Friday, April 29, 2011

Sheep to Sunshine!!

Today's question is: "Can you up-cycle an ugly canvas?"

Why YES YOU CAN!

I got a picture strictly for the frame...I wanted to use it for a chalkboard. But when I took the frame off, I noticed the picture was a "real" painting on canvas, and I decided to hang on to it until I found the perfect project...and I did!

This is what I started out with...


The painting was mostly smooth, except for the sheep, which had been painted with big chunky swirls and things to resemble fleece, creating a very rough surface. I painted over the whole thing with Behr Ultra paint--yes, regular old latex paint--but the rough spaces stood out too much.

I thought to myself, "I wonder if you can use paint stripper on canvas?"

Guess what....you can!

After I sheared those poor sheep, I repainted the canvas with my latex paint.

Then, using this is my inspiration, I designed the lettering on my Silhouette and cut everything out of vinyl. It was a painstaking process to get the vinyl on the canvas in a reasonably level manner! The vinyl wasn't going to stay on the canvas, but be used as kind of a "reverse stencil." That means I paint over the vinyl and all, and then carefully lift the vinyl off while the paint is still wet.

I laid awake for hours (no, I'm not kidding) wondering what kind of paint I should use for the yellow coat. I worried about how quickly spray paint can dry...sometimes that leads to the paint tearing off around the vinyl when you remove it. If I hadn't been stuck at home with sick kids, I might have bought a sample pot of latex paint to use. But I was, so I didn't! Brushing on paint has it's own hazards--it tends to bleed underneath the vinyl.
So I chose my poison: Rustoleum Summer Squash spray paint.

Here's what it looked liked when I was in the process of taking of the letters!


I was in luck...the spray paint seemed to dry more slowly on canvas. I only had the tiniest bit of tearing on the very last letters, and it isn't noticeable. Two people pulling off the letters at once would have worked perfectly!

Here's the finished product!

I love, love, love it! I painted on the little red heart with acrylic paint, and I washed the whole canvas with diluted white acrylic paint--so this one canvas has three kinds of paint on it! Probably four, if you count what's underneath!

It is HUGE: 30" x 40". Right now it's sitting on my buffet in front of my chalkboard. It doesn't get to stay there, but I love looking at it for the moment!


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21 comments:

Abby said...

How cute! What a great upcycle!

Tina said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! This the song I sang to my kids, grandkids and my nieces and nephews. (as I'm sure most momma's did)Anytime I find frames, clothing, key chains etc, I buy one for one of them. It turned out beautiful! You did a fantastic job!!!

Andrea S. said...

Oh it turned out beautifully! I feel for you on the painstakingly putting each letter down! Been there done that, to the tune several canvases! I love that yours is so big! It looks fantastic. :) Great job. I'm honored to have been your inspiration. :)

Full Circle Creations said...

Love it! Especially the yellow.
Holly

wisp said...

It's so cute! I laughed so hard when you talked about shearing those sheep! xD Hahaha! How fun!

Rachel said...

That makes me sniffle. I sing that song to Levi all of the time when I am cuddling. It's a real plea. Please...... don't take my sunshine away. I know he's in God's hands and when it is his time, no amount of pleading will do but... Levi is my sunshine, he makes me happy. Very very happy...

Indiri Wood said...

It turned out so nice! Very lovely.

Terry said...

I love your project, "You Are My Sunshine" is one of my favorite songs!!

Unknown said...

I love this! It is so special to my heart!

Valerie Earnest said...

I love a good sign/picture makeover- and this is lovely. What an improvement. Thanks for sharing!

Valerie
www.occasionallycrafty.blogspot.com
Stop on by!

annies home said...

awesome love that little song and I know I sang it to my children and my daughter sings it to her children as well come see what i shared http://shopannies.blogspot.com

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

OH MY!! I can't believe you did that -- thanks so much for the detailed information on HOW you accomplished it! I just adore that song and that little red heart is perfection!! This is stunning!

Christine @ sugarandtrash.com said...

I love it! What a cheerful canvas you have now.

FABBY'S LIVING said...

I love this, sooo many memmories, I used to sing to my two girls when little and now to my grandgirls...not anymore, they got big! I adore how you did it and went about it! So talented!
HUGS
FABBY

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

That looks great. Thanks for joining WUW.

the old white house said...

This was my moms favorite song... I have a pillow made with it. Your transformation is amazing! I love the heart too. xoxo

Shelley@1510farmhousefancy said...

I love this!! It turned out great!!!

Erin @ 3 Meadow Lake Cottage said...

It is beautiful! I love the little red heart you added...it adds character! So cool to know you can use paint stripper on canvas too :)
I would LOVE it if you would link this cute transformation up to The AFTER Party @ 3 Meadow Lake Cottage!

http://www.3meadowlakecottage.com/2011/05/after-party-and-amazing-kitchen-redo.html

~Erin

Finding Home said...

Thanks for the great tip. If you don't mind, I am going to share this on my facebook page.

Tara said...

I know I am way late on this but I just came across this beautiful canvas and I had to tell you that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!

Yolanda said...

LOVE IT!!