I am a huge fan of D.I.Y. crafts. Being an avid scrapbooker myself, I am on every crafting website possible, constantly looking up cool new ideas for projects to create. D.I.Y. crafts are perfect, because YOU put the time and effort into creating them. They are truly yours. This makes your finished product something unique that you can never put a price on . . . oh, and the fact that it is totally awesome!
The pictured project is “Wall Art,” as I call it. It is super easy to create, very cheap, and you don’t need to be an expert crafter to complete your own. It may look like a daunting task, but, don’t worry, I am here to help you tackle it with just five easy steps!
STEP 1: The main attraction
Pick a design with what you want your masterpiece to say, such as a song lyric or quote. It could even be as simple as one word. Here, I chose “High Rise 803,” the name of my dorm and my room number, as a nice welcome sign for my room. You wouldn’t believe the number of comments I’ve gotten on this puppy-boys included!
STEP 2: Picking the backdrop
In my example, I used a piece of cardboard and ripped up pieces of scrapbooking paper and pasted them on, but there are many other creative backdrops that you can choose. For instance, you could put your design on a cheap painting you find at a thrift shop or a mirror. You can paint a canvas or line a piece of cardboard with newspaper or pages from a book.
STEP 3: The supplies
Depending on the backdrop you choose, you will need different supplies. Either way, vinyl letter stickers and paint or spray paint must be purchased. Vinyl stickers are sold at any craft store (Michaels, Joanne Fabrics), Home Depot, and Staples. If you choose to line a piece of cardboard with any type of paper, you will need Mod Podge.
STEP 4: It gets messy…JK not really
If your backdrop is the cardboard option, brush a layer of Mod Podge over the cardboard and then carefully place your newspaper or ripped up pieces of paper on it. Make sure they stick! Once it is dry, put a thin layer of Mod Podge over it, making sure that they are on there for good! Next, apply stickers. If you used a mirror or painting, you don’t need Mod Podge, it is time to apply the stickers. Once you have placed them carefully, go over them with your finger to make sure that they are really stuck on there because you don’t want your layer(s) of paint to peel them off. Now, this is where the real fun begins. It is time to paint over the entire thing. Once your first layer is dry, you may notice that you need to apply another coat, maybe even two more. Take the time to do so, as you wouldn’t want the original backdrop to show through. If you want to get super creative you can even use more than one color of paint!
STEP 5: Your masterpiece is complete
Once it has fully dried, peel off the stickers. Vinyl stickers are awesome because you can use them again if you choose to create another! And…voilà, your artwork is complete and you are now a crafter!