mambi Mondays - Mixed Media Heart Canvas

I am super excited to start a new series on my blog today!! 

mambi Mondays

Yiiippppee! Every Monday I will share a project using some me & my BIG ideas goodies. I might create a canvas (like today), layouts, crafts, home decor, gifts, cards, journal pages, etc. Super fun, right? Of course, I LOVE mixed media so I started things off with a Valentine's Day inspired canvas.

Enough rambling...let's get to it.

I started with a 10 x 10 wooden canvas from Michaels. I have to say these wood canvases are my absolute favorite. First of all, they are only $2.49 each. Awesome! It is not a flat panel either. It has a small ridge all around the back so it is ready to hang. YES! Who wants to bother with adding that stuff. 

I want to make...then hang! :)

I covered the entire surface with some vintage sheet music from my stash with Mod Podge. Hold on... Let's take a little bubble diversion - don't sweat them. If you have even adhered paper (any kind) to any given surface with gel medium or Mod Podge, then you know you are going to face trying to get as many air bubbles out as you can. Is it a constant battle for you too? My solution - accept that the surface MAY not be completely flat AND love the texture those bubbles later create. I put Mod Podge on the surface and the back of the paper, plus I also use an old gift card to squeeze out as much glue as possible. BUT, whatever is left behind - I don't sweat it!

After it was dry, I added gesso and two shades of aqua craft paint mainly with my fingers. I didn't want to cover the entire surface of course. I definitely wanted bits of music popping through. Luckily, this particular piece of music was a love song, so it had the words love, or I love in several different places. I highlighted those by circling them. I also used a circle stencil (from an old board game) and white paint to add layers to the background.

I set the canvas aside to dry and began looking through my collection of me & my BIG ideas paper. I found a little bit of everything to use. The paper used was from 12 x 12 pads, CARDS in an INSTANT and POCKET PAGES cards. There are so many fun patterns to choose from. I had some small wooden hearts (from Michaels) that I wanted to use as the base for each heart. I used a heart as a template and traced out a different pattern for each one. The bottom right side of the grid does not have a heart because the words "I love" were already there from the sheet music. I added "you" with some small mambi ABCs.

Finally, the finishing touches were added using various mambi stickers. Again I used a little bit of everything. It turned out so, SO cute. I already hung it up in my entryway! :) This would make a totally cute Valentine's Day gift (or any occasion) for someone special. Also, the wooden hearts could be replaced with cardboard pieces you cut yourself or some chipboard. So many different ways it could turn out.

 PS I am a me & my BIG ideas Design Team member. I have the honor of working with some very talented ladies. Please come visit the mambi blog so you can see what they have been up too! 

Happy Creating!