Large-Scale Abstract Art on a DIY Drop Cloth Canvas

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Plaid®. All opinions are my own.

Large-scale art can be incredibly expensive, but the good news is you don’t have to be an artist to create your own inexpensive abstract art. I’ll show you how to build your own large-scale canvas, and then you can get creative making your own abstract art! Anyone can do it, and all you need are a few supplies.

Project Supplies:

• FolkArt® Acrylic Paint (I used 3 – 8 oz. bottles of Wicker White and 3 – 8 oz. bottles of Navy Blue)
• 3 – 1×2 boards at 6 ft. long
• Saw
• 2 inch wood screws
• Drill
• Countersink drill bit (or a pocket hole jig and pocket hole screws)
• Large canvas drop cloth (at least 3′ wide and 5′ long)
• Scissors
• Staple gun and staples
• Large paint brush
• Plastic plate
• Plastic drop cloth
• Sanding block or sandpaper

Step 1

First, cut your boards to the following lengths: (2) boards at 5 ft. long; (2) boards at 3 feet long. (Or whatever dimensions you choose for your canvas.)

Step 2

Sand the rough edges of the wood.

Step 3

Position your “frame”. Using a countersink bit, drill pilot holes in each bottom corner where your screws will go. Then, attach the frame with 2″ screws. (Alternately, you can use pocket holes for a stronger joint.) Initially, I had planned on attaching a board in the middle for added support, but I didn’t like the way it looked through the canvas so I nixed the idea.

Step 4

Iron or steam your drop cloth, and then lay it on top of your frame. Cut it to size, leaving a few extra inches on each side.

Step 5

Flip the whole thing over, and using a staple gun, attach your drop cloth to the frame. Be sure to stretch your canvas and pull it tight each time you staple. You may need to cut some excess fabric in each corner before wrapping and stapling it to the frame. I opted to work on top of a plastic drop cloth.

Step 6

After your canvas has been built, it’s time to paint! Paint the entire canvas white, and allow to dry. I used FolkArt® Acrylic Paint in Wicker White, and Navy Blue for the abstract pattern. It took about 3 of the 8 oz. bottles to cover the canvas in the white. I love this paint because it gives great coverage and is water-based for easy clean-up.

Step 7

Now comes the fun part! I just randomly splattered my navy blue paint all over the canvas. I did find that the smaller 2 oz. paint bottles have smaller holes in the cap, so those work much better for this. Since I was using larger bottles, I swapped out the cap with a smaller bottle. So I recommend either purchasing three 8 oz. bottles of navy blue and 1 small 2 oz. bottle and just swapping out the cap from the smaller bottle, or just buy a bunch of small bottles.

That’s it! Simple enough, right?

One more thing: Take this quick, 5-question survey by March 12 for a chance to win a craft prize pack from Plaid®!

Here is a pinnable graphic if you’d like to save this post for later!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

• Side Table Makeover Using FolkArt® Milk Paint
• DIY Faux Concrete and Gold Leaf Planter
• Project Gallery

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post Large-Scale Abstract Art on a DIY Drop Cloth Canvas appeared first on Erin Spain.

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Briggs & Stratton P3000 Inverter Generator

 

Generators are an important piece of gear to have at home. They are extremely useful for household emergencies, but can also be used for travel and any place you need an 110v current. The Briggs and Stratton P3000 Inverter Generator is one of the finest generators we’ve tested, and we would recommend it to anyone seeking a portable generator that is reliable and easy to use.

Inverter generators have been around for awhile and according to Briggs and Stratton here’s the difference between them and standard generators.

A conventional portable generator, which created alternating current (AC) power, and an inverter generator that produces direct current  (DC) power and converts it to AC power. When you convert DC power to AC power, you end up with a smoother electrical signal, which is safer for electronics and sensitive equipment like computers.

In it’s simplest form, it means that conventional portable generators are good for greater output and extended run time, but since they run at a constant (fast) speed, it also means more fuel and noise.

An inverter generator, on the other hand, produces electricity on-demand. That means they only produce the electricity that you actually are demanding from it based on what you plug into the inverter generator. With lower power requirements, the engine can run at slow speed with less noise and fuel consumption. 

For our needs an inverter generator is the way to go. Not only is the P3000 a must-have in an emergency power outage, but it’s portability and ease of use make it a perfect companion for camping, RV adventures or tailgating. We really like the on-board StatStation display, which keeps you informed about power use, run time and maintenance reminders. 

Other features:

• Quieter than a traditional camping generator with enough power to start a standard RV air conditioner
• 1.5-gallon fuel tank for an impressive 10-hours of continuous operation at 25-percent load on a full tank
• (4) household outlets (1) 12-volt 30-amp locking outlet with RV adaptor DC charging outlet and a USB port
• 2-year limited warranty

BUY NOW from Amazon

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DIY Fun has a new pin from February 14, 2017 at 04:22AM

Description: A vertical Garden from a simple shoe organizer
By Handy4homes
put it on DIY Fun

Vertical Garden from a Pocket Shoe Organizer for Herbs and More

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A pocket shoe organizer vertical garden for herbs and more.

I love fresh herbs and produce from my vertical garden. Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Tarragon, Sage, baby lettuce and all those incredibly aromatic and delicious culinary herbs, oh my just incredible.

Do you love fresh herbs with your meals?

If you love fresh tasting food, I’d bet you do. Fresh food is one of the great pleasure of life that you can share with family and friends. And full and rich plants from your garden can produce those distinctive culinary pleasures.

I use to have a dozen or so mini flower pots holding the various herbs I would use on a daily basis with my home cooking.

I discovered a much more efficient use of space by using a vertical over the door shoe hanger, to consolidate and streamline a fresh herb garden.

Now, to be honest, I wouldn’t hang this great idea on a door because of the door issues it would cause that would need to be remedied. The weight and the moisture would mostly damage or misshape the door it would be hung on.

I would hang this off a wall with a Z clip (a future article) or an old coat hanger that has been modified to hold a horizontal bar to accept the shoe hanger.

What do you need to create a vertical pocket shoe organizer garden?

List of items for a vertical shoe organizer vertical garden;

– Hanging pocket shoe organizer.
– Pipe, wood pole and hardware (pipe fittings, screws).
– Tools to install poles or anchors.
– Strong metal saucepan or utensil hanging hooks
– Quality planting dirt, chuck full of minerals for gardens.
– Young plants or seeds (i.e. leaf salad, herbs, peas, beans, mini tomatoes)
– A strip of wood, min 2inch x 2inch as long as the width of the pocket store to keep the base of pockets away from the wall.
– Some form a water catch/trough for spills, excess water from the pocket shoe organizer.

Simple list? I think this a great do-it-yourself project that doesn’t need a great amount of hand dexterity to complete. You can complete this garden project alone or with a motivated young (or older) helper.

It’s great way to bring nature into your home.

Not only does this simple, economical and ecologically supportive project a pleasure to complete. You will have an abundance of herbs and leafy vegetables if you choose to grow them, that you can utilize year round.

What will your new pocket shoe organizer vertical garden look like?

Doesn’t that picture look like something you’d enjoy in your home? A great way to serve nutritious and delicious flavors to you and your family year round.

I understand hanging items on walls could be an issue if you’re not comfortable with making holes or screwing into your interior walls.

Handy4homes handyman services can assist you if you’d love this pocket shoe organizer garden. If you don’t feel comfortable with assembling and installing the pocket shoe organizer garden on one of your walls.

Call us at (339) 970-9825 or email us to setup a simple appointment to evaluate the area you would enjoy installing your new garden.

Have you signed up for our tips and tricks newsletter yet? Join up in the form on this page.

Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Winchester Massachusetts handyman services

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“Galentine’s Day” Brunch

I’m teaming up with some amazing bloggers for a fun blog hop over on Instagram, and I’d love it if you’d stop by and check it out! If you don’t follow me on Instagram, you can find me at @erinspainblog. We’re all sharing a snapshot of our “Galentine’s Day” brunch, and we’d love for you to play along and share yours too by using #bloggergalentinesdaybrunch. Thanks to my friend Camila over at Effortless Style for organizing the whole thing. Not sure what in the world “Galentine’s Day” is? I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the show Parks and Recreation, but the main character, Leslie Knope, has a tradition of holding a Galentine’s Day brunch for her gal pals every year the day before Valentine’s Day.

On the show, Leslie loves waffles, so I thought it was only appropriate to make blueberry waffles for the occasion. I paired them with sparkling pink lemonade and macarons (my fave). I incorporated plenty of pink, and some “bling” with the glittery gold placemats, because what lady doesn’t like a little sparkle? I even busted out our fine China for the occasion, along with my favorite gold flatware.

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What would your Galentine’s Day brunch include? Let me know in the comments!

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post “Galentine’s Day” Brunch appeared first on Erin Spain.

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Jack and Jill Bathroom Update – week 6

So it’s been six weeks since I started this project and it’s finally turned the corner and taking shape.  The whole space is framed now and it’s time to patch the floors and sheetrock the walls.   Before patching the floors, I tied into the existing HVAC vent so I could get a toekick vent […]

The post Jack and Jill Bathroom Update – week 6 appeared first on Sawdust Girl®.

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Thrifted Dresser Turned Sideboard

It’s time for our monthly “Thrifty Style” series where I team up with some blog friends to share thrifted (or secondhand, hand-me-down, etc.) items in our homes. The item I’m sharing this month is something you’ve seen on the blog but I haven’t featured it since several years ago when I found it on Craigslist. It didn’t receive the feature it really deserves, since it was actually my first furniture makeover and the first thing I ever stained. I found this old dresser on Craigslist, and now use it as a dining room sideboard. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Here’s what it looked like when I got it. (This photo is ancient, so please excuse the quality and giant watermark.)

And here it is now.

I stained the top with a Minwax Ebony stain, and painted the rest with Benjamin Moore White Diamond. I lightly distressed the edges, and I kept the original hardware (just cleaned it up a bit). I don’t think I’ll keep it in the dining room forever, but for now it serves the purpose we need it to. I store tons of craft supplies in it, so it comes in handy.

You can get more details on our dining room here and here, and info on the maps above the dresser here.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Thrifty Style Team’s posts below! Here’s the team:

An InLinkz Link-up

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

• THRIFTY STYLE SERIES: ANTIQUE WAGON
• HOW TO ORDER LARGE ENGINEERING PRINTS (MAP ART)
• PROJECT GALLERY

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post Thrifted Dresser Turned Sideboard appeared first on Erin Spain.

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