Pictures on Canvas

Hello Crafters!

Finished picture on canvas

I have a new project for you that you should definitively try, its easy and relatively inexpensive.  Moose and her friends were having a gift exchange and they invited me along, so I wanted to make them something special and not break the bank.  I kept seeing Groupons for putting a picture on canvas, but on a larger scale, and I thought I want to do that!  So I researched a bit and found some directions on how to do it.  Ok here we go...

Gel Medium

Things you will need:

• Canvas (any size, but the biggest would be 8" x 10", due to paper size, but if you can fine a bigger printer, go for it)
• Laser printer
• Liquitex Heavy gloss, gel medium  (it can be any brand, as long as it is a gel medium that will dry clear)
• paint brush
• spray water can
• towel

Desaray and Toby

 Now you should choose a picture you want to put on the canvas.  Special thanks you my friends Desaray, Toby, Al and Angela for allowing me to use you on my blog.  I took pictures of them and added some effects to them.  For Desaray and Toby's picture I made it black and white.  I thought it would look better on the canvas.  Al and Angela's photo had a lot of pretty colors in it, so black and white wasn't the way to go, instead I used a feature in iphoto called antique.  The picture had a kind of rustic look. Now you will need to print them on regular white printer paper, using the laser printer.  Make sure on the printer settings you match the size with the size of canvas you chose.

Angela and Al

Grab your blank canvas, gel, and paint brush. With the paint brush paint a thick layer of gel over the entire canvas, make sure the brush strokes are going in one direction.  After you have the layer of gel, place the printed photo on top, and smooth it out.  Now you should let it  dry for several hours, and if you have the time over night.  It should be completely dry before you start the next step.

Water taking off paper film

After you are sure it is completely dry its time for the fun part.  Place the towel underneath the canvas, because this part can get messy.  Then take your spray can filled with water and spray some onto a corner.  Spray enough so that when you run your fingers over it the paper film starts to come off and leaves the picture.  The more water the easier the paper will start to come off.  This part takes a while and is a bit time consuming.  Just keep spraying the water and peeling off the paper film until it is all off.  You might get some of the picture coming up, which I think gives the painting more character. 

When you are happy with the results, take your paint brush and gel again and paint another layer of gel on the painting, a thin layer will be fine.  Once it is dry you are ready to enjoy your creation!  I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, as always email if you have any questions!

Thanks! Jess, out.

Picture on Canvas

New Years Eve Project

Happy New Year Readers!

Original dress

So every year I go out shopping for the perfect NYE dress, and it takes forever and costs me a fortune, not the best way to start off the new year.  The greatest idea ever came to me while shopping at a thrift store in Austin, Buffalo Exchange.  I found a dress for $12, that for some reason was calling to me, "Make me beautiful Jess!" I snatched it up and began sketching some ideas out. 

While at the park with the dogs and Moose, sat with my pencil and Michael Jackson notebook, my favorite notebook that I put all my ideas.  I liked the choker style neck, so that was definitively staying, but the long skirt had to go.  I also wanted to add more flare to it, I usually like simple and use my accessories to jazz it up, but I wanted something else this time.

Sketch of NYE dress

I wanted to cut the back leaving a slit all the way down to the skirt and the front as well. I have also been on a flower kick, and everything with flowers seems to be beautiful to me.  I also did not want just any straight seem skirt so I wanted to have some pickups at the bottom.  I had the idea of lace or tulle on the skirt to add a little something extra, but I wasn't sure.  Later on I went to the fabric store, my favorite store ever JoAnn's.  I found the perfect lace to cover the skirt. I bought felt for my flowers, and black shiny buttons for the flowers and extra just in case I should be inspired to put them somewhere else.

Back of dress with added fabric

I only had a day in a half to produce a dress suitable for NYE in downtown Austin. First thing was to cut the skirt to the length I wanted it, just above my knee.  After I tried it on the skirt fit me kind of tight like a pencil skirt would and I really wanted it to be kind of loose "free flowing" if you will.  That was my first hurdle to get over.  Making the skirt about 6 inches wider was harder then I thought. Using the extra fabric left from shortening the dress, I added it to the skirt. I wasn't too concerned about the seams showing since I was going to add the lace over it. 

Added a slit in the back

After sewing in the extra fabric I made a hem at the bottom. Only about an inch thick.  Now it was time to sew on the lace.  That was also a hard and time consuming part of making this dress.  I had to hand sew it verses using my machine, because the fabric was too delicate. I also wanted the back to have a wow factor so I cut the back all the way down to the skirt.

Felt flowers

Now it was time to add the flowers to the top. I originally planned on cutting a slit in the front too but decided to 86 that idea and leave it.  I made the four flowers out of felt and all different sizes.  This part was the easiest to do.  My dress was finally complete and ready for me to wear!  I wore it with black tights and black ankle boots, it came out just the way I wanted it to.

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year! Jess out.

NYE Dress

Close up of NYE Dress