Materials
- Plain 100% cotton, canvas, or linen drapery panels
- Curtain rings
- Vegetables
- Acrylic paint
- Small paint brushes
- Plates or small paint tray
Directions
1) Prep your "stamps". For household items, make sure they are free of dirt. For your veggies, cut your vegetables to reveal the "flower", make sure they're free of dirt. Here's a great tip: If you're going to use produce, just stick to vegetables (and fruit) that have low water content. You don't want juice or water to get in the way! For some vegetables that still have a bit of water (like a potato or celery), after you cut it open let it sit for about 15 minutes so it dries out slightly.
2) Prep your work surface. Curtains are big so it can work great to paint-stamp them on your floor (you could also use your dining room table!), but just make sure you put something down on your work surface underneath the curtain as the paint can leak through the other side. I always use painter’s drop cloths. 3) Get your paint ready! Pour your paint onto a paper plate in a thin puddle.
3) (A word on paint: I am using plain acrylic paint for this project but if you EVER plan to wash your drapes you will need to use fabric paint or "fabric safe" acrylic paint. (There is also something called Textile Medium - it looks like white paint. When added to acrylic paint, it makes the painted fabric washable). The reason I use plain old acrylic paint is because you have access to so many more colors!)
4) Practice stamping. Before you go to stamp your curtain, it's always a good idea to practice stamping onto a piece of paper.
5) Start Stamping! Make sure your curtains are flat. Take your stamp and you can either dip it into the puddle of paint on your plate, OR use a brush to evenly brush the paint onto the stamp (we can just use the small paint brushes I requested, or black foam paint brushes - which I forgot to request!!). I like brushing the paint onto the stamp because it gives you a nice even coat. When you go to stamp the curtain, put light, even pressure on the stamp - pushing for a few seconds before removing the stamp. Remove the stamp quickly and all at once so you don't leave any splotches. You will probably want to load up on the paint each time you stamp so you don't have some stamps that are more faded than others.... but some people may like that look so it's up to each person!
6) You can use okra, corn, liter soda bottle, bar of soap with yarn and toilet paper tube.
7) Embellish with any leaves if you'd like, using small paintbrushes.
8) Here's a tip: You can let your curtains dry ON the rod! You have to be very careful, obviously, because you don't want to get wet paint everywhere, and it helps to have a partner...
9) Under $100 for this project
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