Friday, May 16, 2014

DIY: live in the sunshine, swim the sea..

This idea has been collecting dust in my mind since I made these gold shells last month and my boyf suggested I put them on a canvas (and he says he isn't crafty!). I love this Emerson quote, overdone as it may be, especially now that I live in southern California and have absolutely no excuse not to be playing outside at every occasion--any reminder to truly live and chase experiences and see the world is a good one. When the fresh flowers from my farmer's market bouquet wilted away, I snipped off the dry flowers and finally had all the perfect components for this three-dimensional piece. 
Tres simple: write out a quote on a canvas using adhesive letters and carefully paint over with canvas-friendly paint. Since I used materials I already had on hand (meaning I was rocking yoga shorts and an insane head of beach hair and couldn't, in my right mind, go in public), these gold letters were my adhesives of choice. As you can see, they bled a bit along the edges, because they aren't super sticky. I like the look that gave, but if you want perfect lines, definitely pick up some stronger letters at your local craft store. While the paint dries, I recommend watching an episode of the Tonight Show starting Jimmy Fallon. It kinda makes for the best night ever. Carefully peel off the letters, as not to lose any of the sticker backing to the canvas. Using hot glue or super glue, attach items of your choice to the canvas. I used the shells and dried wildflowers to illustrate the quote, but it could be anything!  
I love the color and whimsy this brings to my room. Looking at it reminds me of playing in the ocean collecting these shells with my love, and walking through the farmer's market on a sunny day with a friend, and reminds me to get outside every day. Thanks, Emerson. 

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