Flea Market Canvas

I have been keeping a secret from you.

In addition to working on my front-room-to-office transformation (you can see the latest installment of that here), I have also been working on a major living room redecorating project!  I never know if I’m “supposed” to show it off in bits and pieces or with a major reveal…so forgive me if I’m not doing it right!

So while it may be a bit backward, I’m going to show off the most recent project for the living room first!

I fell in love with these vintage-y canvases from Mandy Lynne when I saw them at an upscale furniture store.

There are posters available through her Etsy shop for about $65/each (canvases are considerably more expensive), but that was both out of my price range and not the look I was really after.

So I spent a lot of time scheming how to “knock-off” her work.  I created a whole Silhouette design, but the thought of the layers of stenciling I would have to do to recreate the color scheme intimidated me more than a little.

Then I had the great idea of using the overhead projector, like I have on so many coffee tables, but on the night I wanted to do it—I found that I couldn’t get the image to be the right size for the canvas I had prepared.

So…I took a leap and just started sketching.  And to my great great great surprise…it wasn’t all that bad!  My layout differs slightly…it changed as I filled up spaces too quickly 

In fact, it was good enough that I took the next leap…painting!   I was able to choose colors that complemented my home better than the gray of the original.

Here’s how they look side-by-side!

I won’t lie to you…I’m super excited with how this turned out!  It’s my first EVER real painting!  (We’re not counting furniture!) 

I hung it on the living room wall today, and I’m not embarrassed to have it there…I think!

I’m proud at myself for attempting something so new and different.  I have a mother and a sister who are incredible artists, so trying anything remotely like painting or drawing has been very intimidating for me. 

But at least I can say now…I tried!

Updated to add:  Yes, I had to make the Farmers Market Canvas as well!  You can see it here.

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This project has been featured at Elizabeth & Co., DIY Showoff, and Knick of Time Interiors. 

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Linking up here:

Funky Junk’s One Scary Thing Challenge

Domestically Speaking	Elizabeth & Co.
Sisters of the Wild West	No Minimalist Here’s Open House Thursday
Friday Remodelaholic	2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday	Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special	The DIY Show Off
Beyond the Picket Fence	Someday Crafts
Daisy Cottage Designs	My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect	{Primp}
Simply Klassic Sundays	My Repurposed Life
From My Front Porch to Yours	It’s So Very Cheri
Cowgirl Up!	{aka} design