Such interesting items can be created when the mood, setting and inspiration is just right. The more natural the ingredients are, the more inspired I am. This little crafty artwork consists of wood and paper. There is a bit of wire and a few nails, but the basis is “natural”. God has given us so much to work with, seems a shame to let it go to waste. Do you have abilities or talents God has given you? Do you use them to glorify Him? What happens to our talents when we don't use them? I almost let mine slip through my fingers, or I don't know maybe it did slip through my fingers and that is why I am struggling with it so. Don't let that happen to you. Realize what you have been given and use it while you have it. I still keep trying and this is my latest attempt.
You can see through the woven paper, so the wall you hang it on will be the background color behind the woven heart. The buttons are wood with an acrylic wash of the colors, lilac, green and orange. Then white polka dots applied with a paint pen.
You may want to recreate it yourself. Try it, put your own personality into it, use whatever word you would like. Try putting a butterfly or a peace sign in the middle instead of a heart. You can do it, it’s simple, here’s how.
You will need: Check out the products in my store here.
Paper rush
Stretcher strip frame
Natural hemp
Wood buttons
Craft wire
Nails
Glue
Here’s the steps in creating this piece:
Put your stretcher strips together to make the frame. Put a little glue at the joints. Paint the front side of the frame with the color you desire using acrylic paint watered down to just tint the wood.
Once dry, attach strips of paper rush from the top to the bottom of the frame on the backside with nails.
Then attach the strips of paper rush to the back side of the frame on one side with a nail, then weave in and out of the strips that run from the top to the bottom on the frame, then attach to the opposite side with a nail. Do this until you get the fill you desire. You might like less than I have in the piece or more. It’s up to you.
Turn the frame over to see the front side, be careful of the nails. Use the acrylic colors of your choice watered down, so you will only get a tint of the color and apply to the woven paper rush.
Choose your shape and use wire to apply it to the woven paper rush, wrapping it around the paper rush strips as you go to help it keep it’s shape. I chose something easy for this first time, a heart.
When you are happy with your shape, use natural hemp to macrame’ using the wire as you inside cord.
Apply paint to your shape, which is the natural hemp. Keep the paint watered down just to tint the shape outline.
Once the shape is complete, use more of the natural hemp to weave in and out of the paper rush inside the shape you have chosen.
To make your word, begin twisting natural hemp around craft wire, clamping the end of the wire over the hemp. Once you have enough twisted onto the wire to shape your word, clamp the end.
Shape your word and attach to the woven paper rush with small pieces of wire. If you desire you can also paint your word with the same acrylic colors and watered down technique as you used on the frame, the paper rush and the hemp.
Clip off the excess nail tips on the front of the frame with a wire cutter.
Paint buttons with your choice of acrylic colors watered down.
Using a strong glue, dab a small dot on top of the nails, lay buttons onto the glue spots.
Once dry, you can put little white polka dots on the buttons if you like with a paint pen.
When everything is dry apply a hanger to the back of the frame and you have a wonderful gift or a new piece to hang in your own home.
See what all you can do with this artsy craft. I’d love to see what you do.
Here are some different views of this piece. If you don’t like the open air look with out anything behind your weaving, you could put fabric, cardboard or even colored matte board behind it. Use your imagination.
Hope you enjoy making this. Happy artsy crafting!
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