Magnets and Car Scent Holders: DIY

                             
I’m coming up with all kinds of ways to market my art.  One attempt I came up with lately is to shrink them down, print them out and either sew or decoupage them onto these mini canvas’.  It’s a lot of fun.  I thought you might like to try it.

Do you have a favorite picture?  If so, put it on your computer and shrink it down to approximately a 2” x 2”, that would be one of the smallest settings for printing out.  If you don’t have a favorite picture, you could just grab one from a magazine anywhere that you like, flowers,butterflies, an illustrated quote, a soup can label would even do, if that’s your thing.

I found these mini canvas’ at Wal-Mart for 97 cents.  I also got a 10’ long roll of magnetic tape for less than $4 there.  The little easels are 97 cents too, if you’d rather display your masterpiece as a painting.

Here’s what you’ll need:

magnets (if you are making a refrigerator decoration)
paint (optional)
picture or fabric with the section you like cut out
needle, thread and glue

Step one:  Prep your canvas.

     You can either leave the canvas white or brush on some acrylic paint.  Here’s an example of both ways and the initial canvas is covered with lace and then painted. 



You can even cover them with material as I have done here.  Just wrap the material around to the back sides of the canvas and glue to the wood.




Step Two:  Sew on your fabric cut out or decoupage’ your picture on to the covered canvas.

Step Three:  Once the glue has dried turn the mini canvas over and glue on your magnets.




Here is a line up of the different one’s I made.



 Painted canvas with lace decoupage’ over top.


                                                       

                                   Lace covered canvas, painted, with decoupage’ fabric cutout.
                           



Fabric covered canvas with fabric cut out sewn on.


                                                   
                                        Painted, distressed canvas, material cut out sewn on.


Car Scent Holder:
Cut your design out of your fabric, hand sew lace onto the back side slipping a ribbon or sturdy sting into the seam at the center top of your scent holder, being sure to catch it as you sew across it.

Make another one exactly like it or slightly different if you like, attaching the opposite end of your ribbon or cord.  I tied a knot in mine and sewed through it also for extra security.

Clip a small hole in the back of the lace piece, spray a cotton ball with your favorite scent and then place the cotton ball through the hole.  Your done!  Hang it in your car on your rearview mirror on a doorknob inside the house.



I hope you enjoy this craft.  If you’d like to use the apple scene or the beautiful heart you can get it on fabric by visiting my shop at Spoonflower, you can click here.

If you like the verse and the art you can get a poster just go to my store at southern sky reverie.



Here’s one of the small canvas' on the easel:  Paint your easel any way you like.

Craft: Sewing on stretched canvas

You should try this!  With needle and thread try sewing on your stretched canvas instead of decoupage’.
I painted the stretched canvas solid black with acrylic paint.  This time I didn’t do a wash, I used the acrylic paint straight out of the bottle, just poured it on the canvas and painted it and get the sides while your at it.
Before the paint drys, lay your paper doily, centered on the canvas, to use as a stencil.  Once centered I used lilac, white and orange and went all around the doily dabbing with my brush, letting the colors all mix together.  Pull up the doily promptly so it won’t stick to the canvas.
Use a particular part of the doily and decorate the corners using it as a stencil.  I used orange on the corners.
With your brush, just dip it in your lilac paint (or whatever color you have chosen) and put little dots here and there all over the canvas.  I tried to stay with the design.  Do the same with a second color.
While that is drying, prepare your focal point.  Of course mine is a butterfly.  I cut this butterfly out of screen wire then put an orange wash of acrylic paint on it which made it appear rusted.  Sew a jute body on it and two small silk roses.  Using a small paint brush, put some dots of color here and there to pretty it up and make it more interesting.


Now that your canvas is completely dry, place your item (butterfly) in the center and begin sewing it on.  I used a blue thread and also sewed on some veins in the wings.  Then sew anywhere else on the canvas you’d like, I sewed around the circle and the antenna of the butterfly.
With different stitch styles you could probably really enhance this crafty collage quite a bit more with the sewing.  But I had some more ideas for another project so I didn’t sew to much.  I’ll probably have to go back to this idea another day and put more time in the sewing part of it.
I hope you enjoy this craft and can find ways to adapt it more to your style.  If you try one, I’d love to see it.

Need some supplies for this craft? 

New York Wire 33105 Fiberglass Screening, 36-Inch by 84-Inch, Charcoal Plaid PROMOABI Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint, 2-Ounce, Best Selling Colors I Canvas panels 8 x 10 inch (pack of 6)