Friday, February 14, 2014

{DIY Stitched Geometric Feather Art}

Hey, y'all! I am so excited to share my latest makeover with you.  This week, I took a circa 1990 thrift store goose picture and transformed it into a beautiful, modern piece of art.
I love to stop by my local thrift store on the way home from school.  I'm always on the lookout for unique frames, and whenever I find one, I can't keep myself from buying it.  Recently I found this goose picture.
I think it first caught my eye because my grandmother loved geese.  She had a lot of ceramic geese, and I think she would have liked this picture.  But besides the nostalgia that it brought, I wasn't really digging the picture.  I was, however, digging the frame.  You don't often see oval frames, so for a mere fifty cents, I purchased it in hopes of making it beautiful.
I started the makeover by disassembling the frame.  I cleaned the frame really well with a Clorox wipe and sprayed it with gold spray paint.  Then I had to decide what I was going to put in the frame. Around Christmas-time during the big Silhouette sale, I bought some sketch pens.  I had been wanting to try them out, so I decided to create some sketched Silhouette art to go in the frame.
Here's a fun little tip that you might not realize.  The Silhouette program can trace images that you can then cut or sketch.  I don't know about you, but I am completely in love with the Rhonna Designs App.  I use it so much, and I love all the stickers in the app.  So I had a light bulb moment when trying to decide what to sketch with my Silhouette.  I realized that if I used the white background in the Rhonna Designs App and decorated it with black stickers, I could then email that to myself, save the image, open it in the Silhouette program, and trace it.  So I did just that.  I drew an oval the size of my frame and placed one of the feathers in the middle of the oval.  I sketched that on watercolor paper.  (You could use card stock.)
I really liked the feather in black and white, but I wanted to add a little something extra to it.
I colored some of the little shapes with a gold Sharpie, but that still wasn't enough of that "something extra" for me.
I decided to add some stitching to the feather.  I used a straight pin to pierce holes around some of the shapes on the feather, and then I used different color embroidery thread to stitch around them.  I was totally in love then.  I cut out the oval and popped the feather into the frame.
I have to say that I love how the art turned out.
The random stitches here and there just make the piece.
Who would think that this chic piece of art started out as a fifty cent goose picture?  All that remains of those geese is, well, a feather.  ;)
This feather art is going to go on my gallery wall that is going to be in my newly decorated living room.  I have been working hard on the room makeover.  I'm waiting for my new couch to come in.  (Eeeek!  So exciting!)  It should come in at the end of the month or the beginning of next month.  That will be the final piece to the puzzle, and then I can share the makeover with y'all.  I can't wait!  If you want sneak peeks of my progress, make sure you follow me on Instagram.  You can find me {HERE}.  Happy crafting!

35 comments:

  1. Bethany!! This is so fabulous! I'm in love with Rhonna Designs, too, but never would have thought to use it with my Silhouette! Girl, you are too clever. Totally giving Martha Stewart a run for her money. ;) I need some sketch pens and then I can play around with this idea. The embroidery thread was the perfect touch, too. LOVE THIS!

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  2. I really love this. I have had my silhouette for a year and have yet to use it. What is wrong with me?! I definitely need to try out those sketch pens. Pinning!

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  3. wow, wow, WOW!! So chic. So beautiful. You could totally sell these!!!! :) nikki

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  4. Love this beautiful feather artwork AND it's always fun to use goodies from the thrift shop!
    Over The Apple Tree

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  5. Way to go!!! It is a HUGE upgrade! ha

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  6. I love this! I never would have thought to add stitches and gold sharpie, it really is a piece of art!

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  7. This is gorgeous! I would love for you to link up at Link'n Blogs.
    http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2014/02/linkn-blogs-12.html

    I'm also sharing on FB. I just bought sketch pens for my Silhouette Cameo and am dying to try them out! Love this so so much!

    xo
    Daniela
    Put A Bird On It
    http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com
    IG @putabirdonitblog

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  8. Very cool! I love the added details of the gold and the stitching too!

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  9. This is really something! What an awesome artwork, I love the stitching on it - a lovely finishing touch. Thanks for telling us about the app too

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  10. Love the colors and the texture of the stitching makes it perfect! Thanks for sharing!

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  11. Wow, Bethany! This is soooooo creative! And the stitching is pure genius. Be sure to tweet this post to Rhonna herself; I'm sure she'd be honored to see it!

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  12. Bethany this is awesome! You have totally inspired me to buy some sketch pens!! Beautiful!

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  13. Bethany, this is just strickingly beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing. I love having those epiphany moments in creativity ;D Inspiring!

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  14. Soooooo pretty!!! Love love love it, Bethany!

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  15. Beautiful! I love the sketch pens and isn't the trace function awesome? I pretty much use it instead of a printer :-)

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  16. I saw you featured at TT & J today!! Wow - this is simply gorgeous and clever! Great work and I love the colors you used!! ~Heather

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  17. So pretty Bethany!!! The gold and the stitching!! Gorgeous!

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  18. This is gorgeous!!!! I love the gold, and feather trend, and I love how you combined the two in a fabulous embroidery project. What a beautiful statement!

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  19. Gorgeous! Just found you from Link 'n Blogs!

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  20. Ahh!! I love this so much! I am obsessed with feathers lately!

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  21. This is so beautiful! I bought the Silhouette Sketch Pens at Christmas too and have yet to break them out. I guess I need to quit being a chicken and just try them.
    Thanks so much for the inspiration!

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  22. this is the makeover week! We made a similar project on our blog too! Your one is sooo cute and really well explained... happy we've discovered this blog on craftgawker <3

    Chiara & Irene
    www.one-o.it

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  23. WOW. That is gorgeous. Stick a feather in your cap for a job well done. I am impressed :)

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  24. Love this - so pretty! Awesome job!

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  26. You've been featured at Link'n Blogs. The party starts this Wednesday at 10pm MST, so be sure to stop by, see your feature and link up again!
    http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2014/02/linkn-blogs-13.html

    xo
    Daniela
    Put A Bird On It

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  27. Is this something that you could put out as a free printable for your readers? :)

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  28. what a wonderful idea!! I love how it turned out!! I would love to see you link up to my party - #ImLovinIt

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  29. In. LOVE.
    Seriously. I've also printed out a few things I've made from Rhonna's app (love her!). Isn't it fun? I really like what you've done here - so pretty and personal!

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  30. Stunning! I love the combination of gold and thread.

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  31. Love how intricate & delicate the feather is! Fab job~

    http://cafecraftea.blogspot.com

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  32. I love that! So creative to email yourself the picture! I haven't used the sketch option on my silhouette, but I need to try it out! Thanks for the inspiration! :)

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  33. I LOVE THIS! Great job Bethany! This is so beautiful.

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  34. This is fantastic, love your blog!

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