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I love, love, LOVE this craft project that is in my home. I did this in a faux finishing school in Wichita owned by well know Faux Effects teacher, Deb Drager. I wish I could take the credit here... but I cannot.

Here are some pseudo directions for making one for your home. Be creative with the words. You could use "family", "love", "create", "pray", "blessings" or "art" just to think of a few.

The letters for the project can be purchased from stores like JoAnn's crafts... or I have seen them online. They are made of cardboard and are very lightweight.

We covered the back of this frame in scrapbook paper first with wallpaper paste. Look for a light colored color palette on the paper since you will glaze your texture with a light color.

Hot glue your letters on over your scrapbook paper. You can keep them straight and proper or turn they loose and funky!

We "stippled" (smooshed on) Faux Effect's Sandstone product onto the letters and randomly over the scrapbook paper. Keep in mind to not leaves open round holes on the paper.... keep it looking random and organic. Also, this project will not look good if you use joint compound here instead of a more professional faux finishing product. The properties in joint compound make it very difficult to glaze pretty. A product like Sandstone or Aquastone looks professional and soft. They are worth investing in.

While the sandstone is still wet, press in items that have to do with your "theme". I used keys, a small lock, etc.

After drying overnight, you will glaze over the whole thing. The glaze will tone the paper to age it and will color the white sandstone. We used American Walnut Stain and Seal and Rich Brown Stain and Seal. Both mixed with some FX Thinner and both from Faux Effects.

And that's it. A perfect weekend project for the home. It's on my list for mother's day for my Mom this year. She's been begging for one for years. I'm working on it Mom!

Feel free to head over to my Magic Brush blog for some inspiration today on STRIPES!

Eye Candy

First I want to thank Meme for inviting me to share my painting/decorating thoughts with so many wonderful bloggers! I am new to blogging, but in love with talking about painting! So thanks for being remotely interested in anything I have to write about! And thanks again Meme for the invite!

I have been saddened to hear about so many great magazines going under (ie Domino, Oprah's Home).

But there is hope! I found a brand new magazine called "Where Women Create". This magazine if full of nothin' but EYE CANDY!



On every page I find more pretties and more ideas and more amazing work spaces for a woman's creativity to flourish. They have a saying on the inside cover that says...


"From a Woman's Soul Through a Woman's Eyes By a Woman's Hands".

Oh my.... I love that!

If you are a sewer, a quilter, a jewelry maker, a painter, an artist or a person who is just inspired by other's creativity.... you should check it out! It makes me want to redo my paint studio AGAIN! It also makes me want to become a sewer, a quilter, a etc...

Where Women Create is a quarterly publication. You can find it and purchase it here.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have and I hope you'll hop over to my blog at The Magic Brush to get inspired to paint your home!