Saturday, September 5, 2009

Canvas Makeover!

I'm linking this up to DIY day at ASPTL! Head over there to check out all the DIY fantastic-ness!
DIY Day @ ASPTL


One of my favorite quotes in the world is "All You Need Is Love" (I even have it tattooed on my foot!!), so when I saw these signs...


... I knew I had to have it. BUT, it's expensive. REALLY expensive. And really expensive and I just don't get along, you know?

SO my next thought was, well...I could maybe make that...maybe...I think?? I had planned to do it on one big board (rather than split into two as they did) BUT, then I saw THIS at a yard sale and thought "Oh yes...I've got this."



WHAT?!?!? You think I'm joking?? I paid $4 for that baby at a HUGE yard sale (and was so embarrassed to be carrying it around I brought it immediately to my car and returned to browse more, because God forbid people actually think I WANTED that!!!!!! LMAO!)

So anyway...first things first, I taped off the frame and sprayed it with white spray primer. (Just the cheapie stuff.) To be honest, I didn't even do that good of a job.



This thing was HEAVILY textured. You could still make out the skull thing just in texture, and I considered sanding it down, but decided that it wouldn't be nearly as noticeable when I painted it black, and I was quite right. (Thankfully!!!)

To do the lettering I printed out the letters I needed, cut them out (YUCK...I am a TERRIBLE cutter! Seriously! I think my kids could've done better! LOL!) and traced them onto the canvas with a pencil.



Then, I took my trusty 25 cent sponge brush and a bottle of black acrylic, and I went to town.


I was as careful as I could be around the letters, but I touched up some of my mistakes with a white paint pen later and then I painted the frame black.

Are you ready for the finished product? Let me tell you...it's not even sort of perfect, but I'm ok with that. (Actually though, now that I am looking at the inspiration and my version side by side, I think I am going to do some sort of brown color wash over the letters to antique them a little more, but..................anyway...this is what I've got for now.) :)



I can't decide if I love it leaning against the wall like that, or if I want the man to hang it above our dresser. Either way, I LOVE it...and love is all you need. ;)

I'm linking this at the Trash to Treasure party over at Along the way with K + J...head over there to check out more yard sale finds and makeovers, and also at the Knockout Knockoff party at It's so very Cheri!

21 comments:

Ashley's Thrifty Living said...

It looks great! I love that saying too..I just might have to put this on my to-do list!!

Jane said...

Awesome job! I just bought a canvas to do a similar project. I want to do our wedding vows because we wrote our own. But-I can't find a copy anywhere! LOL! So, I guess I'll have to watch the dvd and write down what we said. My dh is a big Beatles fan, so maybe a quote from our wedding song, I Will would be better.

Christen said...

Just found your blog by blog hopping around, and I really love it! My Beatles-obsessed hubby would LOVE that sign!!

Anonymous said...

Very cute. Looks great!

Its So Very Cheri said...

That looks AWESOME. Thanks for posting to party and I hope you will come back often for more parties. You know what I would do before you put any stain on? I would go over the whole things with some sand paper. I would use a pretty gritty sand paper and not press very hard, just the scratch it up and then go over it with a fine sand paper to soften it and then put a stain wash over it and wipe it off. If you go back and look at the letters they looked a little ruffed up but what a great project for very little money.
I wonder if you could have painted the background black and then printed off the letters on sticker paper and mod podged them down -- you know for extra stick- did the scuff up job, stain --wah la--Probably a lot less time, if the sticker paper would work.
I don't know if you are a follower, if you are let me know so I can check how your account looks on my follower list, there are still several people I can not get to their blogs.
Cheri

Jenn said...

Thank you everyone!

Caro said...

love it!!

cinnibonbon said...

Ok so you are a genius!! I AM TOTALLY LOVING THIS!! this is a great find and an even better transformation. Thanks for the idea.

Roeshel said...

That before canvas had me cracking up! Yes - I would definitely have headed for the car too.

You did an amazing job! I love it! It's a beautiful gift idea too! Thanks so much for sharing!

Roeshel

Its So Very Cheri said...

I picked you as one of my favorites. Go see what I had to say and grab the I've been featured...button
Cheri

Gina said...

I love this! What a great project-I'm sure I'll be looking at ugly pictures with new eyes now that I've seen what you've done!

Anonymous said...

I love that you transformed THAT into THIS! I'm a sucker for signs and that's a great saying to have on one. Good job.
pk @ room remix

stephanie h said...

Oh, it turned out great!!!

Katie said...

I loved the original when I saw it before and was just waiting for someone to DIY. Great job!

Astrid in Bristling Acres said...

I also had to laugh at that before picture of the canvas. Yours turned out great!

erin said...

Fantastic! I love it!

Renda said...

You go girl! This is awesome. I never even thought of just painting over another painting. DUH. wow.. you rock girl. I look forward to doing this project over the weekend. Keep up the good work.

Jenn said...

Thank you everyone!

Kim @ NewlyWoodwards said...

I love it, too. I would have never had the guts to paint it, but now I'm feeling a little inspired.

Rachel~Wildflower Photography Studio and Wildflower Creative said...

Oh, I love this this....it looks so awesome! Thanks so much for visiting me! Stop back by soon! Have a great weekend!

Smiles,
Rachel

Andy Porter said...

lol..that cracks me up that you had to get that into your car before people thought that was your style! It surely needed a rescue! I love what you've turned it into!! Too cool!

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