Somewhere a while back I was looking for some craft room inspiration and I found a bunch of links to other people’s create spaces. I wish I could remember specifically who it was, but one of the ladies had worked with her husband to turn their garage into an amazing workshop. Above the door was a sign that said CREATE in bold black letters with a different primary color behind each letter, all mounted on wood. She said she saw it in a shop and just had to have it for her new space. Well, I started out planning to recreate that, but then I got sidetracked, yet again, by my paper addiction. I collaged various papers onto each 9″ chipboard letter and sealed them with Golden matte gel.
This blue paper (and also the flowers in the middle of the “E”) is from a few 6×6 pages designed by Christy Tomlinson. I love the “she knew she could” message.
I was incredibly happy with the letters, but the 12×36 canvas looked so dull in white…
… so I jazzed it up a bit. (I used Blick Violet Deep matte acrylic, Golden Ultramarine Violet, Carbon Black, and Cerulean Blue Deep fluid acrylics.)
I adhered the letters to the dry canvas with E6000, which has so many precautions listed on the back that I opened all the windows and barred my daughter from the room. Still, when I lifted the canvas, it was heavy and one of the letters came off. Urgh. So I set about “mod podging” as many of the gaps as I could, going around each of the letters to seal them down.
Well, it seemed like a good idea to me since it dries clear, but I could still see it and it would drive me crazy if I looked at this sign multiple times a day and only saw it’s flaws, so I covered the entire thing with another coat of Mod Podge matte and let it dry. Ta da!
Before and after:
Tell me… If I made a few gold, white, red, and green ones that say “JOY,” would you be interested in purchasing one for your holiday decorations? I hope so because I kind of already started…
What other words would you be interested in?
You can see more “Behind the Art” posts here.
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oh joy!
yes, i’d love that
and I really, really adore your big CREATE!
words and art artfully swirled together….swoon:)
peace and passion to you
in your creating,
Jennifer
Thank you for your encouragement… again! I just put four JOY canvases in my ETSY shop. Here’s hoping. 🙂
This is fantastic! I love love love it and it looks perfect above the door. I would love one for Hanukkah, Shine? Miracle? Glow? In blues and silvers. Seriously, craft me one up for my mantle!
I am working on this… I have some papers and just need to get a couple more and then the canvas. It will be for next year. Fun fun fun!!!!!
Beautiful. Love this, the collage is gorgeous and love the background too.
These are so cute…for me I would like the sayings that I could use all year round and that are inspiring for creativity.
Great idea, Laurie. I have plans to make some that say JOURNEY, SOAR, TRUST, DREAM… and the list goes on and on! I just need time…
Love this idea….some day when I’m back in my house I’ll try it for my studio. Thanks for sharing your work.
I’m happy to inspire you in any way!
omg. LOVING those letters! i too am a patterned paper fanatic.:) beautiful!!
Takes one to know one, as they say. 🙂
I love the way this turned out!! You are an amazing, creative artist!
Oh dear… I don’t know about that. 🙂 I just love the papers and the collage effect. But thank you, Cathy.
Naomi,
You continue to amaze me.
I love your CREATE. I love your JOY. I can see a whole new section in your Etsy shop filled with inspiring and uplifting words.
I am hopping back over to your previous posting to leave a LOVE comment. I can’t begin to tell you how much the painting you made for me, means to me. It is so special ~ in so many ways.
I cherish our friendship. YOU are an incredible inspiration for me.
XOXO
Eydie
Thank you for your continual fount of kindness, my friend.
I love your CREATE sign…maybe one of those is just what my sewing room needs…
wow! it looks super–you are so CREATE-tive 😉 as always my dear friend, you amaze me and i love you all the more! (and secretly i covet your craft space since my area was usurped by a computer-music space)
Oh it’s really a couple shelves and I take over the desk sometimes. You can do that!! I always clean it up before you know who comes home from school.
The letters and word turned out wonderfully. I have Create, Inspire and Dream stenciled in my art room, but I love the idea of the letters, make it so colorful and fun.