J Cooper Photography

I know these word art pieces are all the rage right now and you can find them everywhere.   But I’ve been looking for a couple of months for a pair of matching/coordinating prints for our living room.  Not actively looking…don’t worry…I have a real life.  But when I am out and about, I check in on the art section at Target and other economical places.  But here’s the thing.  Even “economical” art isn’t really all that cheap.  And we all know how I feel about a good price

So I hit up Michaels with my 40% off coupon and got a 16×20 canvas 2 pack for $4.00.   I collected some sheet music scrap booking paper, Mod Podge (had it on hand already), some paints (again…already in the craft room), and some vinyl letters from Hobby Lobby.  And I set to work making something for our living room/music room that had a nod towards two of my favorite things: music and birds.

So before I spoil the end results….let’s do a little tutorial.   Can you do a tutorial off of bad iphone pictures?  Please say YES!

Step 1:  Gather your canvas – never purchase without your trusty 40% off coupon in hand!

Step 2:  Mod Podge your sheet music to the canvas.  I used matte Mod Podge and just slapped it on, trimming the paper as needed.  You can use real sheet music too.  Or even print your own on your home printer!

Here you can see the “seams”.  I didn’t worry about getting everything perfect as I expected this to look “handmade”.  And it really doesn’t matter if your musical staff lines up unless you are OCD…and then you better get out your ruler.

Step 3:  Apply your vinyl letters.  I placed the stencil I wanted to use on the canvas for reference so I remembered to leave room for my bird graphic.   On the second canvas…I worked from the bottom up to make sure I kept everything more centered.   Just stick down the letters and burnish them a bit with your finger tips.

Just for reference:  here is the list I took to the store.  I wrote down my text at the top so I wouldn’t have a brain freeze in the middle of Hobby Lobby.  Then I counted up how many of each letter I would need.  The little tally marks next to some of the letters show how many of those letters need to be the larger size.  I used 1″ and 2″ letters just to mix it up a bit.  My system worked like a charm and I only had to make ONE trip to the Hobster Lobster which made me VERY happy!

Step 4:   Paint over your entire canvas.  At this point you might become a wee bit nervous and want to chuck the whole project in the trash.  Push forward!  I used left over wall paint as my base coat to ensure the canvases would coordinate with the room.  My picture looks really awful…but they were just drying!

Step 5:  Add some texture.  I chose to use several other shades of paint (grey, darker brown, and a copper color).  I had originally planned to do an all over stenciled pattern but changed my mind in progress.  Go with your gut.  I had absolutely no technique.  Just squirted the paint on a paper plate and then used a paper towel to blot it around and rub it in.   After that dried…I applied my stencils!

Step 6:  The BEST part!  Gently peel off the vinyl letters to reveal your sheet music!  If you were a kid that sat in math class secretly peeling a palmful of Elmer’s glue off your hand…you are gonna love this step

Once everything is dry…just hang them up!  Or set them on a dresser.  Or give them as a gift!

Here are my finished products:

Canvas #1

and Canvas #2

I set them up in the living room on the two dressers.  And they make a happy little pair.

And while I was at it…I spruced up my mantel for spring/summer.  I pulled in some aqua and lime-ish decor that had a “natural” feel.  I think it is a happy little spot!

Be sure to share if you try this little project!  There are a thousand fun inspiration pieces on Pinterest.  Or just copy mine…either way…give it a try!  It was a fun afternoon project!