DIY Art: Smile, Laugh, Create.....

 As I mentioned before I have a ridiculous collection of old frames. I've been saving for a few, or well several years. It's hard to throw out stuff you know can be all prettied up easily and inexpensive. So this summer it  was on the "To-Do" list to give those old frames new life. I used some of them in my Bathroom Revival which was so fun and easy, I thought I would keep going. As you know, school will be starting before you know it and I am an art teacher, so I wanted to make some DIY art for my desk in my classroom. I am also working on some more DIY back to school fun stuff. It makes going back to work fun when you are surrounded by fun stuff.

CREATE.........That pretty much sums it up for me!!

First I found some cute scrapbook paper on sale. I am not a scrapbook girl. I appreciate it as a craft and it can be beautiful. If I am going to put that much work, energy and money into something and make it all gorgeous with photos I don't think I could close that creation up and stick on a shelf, it would feel awkward and wrong, like I'm suffocating something beautiful and worthy of showing off. That's my opinion, anyways. I can still go wild on the scrapbook isles at the craft stores and enjoy their gorgeous products!!

I spray painted my frames white glossy. Using either the frame or the glass from the frame, I cropped a section of the pretty paper, then cut is out. I then used some of the more simple papers for banners where I attached my pretty letters and spelled out fun words. It took some playing around with different combinations of papers. But I was pleased with how it turned out. I'm sure you noticed already, but I like flowers and butterflies. I found a whole pack of of papers called "Blossoms and Butterflies" it was only $12 for 48 sheets. I will use them for most of my fun back to school stuff. The fun words that I chose were "Create, Smile and Laugh". This is how I think life should be, therefore I also want my students to know that I value these qualities and I hope they can smile, create and laugh while in my classroom. So here they are....

I hope you find these fun words as inspiration for living life. All three make us happier and more fulfilled. So laugh a lot, don't stop smiling and create your world.

Cori Ann