valentine’s day is right around the corner, and i’ve decided to make something for my boyfriend that is a little unconventional and can last beyond the holiday. i used some vintage jewelry pieces (read: ugly eighties earrings), and some other knick-knacks I have collected over the years. for a personal touch i also included a few souvenirs from our times together (you are either smiling or gagging right now, i know). I recommend using a monochromatic palette for this project because I think the image come across more clearly, but if you have some pieces you don’t want to mess with then I encourage you to lay out your image first before you paint anything. the great part is that you can do any shape you wish, or even play around with text. happy crafting, and happy valentine’s day! -kate
CLICK HERE for the full project instructions!
What You’ll Need:
1. one sheet of watercolor paper, any size you want (this is 11×15)
2. vintage jewelry pieces, knick-knacks, keys, buttons, etc.
3. paper punch (i used a butterfly punch from the martha stewart craft collection) (optional)
4. colored paper
5. hot glue gun
6. paint (i recommend spray paint)
7. frame
Instructions:
1. gather your pieces and make any paper punched shapes you want so you have all of your materials ready.
2. lay out your design on the paper. if you are not comfortable with freehand layout, sketch the shape on scrap paper and lay it down as a template. you can also trace it very lightly so you can erase it.
3. if you decide to paint everything, i recommend taking a digital photo of your layout so it will be easy to place back together.
4. paint your objects. if you use spray paint, do it outdoors on a piece of cardboard.
5. once dry, replace all your objects on the paper in your design and make sure your image is set out evenly on the paper.
6. pick up one object at a time and dab glue on the back. place back down and clean off any hot glue strands. you can also use a hairdryer to make them disappear (it works!).
7. once dry, frame your piece.
8. write a love note in the corner or on back of the piece and expect a great response for your beautiful work.
VOILA!
