Tag: Handmade Art with Heart

Home made art.

Etsy Inspiration

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I love Etsy.com.  I sell prints and stationery on it, but I also love to peruse to get inspiration.  I thought I’d share some of my favorite finds today. 

I love these pillows!  So creative, but could be easy to create a custom design for your own home.  It’s as simple as finding a background fabric, fabric paint and sewing the cover. 

I love a whimsical touch, and these pillows fit the bill.  Many other states are available, too.

These leather totes seem so versatile.  I wonder if another fabric or material would work.  I’m sure a pattern could be created to make a similar effect…

On to some unique artwork.  I’m sure something like this could be created using paper punches.  Simply punch your designs and glue in the shape of your choice. 

Punches would also work great to create a custom art piece similar to this:

Here are some other favorites:

I create custom silhouettes, but this is just amazing!  The black is all cut from one sheet of paper!

Amy Ruppel’s prints are adorable, and this print is no exception.

Talk about adorable; I LOVE these measuring spoons!  The price is just a little steep for my budget, though.

I’m still trying to find some great hooks or a way to make them .  I want 3D cast metal bird heads, similar to taxidermy deer heads, but birds.  Hmm…what to do! 

How about you?   Have you found inspirational pieces to customize for your home?

All images found via the featured Etsy seller’s listing as linked above.

Gimme A Giveaway!

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Our Humble A{Bowe}d has teamed up with Chic Little House to give you a giveaway!  To enter to win, visit http://chiclittlehouse.blogspot.com/2010/06/giveaway-our-humble-abowed.html and leave a comment.  The giveaway closes on Friday, June 25, so make sure you enter.

How to: Add a Custom Touch to Framed Pictures

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Remember how cheap I am about artwork?  Well, I have a few quick, easy and cheap ideas to spruce up your frames.

Idea number 1:  Spraypaint the frames.  

First, remove the glass, mat, photo, and back.  Wipe the frame free of dust.  Then lay down newspaper in a well ventilated area.  Spray the frames, keeping the can about 8 to 12 inches away to avoid excess paint drops.  Allow adequate dry time.  Pop the photo back in, hang and enjoy!

Idea number 2:  Double mat your photos.

First, buy or cut the outer mat to the frame dimensions.  Cut the opening 1 inch larger than your photo.  Then, buy or cut another mat with the inner dimensions slightly smaller than your photo.  The outer dimensions should extend at least 1 inch beyond your outer mat’s frame to make sure coverage of the edges. 

You can choose to use the same color for both mats OR add more focus on the photo by using a color that coordinates with your photo. 

To make this look, I cut my white outer mat to fit my 16 inch by 20 inch frame.  Then I cut a 5 inch by 7 inch opening which will accommodate my 4 inch by 6 inch photo.  Then I cut another white mat 7 inches tall by 9 inches wide with a 3.75 inch by 5.75 inch opening.  I painted the inner mat blue, leaving the depth white.  After the paint dried, I taped my photo in place and then centered my small mat on the large mat.  Place the large mat in your frame and hang!

Idea number 3:  Draw a border on your mat.

To get this look, use a gel pen or marker in any color (I used a silver metallic gel pen on a black mat).  Using a pencil, mark your edges at two or more points to make straight lines.  Once you’ve marked all sides (with as many borders you’d like), line a ruler to your edge and make your lines.  Do this several times to make a thicker band of color. 

Here is a detail shot:

Idea number 4:  Frame 3 dimensional objects in shadow boxes. 

Simply glue or tape your items in place.  I am a fan of foam adhesive tape to get your item off the page.

So, there you have it.  Four quick and easy ways to add interest to your art.

We’ve Been Framed

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I think I have some form of seasonal depression.  When spring finally arrives, I feel compelled to make everything light and bright.  I make new artwork.  I sew new pillow covers.  I clean like crazy.  I still have a few changes on my list, but we checked one off this weekend. 

We (when I say we, I mean Ben) painted some of our picture frames.  Most were black before, like this set of family photos in our hallway:

And this in my office:

A few (7) cans of white gloss spray paint later and we have this:

The hall frames weren’t the only ones to get a facelift.  The remaining frames hung on the living room walls got the same treatment. 

Here’s an action shot:

Add some high gloss brown and my office frames look like this:

I really love the gloss finish.  It makes everything feel more chic and polished.

In the Spotlight

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I am such a cheap skate when it comes to artwork.  I rarely buy prints because they usually have no meaning to me.  Instead, I buy cheap frames and make my own art.  Like this map. 

I like to take inspiration from items I see and make my very own, which has more significance.  I LOVE Roadside Projects work, but she is not taking custom orders.  So, I decided to make my own 3D art.  It took about 1 day, but I love how it turned out. 

The first dance at our wedding was to George Strait’s ‘Carried Away’, so I took a whimsical direction and had us getting ‘carried away’ by the wind holding an umbrella.  I am from Minnesota, so I added a lake.  The mountains are to tie Montana in.  I want to add more trees, but that will have to wait for now. 

Here’s a detail shot:

I also love silhouettes.  You’ll see them in a few places in our house.  Like this set of our family:

I need to find a frame that will accommodate all four of us now.  Here’s another set of Ben and me that is hanging in our bedroom:

One of the reasons I love silhouettes is because they are personal.  Another reason is because they are so easy to make!  Just take a profile picture of your subject and print to the size you want.  Cut that profile out.   Trace (opposite the way you’d like the person to face) and cut out again.  Stick it to another sheet of paper and frame!  Instant art! 

You don’t have to limit the silhouettes to people, either.  Here are a few floral silhouettes I whipped up:

Ben always says I’m crazy because I make time consuming art.  Like this set:

Interested in custom artwork for your walls?  Check out the custom art pieces in my Etsy shop.  Have an idea for great art?  E mail me at ourhumbleabowed@gmail.com to discuss a creation of your own.