DIY-Art with Meaning

Now that the painting is all done in the entry way and I have completed decorating one of the niches, I have one more niche to decorate. The niche that is closer to the front door is about half as deep as the other one, but the same height. I knew that I couldn't use shelves in this one so I was off again on a scavenger hunt around the house to see what I could re-purpose in this new space. I always suggest to my clients to "shop" their homes first before going out and buying something new. Look for things that you might not love but they have a good shape or good lines and they just need a new coat of paint or new fabric.

I came across 2 pieces of canvas art I had hanging above my kitchen cabinets. I bought it years ago as a set from a discount decor store. But looking at them now with our new decor-style in mind, they really weren't working. So, I thought I would re-use them in the entry way niche. Canvas art can be expensive so I thought why not just repaint them to go with my new style. They were in perfect condition and they had a great square shape. Here is what they looked like before...

I started by using the left over blue paint from the entry way niches. I painted over both canvas' entirely and allowed them to dry. Then I carefully placed sticker letters on the canvas with the verse I wanted to use. I then painted over the letters with the same blue paint to seal the stickers. YOU CANNOT SKIP THIS STEP! This makes it so the paint that will seep into the unsealed edges of the sticker is the same color paint as your base.

Next I used a range of browns, blacks, and copper acrylic paints to "faux" finish the entire canvas. I used brushes and paper towels to get this effect. You really can't get this wrong because if you don't like the way it looks, you just keep painting until you get it the way you like. I finished off the art by adding a nail head detail on each corner of the canvas.

Once this is dry, you can use tweezers to carefully peel up your letters to reveal the words underneath the paint. It looks as though you had it professionally printed! You can use any size letter, font, color, etc. to make it your own! Try to think outside the box when laying your words down too. There is no rule that everything has to be aligned on the right...

I think it is so important when decorating to incorporate decor and art that has meaning to your life. Every time I walk through my entry way I briefly read this verse and it makes me smile. Not only does this quote relate to my Christian faith, but it also relates to how much I love my husband. Things like this make a home feel warm and inviting!

To complete the niche I hung the art one on top of the other and then used a tall vase with white twigs to balance the overall space. Keeping things tall and vertical draws the eye upwards! This entire project cost me only a few dollars! I love the way this turned out and I hope you can re-purpose something in your home using this lettering paint technique!