How to transfer designs onto any canvas, with no artistic talent.

I am have creative talent to spare, but artistic ability... not so much. I get so frustrated sometimes when I'm working on a project and it doesn't come out perfect because my artistic ability is lacking. So I stumbled on this technique a while ago and felt like the internet needs to know about it!

First, find the design that you want to put on your piece. Re-size it on the computer and print it out. I do most of my re-sizing in Paint, it will even print big images onto several pages so you aren't limited to an 8.5"x11" design.

I didn't get a picture of the tracing paper, but you can purchase tracing paper in most craft stores. This is typically used for copying patterns onto fabric (at least that's what I remember using it for in 7th grade Home Ec. class). Place the tracing paper, color side down, on the wood, and place the design, right side up on top of that. Tape it down so it doesn't shift while you trace.

Trace the outline of the design.

After tracing is done, go over the design with your medium of choice. I generally use Sharpie, paint pen, or a fine paint brush. 

It's as easy as that, if you can trace, you can create!

Now go create: 

Wood Art Ideas here

How to make a wood Canvas

Pallet Wood Canvas

Here is the tutorial for making a wood canvas for whatever wood art you want. I use fence panels that have been "weathered" in my back yard for years. But you could easily use pallets for this as well. 

Decide on your dimensions and cut your pieces accordingly. I always cut two supports just and little bit narrower than the width of the canvas.

Wood Glue doesn't offer much support when it's wet, but I felt it would help keep it together once it dried. 

  

I measured depth of the board and doubled it and found nails that were just a hair shorter in length.  When hammered through the back it won't come through the front. No visible hardware. 

 I hammer in 4 nails for each board, and each overlap. That is a lot of nails, but it holds!

That's it! Sand it until the texture is to your liking, then be creative! 

Use eye hooks or drill holes and use twine to hang. Beautiful!

Wood Art Ideas Tutorial

Design Transfer Techniques

Wood Art

DIY Wood Art

With all of the Pallet projects floating around the internet I got inspired to do my own pallet art. We recently cut our 6ft privacy fence down to a 3ft fence along the back of our property line, because the corn field behind us isn't very nosey. I started crafting with the boards. Armed with a miter saw and a sander, I have been keeping very busy. I've made so much rustic wood art that I don't know what to do with it. Here are some of my creations.

This is our night time saying. I saw this once at a craft fair for $40, I loved it, but I was too cheap to buy it, but I did start saying it to the kids at bed time. 8 years later, I made my own sign $0, bam!

  

Teachers name plats - 2 easy 45 degree cuts and some paint

Smitten with the Mitten! Here are super easy tutorials on how to make the pallet "canvas" and transfer designs onto wood.

Rustic Americana Hanging

The letters didn't come out right, but I love the tree!

Love Birds 

Dandelion, it needs a whimsical saying in the empty spot, suggestions?

Welcome Sign, I need to hang this one!

I was practicing on this piece but I ended up loving the ragged wood

 Everyone loves this saying, I've made several.

I saw this in a shop, ran home and made it myself!

There you have it. I hope this offered some ideas and inspiration. Be sure to check out my post on wood art tutorials here and here. 

Super Hero Dress Up Capes

At one point in time, every child has tied a blanket around their neck and pretended to wear a cape. My nieces are no exception to this childhood practice. I decided to make them capes for Christmas, with their own super-girl initials!

You can make these with or without the applique. Without the applique they are pretty simple and quick to make. 

These are a variation I made based on a She-Ra cape that I made for a friend for Halloween. You can make this cape for adults as well. I opted to use Velcro for the neck so that the cape would rip off if it ever got caught on anything. 

Supplies:

Fabric of your choice, size will vary

Matching thread

Bias tape, binding or matching/contrasting fabric for the collar (your choice)

First take measurements. I measured from the neck to the back of the knees and the around the neck.

If you are using fleece or another non-fraying material you can use the exact measurements, if you are using something that will fray, be sure to add 1" to the width and 0.5" to the length to allow for a hem.

Decide how full you want your cape to be, I took the neck measurements and doubled it (and then added a couple more inches) The neck was 11" and my width was about 24".

Cut the material for the measurements you need. Hem around the sides and bottom (if needed), you can leave the top raw.

If you are adding an applique. Add it now. 

Sew a basting stitch along the top of the cape and gather the material until it is about 1" shorter than the neck measurement. 

Collar:

You go several different directions for the collar. You can get double fold bias tape which is already folded and pressed and ready to go for you. This is wonderful stuff! if you are making this cape for an adult you can even leave several inches on each end, sew right along the edge and you have a tie closure. Like I did in this cape:

Not the greatest picture, sorry. I would suggest getting wide bias tape as I had very narrow bias tape and it was a PAIN to cram all of the gathering into the fold and make it look nice. It was my first cape, and it didn't look very pretty if you looked too close... Luckily, SheRa has long hair!

You can also use blanket binding or make your own binding like it did. I wanted the binding to match the applique on the back, so I had to make my own.

You will cut a long, narrow strip for the collar. Take the neck measurement and add 5", this will allow for overlap for the velcro. I choose to make it 5" wide to make the collar wider to allow for room to attach the velcro. This will be folded several times so the collar will only end up being about 1.5"

 Iron the strip in half, lengthwise.

 unfold it and fold each side in 1/2" and press.

Trim a tiny triangle off each corner.

Before folding it in half (lengthwise again), fold the short end over 1/4" then over again another 1/4", press.

Fold it in half and pin it closed at the end to hold all of folds in place until you sew.

 Find the middle of the gathered cape and collar. Line them up.

Put top of cape into collar, pin everything together. Start at a top corner, sew down along the short end, turn and sew along the open edge of the collar, turn and sew up the other short end.

The last thing to do is to add velcro, and you're done!

No actions shots yet because these are still wrapped, under the tree waiting for two little super heroes to open them! :)