I've Been Known to Dabble in Wall Art on Occasion

I remember the first time I heard a Bob Marley song (although I didn't know who sang it at the time), it was when I saw this commercial:

My research showed this commercial aired in 1995.  In 1996 (I remember the year off the top of my head only because the trip was during the summer Olympics~I'm obsessed with the Olympics.  This summer when the games in London start airing I will be on the couch with the American flag draped over my shoulders ready to watch every sport from Water Polo to Gymnastics for 3 weeks.  I was lucky enough to be on maternity leave 2 years ago during the last winter Olympics - otherwise our DVR couldn't have handled it) SORRY, GOT OFF TRACK we took a family trip (Mom, Dad, and I) to the Cayman Islands.  It was probably one of the best trips ever and I love that British Colony so immensely I've been back twice since. 

Anyway, one evening my Mom was out on our balcony at our hotel watching the sunset and I went to join her.  The music from the poolside bar carried up to our room and I hear "Jammin'".  "Hey, it's that alligator commercial song," I say.  My mother, who lived in the Caribbean for years before she met my Dad (both working in Puerto Rico), gave me the most horrified look I, at that point, had ever seen from her.  "This is a Bob Marley song," she says.  Blank stare from me.  "Do you know who Bob Marley is?" My head shakes back and forth.  There began my Bob Marley education - at the age of 14. 

As I grew older and got an ipod, I downloaded lots of his songs and I swear, I cannot play them and not be happy.  My friend Whitney and I went on a cruise to Jamaica in 2003 and got to go to Trenchtown ("No Woman, No Cry" reference), which is where he grew up.  I've also been to Jamaica with Joe twice and we love us some Bob.  On our first trip we decided to jazz up Lil E's wardrobe with an homage:

So, I guess you could say we more than just "like" Bob Marley. 

I'm playing on Pinterest one day and come across this:

Image courtesy of Susie Harris Blog

My train of thought:  "Three Little Birds"!!  I must have this.  It's $58? Plus $22 for shipping?  Negative.  But I really love it! Oh fine, I'll have to steal the idea and redo it. 

So I did.

Instead of wood, I went and got a 30x30inch canvas at Hobby Lobby and picked up some Acrylic paint.  I painted the entire thing yellow (Delta's Straw).  It took 3 coats to get the color saturated and even. 

Then I went into Microsoft Word and printed out the different words in different fonts and took my exacto-knife and cut out the letters.  Then I just taped the paper to the canvas and traced the letters to it.   

Then you start painting!

The cursive letters on top and bottom were a lot easier to do than the Arial font in the middle.  I even tried paint pen at one point - but it's finish was much too shiny so I just bit the bullet and kept layering the paint on. 

I added my own hanging kit to the canvas by screwing the eyelet screws to the inside edge (so it would lay flat against the wall) and running a wire from side to side.

Then it was time to hang it on the wall!  And I love it! I'm one of the world's worst about wall art.  I tend to just not like anything, so I put mirrors up all over the place (No, it's not because I like to look at myself - might be a different story after I lose another 5 lbs. ;) ). 

Love, love, love.  I will mention that it looks smaller in the pictures than it does in person.  I think something about the height of the ceiling jumping signifcantly over the stairs has something to do with it. 

One last thing, Instead of painting the sides of the canvas yellow, I did a terracotta orange.  I thought it would look like a frame without having to frame it.  I almost wish I had gone for a brighter color with more punch so it was more noticeable.  I guess sometimes demure can be better.  Sometimes. 

If you are ever in Jamaica (Shameless plug: Stay at Couples Negril or Couples Swept Away), make sure you see the Silver Birds Steel Drum Band.  They are FANTASTIC.  Their rendition of "Careless Whisper" was SO good the entire outdoor dining area at our resort during lunchtime gave them a standing ovation. They put on quite a show.  

My first giveaway is coming up:  Tune in tomorrow to see how to win!