You are my Sunshine

As I've mentioned before, I'm getting an apartment this year at school with some friends.  So, of course, the most important thing is decorating it! One of my favorite things I've put together for the apartment are these two pieces of wall art.  They're colorful, whimsical and totally DIY.  These are some of the supplies I used:

First, buy a few flat canvases (as opposed to the ones stretched over the wood frame).  I got mine from Michael's because they're cheap and come in a pack of 3.  Next, paint the background of your canvas in whatever color you wish!  I chose turquoise, because that is the main color in our family room.  After that dries, choose a saying that you like, or if it's for a child's room, their name would be cute.  I used cardboard scrap booking letters:

Here's the process:

1. With a paint brush, paint the back of the cardboard letter with a good amount of acrylic paint.  I used Tempora paint because it is washable...(aka if I got it on unwanted places on the canvas, it easily comes off with water and a paper towel!).  You want enough paint so when you stamp the letter on the canvas, the whole letter's imprint is left.

2. Lay the letter down where you want it on the canvas and lightly press over the entire letter, making sure the paint touches the canvas on all parts of the letter. 

3. Carefully lift letter off canvas. When you take the letter off the canvas, the paint may be uneven in certain places.  Never fear-- just take a small paint brush and touch it up!

The next step is picking out a frame and embellishing it.  I chose a black frame to compliment the black/turquoise curtains we have and because the walls are white. It will be a nice contrast and really pop off the wall.  I hot glued a beautiful printed paper to the cardboard piece of the frame that holds the back together.

Then I hot glued the canvas in the middle of that cardboard piece. 

Next, I embellished the canvas with the same paper flowers I used to dress up my lamp!

Then I put it together in the frame and called it done.

These two pieces of wall art will hang in the family room.  Best part...they weren't even expensive! They came in around $15 each. (I got the frames as a two-for-one at Aaron Brothers!)  Stay tuned for more of these I did for little girls' rooms.  Precious. 

It's only fitting, since I go to college in Seattle, that I'll need some sunshine.  Because, really, skies are always gray.  I wish I was exaggerating.

It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay.

Hey, maybe if I keep telling myself that, I'll get used to it this year!

Love and Reassuring Myself This Wall Art Will Make The Gray Skies Better,