Upcycled and Updated Art

I have been on a crafting binge. I know I mentioned it last week, but the urge still hasn't left me. I've knit, sketched, glued, hammered, tied, and painted. I actually even did a little writing (aside from blogging, that doesn't count). I've made new art for the bathroom (partly because the old art looked amateur, and partly because the handyman left behind a giant cock-up when he installed our new vanity and mirror). I've made a new sign for the front door. I've taken more photos. I've framed and hung pictures I've been meaning to frame and hang for ages. I've also rearranged my blog space. I think I'm empty nesting or something.


Anyway, I thought I'd share with you some of the things I've created:

First, the bathroom art. My main project went from looking like this -

Gag. What a gross dollar store version of a vintage clapboard advertisement.

To looking like this! -

The inkjet printed words-to-paint transfer worked! I recommend having a fine tip black felt pen or marker on hand to help solidify some of the lines. Also, I liked the white around my words - if you don't make sure you use a white or cream coloured background.

The other piece in the small room is a plain white canvas with brown kraft paper podged messily on it, followed by two wash coats of blue acrylic paint and water -

I really like the way this looks. It's like they are flying through the sky, or over water. The birds were $1.50 for a set of 12 from, you guessed it, the dollar store. They are plastic and come with their own sticky backing. All you have to do is peel the back off and place them where you want them. You could easily paint them or podge them as well.

I love having our name on the front door to let people know they have the right apartment in the sea of mediocre grey that is our hallway. We have a very fall/winter feeling one and we needed a summery injection of colour, and so I used the birds again to create this -

I really love the way our name stands out against the damask print. It's tissue paper podged on a canvas!

Finally, I'd like to share some ponies. Yes, I know, I've got an addiction. Don't care, I am still sharing. Here's a quick and fun drawing I did of Matt and I as ponies -

Sorry about the yellow in this one, it's a rotten quality photo - my cutie mark is a book with stars.

The crafts were all done with materials purchased at the dollar store. All of them. I often buy things when I see them and then store them for a while until the perfect project comes along, and that's exactly what I had done with all of this. The only thing I didn't get there was the Mod Podge, as I prefer the brand name stuff over the off-brand, but if you aren't as picky as me then you can pick some white glue up there as well. It really is the only way to craft these days, as crafting store pricing keeps going up. I coupon clip now for when I need to purchase yarn (another thing I'm picky about), but if you're just itching to craft and you need a quick fix, there is no better place to swing by than the local Dollarama.

Next on my project list I am going to start sketching in earnest, and hopefully some of the beautiful photos I have posted in the past will come alive again as charcoal pencil art!