Color in the kitchen

I have one of those amazing recessed sockets in my kitchen.  Great if you need a clock.  But I don't.  So I wanted to cover it up.  I also needed something with some height, but there isn't enough room for another shelf.  

I had a canvas that would fit there perfectly.  I wanted some color but not an actual picture that should really be hung close to eye level to see details.  I pin art whenever I see something I like and this one in particular has been all over pinterest.

Decor Pad

It's actually digitally done, but I LOVE those colors.  I looked around for some tutorials for ideas.  There are a lot out there.  Basically they are all the same. 

Paint your canvas:  I actually really liked this one as is and had a hard time putting the tape on it.  You can't see it in this pic but there is actually some sparkly gold going on!

Find the width of painters tape you like and cut strips to the length you want.  I used edge lock duck tape (just shy of 1" thick) and cut 4" long strips on a measured craft mat.  

The rest you do by "eyeballing" it.  Pretty technical I know.  However, I will admit I had to start over three times until I found a way to start my pattern.  My perfect pattern was started with a triangle (point up) in the exact middle of the canvas.

I laid them all out and then peeled off a few random ones.

Instead of white, I used a really light turquoise.  It's my black.  Every room should have a little in it!  I did two layers:

I then used my exact o knife to pull up the tape that was left on there. VERY CAREFULLY.

And here it is in it's final resting place.  I still haven't hung it.  It's propped up.  I still may raise it up a little bit,but that is low on the list.

It wasn't brain surgery but there was lots of drying time involved & it didn't cost a penny (at some point it did but that was so long ago) but a certain best friend is begging me to make one for her...I'm sure I'll do it..because I love anything that takes me away from housework her!

One Word Wednesday

COLOR

Sihouette Reveal

On Oct 24th, I gave you this sneak peek of a project I was going to be working on.  I was so excited and really did get started fast.   I knew it was going to be a big project but I had NO idea I wouldn't be blogging about it's finished phase until a month later?!  Keepinitreal.  I gave you a finished sneak peak here.

This post is photo heavy and wordy.  Honestly, I should have broken it up into pieces.  Which is exactly what I had to do to get through it on this end!

Here is where I started.  Three free frames.  I used to be a manager at a department store & the visual manager was going to throw them away.  Say what?  Three huge frames?!  I don't think so.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.  That was in 2008.

They stayed in a closet at our old house and moved to a storage unit and then onto Richmond.  Where they have sat in a closet until a month ago!  Much to my husbands dismay.  He couldn't believe I brought them home, much less moved them!  (But it wasn't the first piece I'd brought home.  He was also confused when I brought home an office credenza, until I refreshed & re-purposed it into this bar for our dining room.  He should know to trust me!)

I started by taking off the paper on the back of all three.

 My pantless (prettysurehehasonshorts) design assistant.

 There was a ton of glue holding the triple layer of matting in on two of the frames and nails on another...ugh..

 

 I pulled the artwork off the mats and got to measuring some poster board.  I originally thought these were going to go in our playroom and was beyond pumped when I found some lime green chevron wrapping paper in the clearance aisle.  I didn't think I would ever find that, so I had actually bought some lime green chevron fabric to use.  But the paper was SO much cheaper, that I returned the fabric.  In the end I just wasn't sure about the space I had planned.  It was too small.  I decided they were going to go in the living room.  I needed something LARGE and these were unexpected.  I hung up paper the size of the frames to get an idea for their size.

These frames are huge.  Which means I then had to find a chevron pattern, so I could paint it the color I wanted to match the living room.  Thank you google, that was easy.  

This was the tedious part.  Over and over tracing and tracing.  Trying to keep it level from one side to the next.  Ugh...

Then I had to decide how big I wanted the center square.  The focal point of these frames.  Originally I was going to use a 12" canvas, but with the double mat, I thought it was too much.  Especially since it was going to be behind glass.  Once I decided on a 10" (after a 12" looked too big with the mat on top) square I erased the lines inside the box, in case it didn't paint so well.  More tedious work ensued...painting the chevron..with a tiny brush, so I could have nice crisp lines.

 Then I painted the square. 10"x10".  I felt it was nice and centered and still showed plenty of the chevron once in the mat & framed.  I spent a ton of time painting those zig zags, I wanted them to be seen!

Once that was done  I took pictures of the kids (I had taken a few months back, so I would be ready!), I printed them out and blew them up so that the image was 8".  For all three.  I cut them out and traced them onto the poster board.  Again, I filled in the lines with a tiny little bitty paint brush.  (I did use a bigger one to fill in!)

I learned that silhouettes are hard.  There just isn't a lot of detail to them.  Like long eyelashes or chubby baby cheeks.  I also couldn't do the spiky hair that Little Miss is still sporting.  And this chin on Q is way off?  I have no idea how that happened!?  But that was easy to fix!  Yeah for DIY.  

These frames were really beat up and very gold.  

I had some gold craft paint and I thought it would be really easy to patch it.  Then I would be done.  D-O-N-E!  It was not.  The gold didn't want to stick to the frames.  So, I thought I could age the bright gold with black.  

 

Too dark.  I didn't like it.  It kind of looked more dirty than aged.  I felt like this project was dragging on and on.  I didn't see an end in sight.  I had to get my posse of assistants to Lowes to check out the spray paint choices.  I chose antique brass.  Which I find odd since I have gotten rid of all the brass in the last two houses I've lived in!  I thought it was perfect with the dark wood furniture, black frames, and brown rug (and future curtains...another project taking longer than expected!).

 I hung the first frame in the tree so I could paint all the sides and see if I liked the color.  Which of course I did, because otherwise I would have had to get back to Lowes.  I was ready to be DONE.  SO ready. 

Here they are in all their antiqued brass glory.  All the blood (yes there was some..did you see those nails?!) sweat, and tears (maybe some of those too..I was ready to be done!).  I LOVE them!

My big boy.  All 5 years of him.

My spunky 3 year old.

My sweet baby girl

The 3 loves of mine

Yes, in 2008 I knew I wanted to use these frames and put a silhouette in each.  I had one baby and I thought they would go up the stairwell.  My how things change.  And I am so thankful they have!

I'm linking up! Head over to Coastal Charm Savvy Southern Style The Thrifty Home We are that Family Raising Homemakers Trendy Treehouse Uncommon Designs House of Hepworths Thrifty 101 Beyond the Picket Fence Happy Hour Projects Finding Fabulous While He was Napping& A2Z for some other great ideas!

One Word Wednesday

ART!

One Word Wednesday

LARGE

CHEAP

BAM!

*Disclaimer: Keep in mind this was for a rental house at the beach.  My personal house isn't covered in one "type" of art.  Which is fine, I just happen to like a little more variety.

Big impact.  Little money.  We all like that right?  Well, many of us do.  If not Pinterest would not exist.  It does.  In a huge life changing way.  Back to the art work.

I started by sharing this post & this picture of my Salvation Army frame score:

Some of the projects I shared with you:
3tier hanging frame.  Total project $1.25

And the mirror:  Total project $5.25

And then I did a few, too simple, to even blog about (I know, the above were stretching it!)  I edited the two pics on right because I don't have the original source.  Another reason for not doing a whole post.

I am in LOVE with this sea horse.  The colors are so vibrant and simple.  I need to make another one for my house.  I have no idea where to put it, but have no fear, I will find one!  Chevron wrapping paper (which I need for another project and I have been SEARCHING for (and even bought fabric, and wouldn't you know it...Target.  Clearance!  YES!) and stationary which I already had!

These next two were a favorite of mine to finish.  I love the art & color in them.  I thought for sure I'd be painting those "pretty" gold frames.  But after deciding what to do with the mats (because they HAD to be painted) I thought the gold would be best.  I am soooo glad I did.  I LOVE them as well.  Again, I don't have the original source, so I didn't feel right doing a whole post with pictures posted again and again of something I can't credit.  I did have to get their artwork blown up $.50 for each piece.  I had to give you a before close up of the beautiful mats!  The painted mats are a little distorted only in the picture thanks to editing!

The Top mat I painted white and the bottom one some aqua/turquoise I had laying around!

Here is the Salvation Army loot after:

Then there was the 9 blue canvases.  $15.42 for 9 sqft of art!  A STEAL!

And the "Where's the Beef Beach" post about this sign: Which cost a whopping $7.50

Lastly there was yesterdays post about Coral for $18.00.

The big HUGE total for 20 pieces of beach house art: $68.67!  I challenge you to do match that.  Seriously, I'd love to see what you create.  I have some very talented new followers!

I'm linking up with Coastal Charm Savvy Southern Style , The Thrifty Home, & House of Hepworths

Coral

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  Before I show you pictures of the entire art loot and the itty bitty price tag, I have one 3 more pieces to show you.

I got these frames from Michaels on clearance for $6 each!  I know!  11x14 and matted.  I liked that they could be fancy or casual depending on what you put in them.

I found these coral images at The Graphics Fairy a looooooong time ago and pinned them so I would be sure not to forget about them.  I love coral.  The color, the shape, and a little reminder that everything is better at the beach!  There are all kinds of great images.  Some are in black & white or color (these coral pieces also come in B&W)

So, I finally printed them out and blew (still only 8x10 so able to do that on my copier/printer!)them up.  The picture doesn't do it much justice (actually none at all) but I LOVE these.  I've been thinking I should go to Michaels and check to see if they have more.  I'd love these in my bedroom or bathroom.  Big.  Classic.  Easy & Cheap!  Woot!
                                 
What's your favorite "big art"?  Was it a cheapy?  Was it a big splurge?