Wall Art Tutorial

This here is a too-toe-real for this super-deluxe wall-art:
I think this might be my favourite project yet. Or at least, it ties with this one. And who could forget these?

Anyway, I'ma gonna show yous how ter make one. Here we go.

Here's watcha need:

• picture frame with a "back part" (mat is optional)
• sheet music, either cut from a book or printed from the internet
  
• ModPodge and a brush
  
• at least one piece of cardstock
• white tissue paper
• tape
• a printer
  

Ok. So first? Get yourself a frame. You can use any size, but I used a big 'un. Take off the particle-board-backy-part, and ModPodge the sheet music directly onto it.
(Ignore the top part that already has the writing on it. That comes later. Don't get ahead of yo-self!) Oh, and by the way...
...it's helpful to strategically cut the sheets apart in order to make them go farther on the "canvas".

Once you have the entire canvas covered, add a fresh layer of ModPodge over the whole thing, cover it with a piece of tissue paper and paint over it with another layer of ModPodge, thusly:
Add as many layers as you want in order to get the level of transparency you want. There will be lumps and bumps. That's a good thing.

Now, it's time to print out whatever words you're looking for. Something that truly expresses what's in your heart. Like, "Happines, not in another place, but this place...not for another hour, but this hour." Or "Teri is the boss." You know. Whatever.

Now, here's my technique for printing on tissue paper. Wrap an ugly (because you'll be tossing it afterward) piece of cardstock in tissue, like it's a present. If your tissue has a glossier side, put that side face-down. Be sure to tape down the edges well.
Next, set up your Word document with your sentiment in your desired font and size. I found it worked best to put one line per page, with the page-orientation set on "landscape". Now, in your print-menu options, choose the option that lets you print "backwards" or "mirror-image" or "flip horizontally". You might have to play around with it first and print some test pages to make it work.

Here's what the printed pages look like:
To remove the tissue without tearing it, cut along the edge of the cardstock. I managed to reuse (what-what!) by adjusting the feed-guide-thingies in my printer's paper-feeder to accommodate the ever-shrinking paper.
Be sure to peel off the tape and paper-edges before reusing the cardstock.

Okay, are you still with me? Wake up! I know this is a long post. I promise to make the next one shorter, okay?

I SAID WAKE UP!

That's better.

Anyway, the next step is to decoupage the sentiment onto the canvas in just the same fashion as the previous layers. Be careful when laying down the pieces to make sure they are straight and positioned the way you want them. As long as your sheet music is straight, you can use the lines as a guide.
***Editor's note: If you do make a mistake and wind up with a crooked sentiment, re-layer the affected area with music paper and tissue, and try again. Don't ask me how I know that.

If you want to add a graphic, open one in Word, resize it, and print and apply it in the same way as the sentiment. I got this fabulous bird image from the Graphics Fairy.

What? You've never heard of the Graphics Fairy? For shame, blog readers! Go! Reconcile this terrible crafting faux-pas!

Ok, once it's dry, it should have some lovely lumps and bumps, like this:

Now, it's time to distress. I used Tim Holtz' "antique linen" Distress Ink. Holding the ink pad parallel to the canvas, lightly rub it across the canvas so that it just touches the raised parts of the paper. See the difference?
This will give it that lovely weathered look.
Let that dry, put it back in the frame, et voila!
Dee-luxe, made-to-order wall art, on the cheap. The only way this could be better is if it really did say "Teri is the boss."

I have some work to do.