String Art Love and My ScotchBlue Secret For PERFECTLY Edged Art!

I have had a change of heart (pun totally intended.)

I used to hate hearts and love in decor.  Like groan, eye roll, pssssh, that is so lame,  hate.  Because usually the lovey stuff you see is super cheesy and overdone “All because two people fell in love” anyone?  (Sorry, if you have that in your house!)  But as of late they have started to grow on me (like my Family Heart Silhouette Art project with duct tape, and the line from Kelsey’s wedding song that we put on a gigantor canvas.)

So here is my take on it.  If it is authentic to you and you puffy heart love it, then you are good.  If you and 97 of your closest friends all have the same wooden sign in your bedroom then notsomuch.

We have discussed a few times that the walls in my house are super tall and its hard to find things to fill the space, (especially the space above my couch) with something cheap and awesome.  So while I was on my lovefest kick I went for it.  Court was NOT excited about this project.  I mean really, what man would want a 3.5 ft heart in their living room.  But as the saying in our house goes “Sorry, its happening.”   Do you use that saying in your house too?

Guess what?  I was right,  it turned out awesome!!  Awesome enough that Court himself gave it the 2 thumbs up approval.

Want to make your own?

Time to get your supplies. I used a 1” piece of plywood (I bought a precut piece that was 4’x4’ and had it cut down to 3.5’x3.5).  You will also need 1/2” brad nails (make sure they have a small head on them), something to evenly space your marks and a hammer.

Draw your outline.  To make a perfect heart start by dividing your canvas into linear quarters.  Mark the center line at the bottom and about 1/4 of the way down (this mark will determine how deep your heart is).  Then mark the top of the quarter lines (the green ones) at the top (this will determine how high your heart is).  Finally mark 1/4-1/3 of the way down on the edge of your canvas (this will determine where your heart starts to go in) then connect the dots!

Once you have your basic outline you are ready to mark where your nails are going to go.   Ok so its time to get honest.  Do you ever use things to DIY stuff because its nice and close and will work? (One time I puttied the gap on the inside trim of my windows with a butter knife.  Shhh don’t tell HGTV!)  You know when you are all set, ready for a project to start it can be SUCH A PAIN to get back up and search for something, when in all actually something else will work just fine. Whose with me?!! (hopefully that was a roar I was hearing and not a groan…)   Well I did that and found the perfect spacer for my marks with a roll of 1” ScotchBlue! 

 

Once you have marked all the way along your outline its time to start nailing!  4 even taps of the hammer sunk my nails in perfectly and evenly.

 

For my lettering I printed out Love using one of my fave fonts Bebas.  I tried tracing it onto the board but found that it was easier to just nail right through the paper.

I wanted my board and nails white (that is why I nailed before I painted) so once everything was in place I gave it a few coats of white spray paint.  Once your paint is dry its time to bring on the string!!  You can find embroidery string everywhere from Walmart to your local craft store!

Start by tying a small knot around one of the nails and then go to town!  Make sure you don’t cross over any of your letters and you are golden!  I used 2 spools of brown string. 

A  tip I have to make your letters stand out is to wrap around their perimeter a few times to darken the outline.

 

Now we have FINALLY gotten to the point in this post where I am about to reveal  one of my favorite secrets.  How to get a PERFECT edge on your canvas/plywood.   Are you ready!? 

It is THE MOST frustrating thing in the world to get a project done and be doing the finishing touches and screw it up.  Especially when you think its no big deal, right?!

So I have put together a super short vid of how I get perfect edges every time, enjoy!

 

Slap your forehead simple right?!

There are few things we Gubler’s cant live without and ScotchBlue is for sure on that short list.  Aside from the regular uses and unexpected uses that I shared with you today we use it for EVERYTHING.  I came home from the store yesterday to this cute ScotchBlue Ballerina that Court made for Dylan.  Please note the ballet slippers.  And sorry ladies, he’s taken.

 

Ok back to the project.

So what do you think?  Do you love Love art? 

I am on the hunt for more people to follow on Pinterest (because CLEARLY I have more free time than I know what to do with!)  so leave your Pinterest link in the comments and I will follow you!  And if you want to follow along with the board I created all about awesome color combos I would LOVE it!  xoxo

 

Love Your Guts, Mandi

I teamed up with ScotchBlue to bring you this post. All opinions and project ideas are 1000% mine…except the painters tape Barbie dress, that was all Court.