Multi-Media Graduation Project from Altered Artworks

Today, Doreen from Altered Artworks is here sharing a meaningful multi-media project to commemorate the graduation of someone special in your life. What a special keepsake!

***

Being a student in a small college town has its perks – like riding your bike from your apartment to class, meeting friends downtown for coffee, and stopping at the library for a study session, and then cycling back home, all while exercising your brain and your body. 

In June, our older daughter graduated from this bicycle-friendly academic world that she enthusiastically embraced for four years. Is she ready to go out and make her mark on the world? Well, ready or not, here she comes! And in this day of high unemployment and economic despair, I am happy to report she just landed a professional job in her field of study. 

As a mother, it is nerve-wracking exciting to cheer from the sidelines, as one’s children take their first steps towards becoming self-sufficient in the “real” world. I know she’ll be fine. I’m not so sure about me. Thank goodness I have my creative therapy. Thus, I present my altered art canvas entitled, “Keep Calm and Ride On.”

                                         

This two-piece canvas uses the college graduation announcement and one of my favorite photos from that special day.  The photo captures her walking away, while taking a quick glance back.   I love how this represents her moving forward with her life, while always treasuring her wonderful college days. 

The supplies:

12″ x 12″ and 12″ x 4″ artist canvasses

four eye screws

acrylic paint

cardstock – two solid colors and coordinating paper [I used the college colors]

chipboard letters

large and small Prima flowers

Buttons and hemp cord or embroidery floss

2011 tassel (found at Dollar Store)

decorative pearl brad

3 different coordinating ribbons, 16″ in length

acrylic parentheses

bicycle stamp and black Staz-on ink

college announcement

photo

The process: 

Paint both canvas pieces.  Let dry.

Cut solid color cardstock 1/2″ smaller than larger canvas.  Cut coordinating papers to fit accordingly.

Decoupage cardstock and coordinating paper to canvasses.

Stamp [bicycle] image onto printed paper.  Trim and mat with solid paper, adhere to canvas.

Mat photo.  Position in place, but do not yet adhere.

Apply chipboard letters [I looped the tassel to one of the letters] and acrylic parentheses.

Using hot glue, adhere buttons to wheels on bicycle image.

Decoupage announcement and text onto canvas.  Hot glue layered flowers and small button, slightly overlapping onto announcement and text.

When dry, decoupage entire canvas which adds luster and holds chipboard letters in place.

Using 3D foam squares, adhere matted photo to canvas and hot glue pearl brad.

Measure and mark 3″ in from sides on canvas edges [bottom edge for large canvas and top edge for smaller canvas].

Twist eye screws into canvas at marks, so canvasses line up.

Cut ribbon into 8″ lengths. Tie three ribbons together, inserting ribbon through matching eye screws.

This connects the canvas pieces.  Trim ribbon ends at a diagonal.

The altered artwork canvas is now ready to display and can easily be mounted on the wall using one nail.

Now one question remains: Who gets it? The proud Mom [me] or the college graduate [her].

Thanks so much, Amy, for letting me share my “creative therapy” with your readers. I feel much better now. And I invite you and your readers to visit me at Altered Artworks.

***

I am so glad Doreen could stop in to share her talent with us! (Don’t y’all adore that photo she captured of her daughter on her big day?) I hope you’ll venture over to her place to say hello!

And by the way…It’s been a quiet week around here so far, but it’s been far from that here at Chez Bell! My middlest monkey is celebrating her 4th birthday today, and I am in full party-planning mode gearing up for her big party on Saturday evening!


Stay tuned tomorrow for how I spiffed up my kitchen dining area decor in preparation for our guests to arrive. I just love how it turned out!