Junky Art

Here I am again! I'm feeling a little bit more energized and was able to squeeze in a little project for my sister's gallery wall. The motivation was there because I'll be visiting her and wanted to give her something new.

My sister and nephew both have a little saying that has become something of an inside joke within the family; 'You just don't understand'. This is a saying that must be memorialized and why not paint it?

I started with just a simple stencil on a 4x6 canvas board

Even with measuring beforehand, I ran out of room on the word 'Understand'. Oops. Scrubbing off the wet paint created a distressed, old look. It kind of evolved from there; stenciling and wiping it off, showing a little of the canvas texture and letting it look rubbed off.

The canvas was fine by itself, but needed a little something more. After trying a number of things to mount it on, I came up with this little country-ish sign from my stash:

I stained the wood a little bit darker color (my fav - Jacobean) and the painting didn't completely cover the original saying, but two layers of burlap worked perfectly and gave it a new feel.

Not too crazy about the hot glue showing through. I took some stuff from my odds and ends, and came up with some junky, funky designs.

The thumb tacks take up one side, and my little nuts and bolts flower take up the other. I added a little hangar to the back and here's the finished project:

I added 'Old Chicago Proverb' as a joke.  I crack myself up :D

What sayings are said over and over in your family? Shouldn't they be memorialized?