my son wanted to see what I was doing. He insisted that I show him how to do it. So here he is helping with my cross-stitch. The next time we went to the craft store, he asked if we could get him his own cross-stitch kit so he could make his own! We did and he’s gotten started on it! Another part of being thankful for this gift is being able to teach it to others!

So I moved from one letter to the next. The buttons on the C, I arranged by size and color until I was happy with the variation and started adding the string (which happens to be cross-stitch floss) and glue dots! The R was done, the E just needed me to cut the cross-stitch to size, I peeled some of the strings off to fringe it a bit, inked the edges and stuck it on. I added some flowers and some pearls to give it some extra umph! The A I knew what I wanted to to do, the scissors, but after I put them on, it needed something extra. Sat and looked at it for at least an hour, then it just hit me......a banner!! I took some scraps of the patterned paper, found some brads and just stuck it on! It was the perfect addition! For the T, it was either going to be a tiny scarf or the flowers, and the flowers won! I also added one of DeeDee’s butterflies because I love them so much and a BG bloomer I had on hand. The last E was also part of my Pinterest challenge. I found the tutorial for the folded/oragami dress and wanted to make it, make a TON of them! So after trial and error with sizes, this was the winning one. I added liquid pearls along the bottom and bodice to dress it up a bit.

The frame I got from Joann’s. Here’s a great story......couldn’t find a frame to fit, asked the frame guy about getting a custom made frame and it would have been too much. Then he said, “ let me check in the back, we have frames that people get made, then they decide they don’t want them.....then we either try to sell them or get rid of them.” This frame, dark brown wood grain, was in the back, waiting to get pitched! Perfect size, perfect color! CHEAP! He added the foam board which I covered in brown felt and there you have it!

As soon as my hubby can get the hangers on the back and nails in the wall, it’s going up!