I am so EXCITED about this project.
I purchased some of the supplies I needed to make this a year ago. I was having a very hard time wrapping my head around my desired outcome...Also my DH had conflicting views on how he thought it should be hung on the wall...
So I put all the supplies in my ever overcrowded sewing room to Wait for me...(sometimes I feel I should call my sewing room the waiting room. Tons of projects and ideas just waiting to be conquered or lets face it even thought about) Then one day there was a stack of Melody Ross Designer Scrapbook Paper sitting on my sewing table and BAM!!! I knew how I was going to accomplish my Backpack hanger..
So here it goes.....
I rummaged around in my cupboards and 'organizing' totes until I found all 8 of my previously purchased 4" wood pieces.
Spray paint the wood pieces with flat black. I used flat black because I had a lot of it and figured I was going to Mod Podge over the top of it anyway...
so why not?
While they were drying cut 8 roughly 4x4 squares out of awesome papers...I did all different paper. Apply Mod Podge to the top of the wood and smooth the paper over the top. Placed them upside down on the table with something heavy on top to help the paper dry smooth. (as you can see some of it dried more smoothly than others)
I know that you are wondering how I got such perfect sides if I roughly cut the paper...
well I am going to tell you..
If you want a visual on this step scroll down to a following step. When the Mod Podge dries completely take sand paper and using one direction strokes sand off the paper along the edges of the wood. (If you go back and forth your paper will shred and look terrible) Mod Podge over the top of the paper and the wood.
Let dry
Then take regular ol' drawer pulls..(I purchased my just for this and was going to leave them they way were but I decided that they didn't match my paper or my envisioned finished product)
Put them in a piece of styrofoam still covered in its plastic packaging (if you don't the styrofoam melts) Spray paint the drawer pulls with Glossy Black spray paint...
sorry I forgot to take a picture of them spray painted
Find a piece of wood that is the right length for your wall....I used an old cheap shelf that I took apart and then cut in half lengthwise (not pictured)
Take your awesome paper and tear it into strips about 2 inches wide...there are no right or wrong answers here. Then place them on the board in a manner pleasing to you.. Gently slip them off and put Mod Podge on the board only where you are placing the paper pieces. I did about 3 inches at a time.
As you place each additional strip of paper put a little Mod Podge on the previous strips edge to accommodate the overlapping paper. When the paper is all on and dry use sand paper to remove the excess paper (if you look at the nursery wall hanging post on the bottom you can see what it looks like before sanding..I can't figure out how to move the picture from one post to another and Brit took the picture on her phone)
This is what it looks like when the sanding is done
Mod Poge over the entire surface...let dry
Take a little bit of brown paint and mix it with some Mod Podge the ratio is about 1 part paint to 5 parts Mod Podge. Then you do a paint on then wipe off technique. The desired out come is a slight antiquing. The brown Modge paint gets in the cracks and crevices to give a antiqued finish
Find the center of your wood pieces and drill a hole.
Place the wood pieces on the board (I measured and measured so they were all the same distance apart) Then mark where the holes should be and drill. Screw the drawer pulls through both pieces of wood
Then Hang your masterpiece on the wall...I placed mine on the wall in a manner that the studs lined up so the screws could be hidden behind the wood pieces.
Then stand and admire how totally crafty and awesome you are!!!
~Jo
