I like to redecorate, like a lot. Ben is going to be in trouble when we own a house one day. For now, I just keep moving things around the apartment and making new things out of old things. I’ve used burlap in a bunch of projects so I decided to use some that I had leftover for a new piece of artwork.

You’ll Need:

• Picture Frame – I’m using one that I bought at a thrift store and repainted (instructions here).
• Burlap – Cut it down to the size of your frame and gently iron it if it has any wrinkles or folds.
• Printed Image – I just Googled this clip art picture of an anchor and printed it so it was smaller than the frame. You could also do letters and paint a monogram or someone’s name.
• Cutting Mat
• X-Acto Knife or Utility Knife
• Paint Brush – If it’s a more detailed image, you’ll want a smaller and thinner brush.
• Fabric Paint – I had puffy paint on hand so I used a paint brush instead of squirting it out of the bottle.

You’ll need to first make your stencil by cutting out the image with your X-Acto knife.  Then center the stencil on the burlap. I used binder clips to secure the paper to the burlap. I also put a plastic bag under the burlap so that if the paint bled through (which it did) that it wouldn’t make a mess.

I then used my brush and paint to outline the image. Try not to use a lot of paint because you don’t want the excess paint to bleed through the paper onto the burlap.

Once you have the outline, GENTLY remove the paper so the paint doesn’t smudge. Then fill in the outline with more paint. You may have to fill in some of the bare spots as well. I tried to make sure the paint was even all over.

The directions on the paint should tell you how long to let the burlap dry. I let mine sit over night. Then just place the burlap in a frame and hang it.

I really love anchors and their symbol of security and stability. I especially love Hewbrews 6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Because of this I’ve been wanting to incorporate anchors in our apartment, this painting seemed pretty perfect in our nautical themed bedroom!