Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This...

 Mama said there'd be days like this but, really, two in a row?!! I honestly should have known because I was doing some things that "my heart wasn't really into". I had been looking back at last year's autumn decor and this is the picture that got me going.

 I actually said when I posted that picture that the flag was a bit faded and could maybe use an update like I have done on other flags. And so I did this.

And my thoughts were that I would just leave it there and do a small section at a time. I was going to start on the pumpkin but, when I realized that I would need at least three or four different oranges just for the pumpkin to maintain its integrity and then I looked at the Indian corn and sanity prevailed and I put the flag away. Lol And then I remembered this picture.

This is what the dining room side board looked like last year and all of a sudden my "new eyes" looked at this picture and could see nothing but distortion of proportion. Those two large things on the end with the shorter one in the middle looks really bad. And so, I decided that I would find something to do to hang from the top of the arched window frame to fill in the space and give a nicer visual.

And so I headed to Pinterest and found a pretty picture of a church in autumn printed on a dictionary page and I thought it would be perfect. And so, I quickly downloaded it, printed it and got ready to go. 

I went with antique wax and orange chalk paint for the canvas.

And that is all you will see of that. Apparently I grabbed a piece of recycled computer paper by mistake so when I decoupaged the print to the canvas, it became a mass of wrinkles that I could NOT get out...try as I might. I used every trick I know and nothing worked. I ended up simply soaking the canvas in the sink and peeling off the print and glue.

When I went back to reprint, I found a wreath that looked more "dining room-ish" and, since I had an 8X8" flat canvas as well, I decided to go that route instead. I printed it on better paper, ModPodged it on the canvas and called it a night.

I woke up to this beauty and spent some time distressing the edges and getting it just perfect. But, the paper needed a finish of some sort and since I really am not the biggest fan of the ModPodge finish I thought I could just give this a light spray with my clear acrylic sealer. And so I did. And, apparently I shouldn't have. I'm really not sure why but the whole thing clouded up like it was in a steam bath. I tried to lightly sand off the sealer but that wasn't working and it just seemed to get worse so, back to the sink I went for the second time. And now I had to clear a flat canvas which is really just canvas glued on cardboard. Yikes! This was even worse...and I should have known when to quit but I persisted. I printed another wreath and waited for the cardboard to dry. While it was I stained up some beads and made a hanger and decided to use the "busted canvas" picture in the dining room instead. I'm not sure how I will actually hang it but the 8X8 would have been too small so this is what will be here instead. I'm still not crazy about it but I think it will look better when I get the other two larger things in place for autumn.

And then I went back to the wreath. I thought I had all of the old glue off the canvas but I must not have because this image got some wrinkles as well-and that never happens with the thicker paper. At this point I was pretty much over it all. I still need a top coat so I went with the ModPodge which gave it the shiny look even thought it is supposed to be matte and brought out the wrinkles even more. And then, the distressing wouldn't go on as it should and I couldn't find anywhere to get a decent picture without the glare and let's just say that you may never see this anywhere in my house again-and if you do, it will probably be in a spot that desperately just needs "something". I still think the print is so pretty but the execution definitely is lacking!!

I seriously can't believe that I have spent two days and have so little to show for it-and look at all of the "fun" I've had. Time to clean up all of the mess and call it a day...and, next time listen to my gut when I know my heart really isn't in something. What a disaster. Aren't you glad you visited today? Oh well, things can only get better.  Stay safe and stay tuned to see what comes next.