This post is sponsored by Wayfair, but all content and opinions are solely my own.
Everyone is commenting about the mild winter we've been having here in Massachusetts this year, but I just keep remembering that we had a mild winter last year... until a year ago yesterday when the beginning of our 100+ inches started to fall. The sheer amount of snow I had to shovel last year still gives me PTSD. That being said, though, as a lifelong New Englander, I've developed a few habits that help to get me through the cold days and snow squall induced cabin fever.
Once that weather man starts talking about the possibility of getting snowed in, I generally will start thinking up a plan. Option 1: hibernate on the couch with kitties and procedural detective dramas... OR, Option 2: make something. I'd say I generally find a good balance of the 2, but there are few things that brighten up a snow day like sitting down to a project.
While this past weekend's storm was a bust for us here, I still prepared myself for a project. My TV cabinet has been built, painted, and installed for weeks, but you have yet to see the finished product because the frames are still sporting the pictures that came in them and the side shelves are mid-styling. Sick of staring at canned succulent pictures, I decided that until I bit the bullet and bought the etsy art that I really wanted for them, I would whip up a quick DIY to fill the frames.
Ever a hoarder of art supplies, I still had a stash of watercolors and paper from my college days. While I can't remember the proper way to use them, I remembered enough to put together a pair of unique, quick, and free (if you have the supplies already like I did) art.
I use smaller brushes to help mix the colors, but an unconventional watercolor tool- the chip brush, to actually paint. I hoped the jagged, unevenness of the brushes would help to add texture to the painting.
I taped the pages down to the floor so they wouldn't curl up with the water.
Then I got to painting. My first start at a quirky modern watercolor looked like bad art out of the 90s, but just as I was about to get discouraged, I realized that my test sheet where I was trying out streaks of color and brush strokes had a better vibe. New technique! Instead of trying to make a pattern, I would simply let streaks of paint become the art. So I started again.
Instantly I was liking this version.
After streaking on 3 colors, the art was looking nice, but a bit flat. So out came my secret weapon.... GOLD. I waited until the watercolor was totally dry, then taped off a stripe on each canvas.
I decided on one page I was going to use the back of the foam brush to add some dots... which turned into drips...which I decided to make look like they were supposed to be there. On the other I use the foam brush with uneven pressure to add a tear drop shape in a few spots.
I think I'm just as amazed as you at how far the gold took the boring paintings to the next level. They looked even better when I popped them into the frames.
While these aren't my ideal art for the space, I think I can live with these as place holders until I decide to spend $100 on the art that I really want. Before I bite that bullet, though, I want to finish upholstering my chair and get that in the room to make sure I'm not trying to overload a small space with too many interesting things. It's a delicate balance.
Now, when I'm at my desk working, this is a significantly more inspirational view than having the black box of a TV taunting me. Full reveal of the TV cabinet coming next week!
As a bonus to you, I'm offering up my DIY watercolor art as a free printable. Click on the images below or the links to bring you to the large, savable image.
DIY watercolor art piece 1
DIY watercolor art piece 2
