VALENTINE ANNIVERSARY ART

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ART

I finished this gift of art for my daughter and her husband.  Today is their 8th wedding anniversary. and it's Valentine's Day.  Romantic, yes?

I used a piece of scrap wood from the local cabinet shop.  I prefer working on wood, and love when I can

pick up free wood and save it from being discarded.  This piece measures appox 12 x 8 and is an inch thick.

I painted the background with a navy paint ( a 50 cent  8 ounce sample interior acrylic paint at Lowe's from their paint sale table) and started painting the back ground with some white.. in a nice painterly fashion.

After it dried, I took some dictionary paper and sketched the tree and then applied it on to the surface

using Mod Podge.  After that dried I used a graphite pencil (my favorite is Kimberly 525 9xxb) to sketch in more of the details of the tree bark.  This pencil by Kimberly is nice and soft and will draw on a lot of different surfaces.. I use it often.  Next I painted the 8 red hearts ( from another sample paint pot I had)  and then decided the texture of the pattern stamp would add a nice romantic look.  

Then I dug out my trusty old wood burning tool and where I had sketched the hearts and initials, I burned

into the wood.. to give it an authentic carved wood look.  I added a smaller heart under their heart with

their daughter's initial.  It now makes it a family tree.. and I smiled.  I was happy with the finished project.

To put a "hanger" on the back, this is what I do.  I simply take the hanger wire, coil the end then 

with my electric stapler, I staple a few times to attach the wire and then the same on the other end.

It creates a nice hanger.. fairly inexpensive. And I always put a sticker on the bottom with my 

name, website, etc. info.  I paint the backs of my wood pieces.. or cradle board pieces because

it gives a nice finished look.

I am planning on writing a note on the back with a white paint pen.. a personal message for them.

A nice project and I think they will be pleased!

ta for now..