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Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the process

January 31, 2018 By Erica Deuel 2 Comments

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processDo you ever have natural instincts towards something, but you can’t always fully explain it until you keep learning in towards it!? Whew. That’s a bit confusing. Let me explain.

I have always loved helping people to create. I let my kids paint before they could really talk. I always viewed it as a sensory, exploratory time in letting their imaginations go. Now, that we started and run an art studio in our town it has had me lean further into my philosophy of how we run our classes and workshops. I believe in the benefits of the process. This little phrase “process art” describes a lot of what I have always acted on, but now I can explain it.

There are so many good things that happen in the art process. Kids get to explore, experiment, discover, take risks, problem solve and so much more! While all these things are happening, kids can be developing self-confidence as they make decisions and see what happens. They get to create without worrying about it being right or wrong.

I love all of it.

One day I looked at my bedroom window and realized my husband had pinned up some shirts over the window to be able to have a blackout curtain to take a nap. Well, that’s a no go! I realized we needed a curtain. I didn’t just want any curtain. I wanted a fun, colorful one. These can be expensive. In my attempt to be thrifty and reuse what we already had, I rummaged through our linen closet and found a curtain that we used in our foster care bedroom at our last house…over three years ago. It was time that thing got put to use again.

I combined my love of color + creating + process art and came up with a fun, abstract painted curtain for my bedroom. Here’s how we did it.

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processI love color, so I gathered my usual color scheme. I used leftover latex paint from when we painted our studio. We had a great selection of samples and colors that we had used to paint the studio’s walls. To use what I had and save money I chose to not use fabric paint. Please note: this did make my curtain more crisp and stiff.

My goal was to just make something better than a shirt being pinned up to my window. There were little expectations because I knew anything would be better than that. I laid out our old gray curtain on an old rug, poured the paint into small cups that my little artists could easily hold and move around, gave my kids paint shirts and let them have at it. My instructions were simply this, “Ok, two rules! Cover up the gray and have fun. Go!”

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processLarge Abstract Painting- enjoy the process

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processLarge Abstract Painting- enjoy the processLarge Abstract Painting- enjoy the processOh man. There were so many smiles, laughs and brainstorms as they created side by side. As they filled in the gray…

They decided they wanted to paint all the way to the edge.

They wanted to spread out the different colors.

They wanted to all work on it.

They stepped on it.

They never really stood back and analyzed it.

They just kept going.

We instantly loved it. It was so fun to stand back and just enjoy their process as they created. Sure there was the moment, where I had to scurry to wipe up the floor a bit when they walked off of their masterpiece in painted socks, but it was worth it. My kids created a piece, I couldn’t buy and it was an experience we couldn’t replicate if I hadn’t just given them the supplies and stepped back.

But, I wanted in on the fun too. I drizzled a few colors on top to make it a bit messier, and it was complete!

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the process

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processLarge Abstract Painting- enjoy the processLarge Abstract Painting- enjoy the processThe hardest part of this whole project was waiting for it to dry. We might have driven back over to the studio (where we painted it) to pick it up a few hours latter…only to realize it wasn’t dry yet. We ended up letting it dry overnight and then brought our masterpiece home. My girl tried to claim it as a blanket. Haha! It would not be a very good blanket since the material was thin and now also stiff. It was the perfect curtain though.

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processI hung it in my room. My husband no longer needs to pin a shirt up to our window. Success! I love how the colors on the curtain add a fun pop of color to my gray walls and light colored bed quilt, yet it combines with my headboard perfectly!

Large Abstract Painting- enjoy the processWhat do you think? Do you enjoy the art process too? Would you ever try a large scale abstract process art project like this!? If you don’t want to do it or it feels intimidating, don’t do it…kids will gladly step in and make it happen for you! 😉

If the curtain is a little out of your comfort zone or style, no problem. Here are a few of my favorite kid projects that can really encourage process art:

Painting a ceramic piece (with tips on how to paint with young ones)

Empty Paint Bottle Sign

Paint a Blueprint

I hope you’re having a good week! If you try any of our projects, tag me on social media with #spoonfulproject.

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My “Double Curtain Panel” Story

February 23, 2015 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Last week, I had one of those weeks that you have to laugh (and pray loads) at to make it through. I was sick, my baby girl was sick, my husband was traveling, my son’s puppy pooped live worms on a favorite rug at 11:00pm…so I found my sick self washing all my bedding at 11:00pm for fear I would get worms. The same baby girl (that isn’t really a baby at 4 years old) took a late nap (that never happens) and peed my bed, and I didn’t realize it till much later. So, I was changing sheets again another night…I could go on and on…it was epic.

In the midst of all that, I just needed a pick me up. Somewhere in that week, I sewed my curtain. The week is a bit of a blur, but I see these curtains and they feel like a bigger accomplishment than any other regular craft project. They feel like I climbed Mount Everest.

double_curtainsDo you have a project like that? In all actuality it was just a curtain panel. For weeks and weeks, I searched the web, pinterest, my favorite stores-looking for the perfect fun, colorful, floral pattern curtain. I never found any I just loved for the price I wanted to pay. I just wanted one curtain panel. I needed a fun curtain to add to my black and white one.

If you remember from my home tour, my craft studio use to look like this…

craft-ROOM1

craft-ROOMI loved the big open windows. I didn’t really even think about putting curtains up, until I put a day bed in the room and realized it really could act as another sleeping place for guests. That started the curtain thinking and searching. Once I realized my black and white set would only cover a portion of the windows, I decided to mix it up with a contrasting color and pattern in another curtain panel for fun. After looking for a long time, I decided I just needed to make it. I found this fabric and draped it over the curtain rod to stare at for a while to make sure I was sure. It kind of worked like that, so maybe I could have just left it. It worked with the look of another favorite rug thrown over the chair, so the puppy wouldn’t pee on it…or chew on it…again too. 🙂

deciding_on_curtainsI simply folded about half an inch over on the side and sewed it up. I could have ironed to have that fold have a nice pretty crease, but I was sick…and didn’t care.

sewing_curtainsAfter both sides were sewn up. I folded the top over about three inches, pinned the fabric down, and sewed along the pin line. This made a long loop for my curtain rod to go through.

curtain_loopI then hung up the new curtain to be able to tell length. I got three yards of fabric and probably cut off about 1/4 a yard. I just eye-balled it, cut it, and sewed the edge. There isn’t anything super pretty about my sewn lines or the corner edges, but it’s just a curtain panel, right!?

curtain_length

sewing_curtain_edgeI love how it came out. It was a little joy and fun in the midst of some craze. I’m feeling so much better. I’m so glad I am writing to you rather than being in bed by 8:00pm. God is good.

craft_roomIt was just a curtain panel, but after weeks of searching, deciding to make it, and pulling it off…it was a GREAT thing to get done. Do you have anything like that on your to do list?

I can’t wait to show you this whole room, but tomorrow I am going to share with you my boys’ bedroom stenciled wall. Be sure to check it out. It’s one of my favorite paint projects to date!

I’m jumping all over with this home tour. I hope you like seeing bits and pieces as I have them! Love you all, and so thankful that you are a place that I can share my bad week and just be real. As always find me on Instagram (ericadeuel) so we can chat!

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Hey Babe, Where Did Our Towel Hooks Go?

October 15, 2013 By Erica Deuel 10 Comments

repurpose_towel_hooksA few weeks ago I went to Ikea with my best girl and our sweet friends. It was a rare weekday trip without the whole crew. My mom kept the boys for us, so it was a girls’ date. It was so fun.

We browsed and brainstormed lots of ideas. You walk in that place and inspiration is everywhere. I got a few things to help decorate our foster care room, and as soon as we got home I was ready to put them to use.

But there was a problem.

brainstorming_room_design I got home and laid my new items in my inspiration pile on the floor, and I started to put the curtains on the rod. I soon realized I only had bought one hook to hold my curtain rod. FAIL!

Needless to say, I was disappointed. I did not want to figure out a time to go all the way back downtown to Ikea for a simple curtain rod hook.

As I pondered my Ikea fail moment, I remembered I had two towel hooks that I wanted to hang on the wall. It came to me like a lightening bolt: “could the towel hooks hold my curtain rod?”

After a little convincing that it would be awesome, I got Matt to help me hang them up. It totally worked! We now have unique curtain rod hooks. I love the repurposed and creative use for the hooks. I think it adds a nice charm to the room.

unique_curtain_rod_hooks

What do you think? Would you use towel hooks to hold a curtain rod?

I’m sure you have a story like this. Sometimes a failed moment can lead to an idea that was even better than the original. It just takes a spoonful of imagination! Just between you and me, I’m going to claim my “mistake” was done on purpose, after this post 😉

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