DIY Christmas Canvas Art

Hey, Crafty Friends!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at my house. I'll be honest... I'm a bit slow at getting my Halloween stuff down and put away. In fact, there may or may not be grapevine pumpkins still sitting on my front porch. But I did manage to clear all the skulls and tombstones off my fireplace mantle and drape garland and put up and decorate the tree. So, that has to count for something right?!

I'm not the type to scale my house and hang lights and neither is my husband. So I think I'll stick to simply decorating indoors. Sometimes finding decor to fit you can be hard to do. I wanted something that was festive yet motivational... aaaand... I LOVE PUNS!!! And I knew I wanted to use Santa's SLEIGH in place of the word SLAY... as is KILLIN' IT, OWN IT, SEIZE THE DAY... SHOW THEM WHO'S BOSS!! So I created this totally "punny" Christmas canvas using some Derwent art supplies and my Xyron Creative StationLite. 

Keep reading to see how I created this Christmas Canvas that absolutely slays... I mean, SLEIGHS!! 

Supplies Used

Derwent Academy Acrylic Paints, 24 pk  

Derwent Academy Stretched Canvas, 8"x10" 

Derwent Academy Artist Brush Set, 8 pk 

Derwent Academy Paint Palette, 10 Wells

Xyron Creative Station Lite 

Xyron 5" Repositionable Adhesive Refill 

Sizzix Big Shot

Brenda Walton Sleigh Die (Sizzix)

Tim Holtz Alphabet Die, Letterboard (Sizzix)

Acetate Film (Grafix)

Blue Painters Tape

Gold Paint Pen

Feather Boa

Clear Liquid Glue

I knew I wanted to paint my canvas and not just glue paper to it. But if you don't have an artistic bone in your body, fret not. You can still use your die cuts without adding bulk. You can use them for stencils and masks. Let me show you how...

For my masks and stencils, I like to use thin sheets of acetate (the same stuff you use to make shaker card windows from). They are nice and thin and easy to die cut. I cut my sheets in half ( I kept the protective tissue paper on the back so you could see the sheet. Otherwise, it's very difficult to see by itself).

 I like running my sheets through my Xyron Creative Station or Creative Station Lite using a REPOSITIONABLE refill cartridge before die-cutting. That way the masks are good to go once the shapes are cut out and by using the repositionable adhesive you can use it over and over. Just save the backer once you're done and store it for future use.

 I love this sleigh die I have by Brenda Walton. It's actually part of a 3D box die but the side panels are also gorgeous on its own. And it was my inspiration for my canvas. I die cut it glossy/ shiny acrylic side down.

Before applying it to my canvas, I taped off a border using blue painter's tape. Then used a t-ruler to help with placement so my sleigh laid straight and not crooked like it was either gonna take off into the sky or descend for a landing. 

Then I removed the film backer and added the sleigh to my canvas.

I also die cut alphabets using Tim Holts' Letterboard die to spell the word EVERYDAY. Again I used the t-ruler (it was such a lifesaver) and made letter placement so much easier. 

 Then, I squeezed globs of Scarlet and Crimson Red onto my paint palette. starting with the lighter of the two reds, I painted over my masks. Then added the darker red to the outer edges and blended inward.

You'll notice a white gap where I didn't paint. that was my masked area so it wasn't going to be painted so I didn't need to cover the center completely. I did, however, go back and add more Scarlet red to blend out the harsh dark border. 

Once, I was satisfied I began to remove the masks (while the paint was still wet). I used my piercing tool to help get the pieces off easier.

Next, I removed the painter's tape. Then sped up the drying time of the paint with my heat gun.

 I decided I wanted a border of gold around the red center but didn't trust myself to make an evenly thick line and straight border. So I taped off one with more painters tape. First I edge up the red center, then I eyeballed it and gave about a 1/4" gap. I pressed the tape down firmly then colored in the gap with a gold metallic paint marker.

 After removing the tape, I outlined my masked areas with a black permanent ink pen. Then I filled in the word "EVERYDAY" with black acrylic paint. It definitely made a hige impact!

 Then, I added a black feather boa all along the sides of the canvas using a clear liquid glue. I love all the frou-frou!

And finally, I a satin polka dot ribbon to coordinate. 

I love the thin golden border. It gives definition and makes it oh so fancy!

This really looks like something you buy in a boutique... LOVE it!!

This piece would look great on a wall, on a mantle, or even in a tree like shown here...

I hope you enjoyed today's project and it inspires you to go out there and SLEIGH your winter crafts!

Until next time...

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

~Mitsyana

DISCLAIMERS

**This blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites, and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with each manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

***This blog contains affiliate links, clicking and shopping through these links helps to support and run the Up On Tippy Toes blog at no additional cost to you..***

Pretty Painted Matted Passport

Hello, Crafty Peeps. It's been a while that I did some much-needed crafting. But I'm back!! And today I'm playing with my oh-so-fun Eileen Hull Passport Die by Sizzix!! I've made passport projects before but not with this unexpected medium I used for this one.

Today, I will show you how I used a plastic TABLE MAT (from the dollar store)...

to make this detailed "faux-embossed" and hand-painted passport book.

Supplies Used

Big Shot (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Passport Die (Sizzix)

Mat Board- White (Sizzix)

Creative Station Lite (Xyron)

White Gesso (Liquitex)

Acrylic Paint- Opal Magic Magic Pink-Blue  (Prima Marketing)

Acrylic Paint- Blue Lagoon, Turf Green, Woodland Green, Canary, Orange Sherbert, Purple Sunset (DecoArt)

Elastic Cord- 2 mm 

1" Elastic Band

Rhinestone Ribbon Slide (Dritz)

110 lb White Cardstock

Fabri Tac(Beacon)

Paintbrush

Heat Gun

Scissors

Mini Clothespins *optional*

For my project today, I decided to use the mat on the far right of the picture below, the one with the huge flowers down the center. I wanted to incorporate those beautiful and flowers as the main design of my cover.

I laid my matboard within the perimeter of the flowers to make sure that it would fit. It did with lots of room to spare! 

Instead of adding adhesive to my mat, I added it to my matboard by running it through my Xyron Creative Station Lite. Then, I peeled the protective film off the back and applied the mat board to the section of the mat I wanted to use.

The great thing I found out about using these mats is it easily removed if I didn't like the placement. Just as long as it wasn't completely tacked down. I slowly and gently peeled it back and used a rocking motion from side to side to get the last corner off. Then I was able to re-adhere back onto my mat. 

When I was finally happy with the placement, I flipped it over onto its front and gave the mat a good firm burnishing. I used my fingers to give them a good rub.

Then took scissors to trim off the excess. What was left was a gorgeously covered piece.

I took my piece of covered mat board and die cut it using my Sizzix Big Shot and Eileen Hull Passport Die. I positioned my covered mat board to only cover and spine and cover panels only. Then ran it through my Big Shot machine. Then, moved the remaining uncut piece down and die cut a second cover piece.

I folded the spine only on the outer 2 crease lines. Then attached my cover pieces flush against the folded and creased flap. I secure the covers in place with mini clothespins to help keep them in place while they dried.

Once the glue was dried, I painted over the entire front cover with white gesso. It took a couple coats for the gold not to show through. 

I used a heat gun to speed up drying time in between coats. I made sure to not keep the heat gun too long in any particular area because the mat is plastic and I didn't want it to melt or warp and distort the image. 

Once my gesso was dried,  I dry brushed over top with Opal Magic Pink Blue acrylic paint.

With a fine paintbrush, I shaded in the recessed areas to add more details.

For the inside of the passport, I just die cut 110 lb white cardstock using the same Eileen Hull Passport die. This time I only covered the pages side of the die. Each die cut creates two pages, so I die cut a total of 12 double pages.

 I did not bind my pages! Instead, I left them loose. 

There are notches at the top and bottom of the SPINE of the passport cover... I used 2 mm white elastic and tied a strand of elastic into each notch.

I grouped my pages into 3 piles (4 double pages in each) and just folded in half at the crease to create book inserts. Remeber, I did not bind them. you can if you want to but it is totally optional.

Then, I lifted each elastic and slid an insert under.

EASY PEASY!!

They fit quite snugly and don't shift. And if you plan on giving this as a gift, your recipient can take each page out and customize and embellish each because they can easily be removed and placed back in.

I didn't want to take away from all the pretty flowers and shading so I simply embellished with it with an elastic band with a rhinestone buckle to use as my closure.

And here is my finished PAINTED PASSPORT...

Here is a shot of the entire outside cover once done.

I often get asked what I do with my books and journals I create...

Well, this one is going to my friend, Eileen Hull! She loves the color TEAL and when I was creating it I instantly thought of her!

I hope she likes it!!

And I hope you all enjoyed my FIRST of my "MATTED" series of projects. Yes, I have plans to do many more! In fact, There was so much of the mat leftover from this one that I can easily do about 3 more projects... and as you can see, I bought quite a few other mats too.

Don't be afraid to use things other than their intended purpose!! You'll be surprised at all the amazing possibilities there are!!

Thanks for stopping by and be on the lookout for the next one (WINK, WINK)... it's already in the works!!

Until Next Time...

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

~ Mitsyana

Disclaimers

**This blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with each manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

***This blog contains affiliate links, clicking and shopping through these links helps to support and run the Up On Tippy Toes blog at no additional cost to you..***