You know when you see something on Pinterest you want to make so you have to then make up a reason why you need to do it?  That happened to me yesterday.  For awhile know I’ve seen wall hangings that had sayings written in hot glue and then painted monochrome (monochromatic … ahh I don’t know which is correct … one color).  I wanted to try making one!

I just had to think of a worthy recipient!  One of my good friends is sort of amazing maybe a little bit crazy but in an amazing way.  She is not just a marathon runner but an ultra marathon runner.  I didn’t even realize those existed until she started participating in them.  She recently told me she was going to be running a 50 mile race in Catalina.  50 MILES … ON AN MOUNTAIN FILLED ISLAND.  WHAT???????  She does a marathon every year on Catalina and last year I came with and ran a 10K.  Just over 6ish miles up and down hills.  AAAAAAHHHHHH.  She looked better after finishing her 26ish miles than I did after my “run”.  Now she is planning to almost double that distance.  That deserves some words of encouragement!

I rushed to my craft closet(s) (which desperately needs to be organized as I found my glue gun in the first box I looked in but the glue was in the last) then to Michael’s to gather what I needed:

• hot glue gun
• hot glue
• spray paint (for a canvas you only need a small can unless you want to use the rest for tagging later that day)
• canvas (50% off at Michael’s right now)
• pencil (harder to find in my house than you would think)

Although there are numerous examples of this craft on Pinterest I couldn’t find one with instructions.  How hard could it be?  Here is what I did:

1. I printed out on the computer what I wanted to write so I would have something to refer to
2. To act professional I first wrote on the canvas with pencil.  Tips to learn from my mistakes – hot glue is harder to manipulate than your pencil.  Put more space between letters and then you think you need.  After a while I pretty much ignored my pencil markings
3. Then I grabbed my glue gun and went at it!  Tips to learn from my mistakes – treat the glue gun like a paint pen holding it perpendicular to the canvas.  Don’t touch the tip to the canvas but hold it away so you can get a nice clear 3d effect.  When writing letters act like you are teaching a kindergartener by making each line individual and picking up your “pen” after each movement.
4. As you know hot glue dries fast (so don’t make mistakes) which makes it even more fun.  I need instant gratification!  When I was finished with my wording I used my finger to scrub off any glue “webs” between letters.  Tips to learn from my mistakes – this is a much more important step than I realized.  Do it well.  I’d suggest getting an old toothbrush or something and really scrubbing off any signs of webs.
5. Then I grabbed some magazines to cover up the patio, told the dogs to stay away or they’d become a different color, and spray painted the top and sides.  That was pretty fun.

1/2 hour later I went back to get it and tada!  Art!

be brave

be strong

be badass

be you!

Good suggestions for all of us!

P.S. My mom asked why I didn’t center it.  I choose to be artistically off-center starting at the bottom left and working up.  To be honest I did this because I knew it would be a pain in the butt to actually center correctly.