when inspiration hits...

A few months ago, I was having a really bad day. I was sitting in my car in an empty parking lot, and.. well, let's be honest... I was crying. As I was sitting there, I noticed an old, weathered brick wall. It was one of those moments when things just snap into place in your mind... That brick wall represented SO many things to me...It called to me... I had to get a picture of it. 

It wasn't long before that urge to have a photo of it became this intense desire to do a canvas... A canvas telling a story...

A story of a self-discovery...

A story of healing...

A story of having enough faith to take down the walls, and learn how to trust again...

MY story.

Each shape, color, and texture were chosen for specific reasons.... together they say the words that I can't say in words, no matter how hard I try.

There are other parts of the story begging to be painted... this is just a start.

The blank canvas was scary to me. There was so much I wanted to say... what if I couldn't translate all my thoughts and feelings in a canvas? What if I fell short? What if it wasn't "good enough"? 

But there was this quiet little voice that said... take down the walls of fear and self doubt that are holding you hostage, and just go for it.

I listened, and I'm glad.

When I shared my WIP with my Unity DT friends (the most AMAZING bunch of ladies!), they wanted to know how I did it... 

so...

Step 1: Base coat your canvas with some acrylic paint.

Step 2: While your canvas is drying, stamp, color, and cut out the desired image(s). 

I'm using Beautiful Soul.

(it's still black... don't mind that blue in the corner... I was getting crazy reflections off the semi gloss surface!)

Step 3: Mod Podge it on.  I like to give the whole canvas a good once over with the Mod Podge, just so  it all blends in, and you don't see the glue marks when the light hits it. 

Step 4: Soften the edges by pouncing some of your background color over the edges of your image with a scruffy brush or sponge. It doesn't take much, just blend those edges in a little.

Step 5: Lay your stencil over your canvas, and use masking tape to block off any areas you want protected.  

Step 6: slather on some embossing paste. Because I was looking for a rough weathered texture, I didn't try to fill in all the bricks perfectly.. I kinda just let things happen.

Step 7: Carefully remove stencil and allow to dry... if you are looking for a little more texture, feel free to use a heat gun to speed this up. Just be aware that the paste will bubble with heat.

Step 8: Scrunch up a rag or paper towel and set it over the image to protect most of the stamped image

Step 9: Spray on some color. I used a combination homemade sprays (All Purpose Ink by Tsukineko with water in a mister bottle) and a black Sharpie in my Tim Holtz marker spritzer.

here's a close up on the texture