Another Piece Done for the Gallery Wall

I just got the call that my special order fabrics are in!!  While I am incredibly excited for the sewing bonanza to begin, this of course happens when I am being sent out of town for a couple days - ahhhh the agony of waiting.  My poor little orphaned special orders, just sitting in a store room until I can rescue them and take them to their "forever home" (and by forever home, I mean they'll probably last a couple years before I redo the room again) 

Well until the rescue mission, its more art for the gallery wall (which despite my best efforts didn't get finished this weekend) and since I stayed away from the wine it was safe to use an exacto knife which means...drum roll please....Kate Spade ampersand knockoff!

Here's the finished product

So here's how to start - use google image search to find the Herb Lubalin Ampersand, edit it in paint or picasa or whatever your photo editor of choice is until it fits your canvas, and print that puppy out

After you have your printout, cut out clear contact paper to the same size and tape it down on some cardboard over the top of your ampersand - if you use clear contact paper you should be able to see the lines through. 

Trace around the ampersand with your exacto knife, starting in the middle and working your way towards the edges until you have cut out the ampersand

Once you've made your ampersand "sticker" stick it onto your canvas (these are for directions if you want the ampersand to be white, like the color of your canvas, you can also use the other part of the contact paper and make the ampersand the colored portion you paint)

Use a big stencil brush at 90 degrees to your canvas, with a very minimal amount of paint on your brush and move around starting on the outside

Keep moving around until the entire canvas is covered

While the paint is still wet, gently and carefully remove the ampersand "sticker"

Smooth out any edges with a small paintbrush, then hang on the wall!

ENJOY!!!