DIY: Ombre Watercolor Wall Art for Valentine’s Day
Add a handmade touch when sending your sweetheart or crush a personalized message
Are you on the hunt for a creative and meaningful piece of wall art to dress up your home for Valentine’s Day? Or perhaps you’re looking for ideas to make a perfect handmade gift for someone special. Follow along to try this unique embroidered wall art to send your sweetheart a thoughtful message.
Materials and Tools
- Watercolor paper (I used 9 by 12 inches)
- Paintbrush
- Watercolor paint
- Printer and word processing or graphics program, to make “be mine” printout
- Printer paper
- Washi tape
- Paper towels (not pictured)
- Thumbtack
- Pink embroidery floss
- Embroidery needle
- Scissors (optional)
- Pencil (optional)
- Frame (optional)
Instructions
1. Paint a pink wash over a piece of watercolor paper. To create an ombre pattern, concentrate more color at the top of the page and then let the color fade gradually as you move toward the bottom. You can always just do an overall wash instead.
Let the paper dry completely. Flatten it under a few books if it curls at the edges.
1. Paint a pink wash over a piece of watercolor paper. To create an ombre pattern, concentrate more color at the top of the page and then let the color fade gradually as you move toward the bottom. You can always just do an overall wash instead.
Let the paper dry completely. Flatten it under a few books if it curls at the edges.
2. Print out the words “be mine” on a piece of printer paper in your favorite font using Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop or similar software.
Center the printout on your painting and tape it down. Washi tape works best, because it won’t tear the top layer of the paper.
Center the printout on your painting and tape it down. Washi tape works best, because it won’t tear the top layer of the paper.
3. Place the paper and printout on top of a few layers of paper towels to protect your work surface. Use the thumbtack to poke holes gently through the top two layers around each letter. Space each hole about a quarter of an inch apart. Remove the tape and the “be mine” printout.
4. Cut a long piece of embroidery floss and thread the needle with it.
5. Tie a knot at one end and begin sewing through the holes using a basic backstitch. This means that you will poke the needle up through one hole and poke it back down through the hole behind it. Then poke the needle back up through the hole in front of your original hole and back down through that original hole. Repeat the process to fill in the outline of the letter.
5. Tie a knot at one end and begin sewing through the holes using a basic backstitch. This means that you will poke the needle up through one hole and poke it back down through the hole behind it. Then poke the needle back up through the hole in front of your original hole and back down through that original hole. Repeat the process to fill in the outline of the letter.
6. Once you have finished one letter, simply move on to the next. There is no need to knot the thread or cut it. It will look something like this on the back side.
If you run out of embroidery floss, knot the end of your first piece close to the paper. Cut an additional length of embroidery floss, knot it before you begin sewing and continue the process until you’ve outlined all of the letters.
If you run out of embroidery floss, knot the end of your first piece close to the paper. Cut an additional length of embroidery floss, knot it before you begin sewing and continue the process until you’ve outlined all of the letters.
Tip: If you plan to frame your art print, use a pencil to mark the correct size to fit your frame and trim the edges of the print.
This project is easily customizable with different phrases or fonts. You can consider a different color scheme as well.
Hang the print on your wall or give it as a gift to your favorite valentine.
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