{diy} school spirit canvas

As many of you know, I am a recent graduate of Florida State University.

With graduation comes happy tears, anxious tears, and "OMG, when am I going to see you again" tears.

Another thing that comes with it is an indescribable love for your university.

Something about sitting through that entire four hour graduation ceremony makes you realize how lucky you were to attend a school so beautiful and well-respected. 

I am a proud alum, and will continue to be so for the rest of my life.

With proud alum status comes ideas for CRAFTS, of course! One craft that kept popping up in my head was to paint a garnet & gold striped canvas, and then stencil on the FSU logo. I would not let this idea go.

I had everything I needed in my handy-dandy craft basket,

(which is filled to the brim with everything you can imagine from my sorority crafting days)

so I decided to just do it already!

As usual, the end effect was not quite what I envisioned in my head, but I still love the way it turned out!

School Spirit Canvas:

What you'll need:

• One canvas
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes of varying sizes for filling in the lines & for painting the detailed sections
• Painter's tape
• Optional: a ruler
• For the stencil: Permanent marker, pencil, and tissue paper

First, tape up your canvas with painter's tape. I wanted to have my stripes be of varying sizes, so I just kind of eye-balled it. If you want your stripes to be more exact, then use a ruler! Next, paint your canvas. You will have to let the paint dry and paint over it a few times to create a deep color.

**As you can see, my paint somehow got underneath the tape, creating jagged lines. You can check out this great tutorial for tips on how not to do this (and how to create a chevron pattern!) I actually ended up really liking the unfinished look that the jagged lines gave my canvas, but I know it is not for everyone!**

Next, create your stencil. Click here for my original tutorial on how to create a stencil using a computer screen, a pencil, and tissue paper. After you create your stencil, lay the tissue paper down on your COMPLETELY DRY canvas. Make sure the paint is the color you want it by now!

Using a permanent marker, copy your stencil onto your canvas. 

I would suggest using a sharpie the color of whatever you want your stenciled picture to be. 

Lastly, paint in your stencil very carefully & add text if you would like.

Andddd viola, you are done!

I know this canvas is not perfect (look at that first 2!), but it is my first attempt at "painting." :)

I can already think of a few more ideas for a canvas painting like this. You could paint it your sorority's colors & letters. Or paint the stripes light grey and then stencil on a cute monogram?

What do you think?

Is this project getting your crafty brain going?

PS. I added a new "love" tab that I am very excited about. I created my own graphic page!

PPS. How is today the LAST day in May?! 

We are one day away from being halfway through 2012 people!

PPPS. I just downloaded The Lucky One onto my Kindle.

Have you read it? I'm so excited to start it riiiight... now. Promise!

PPS. 

xo, Jen