Crafts always turn out different for me than everyone else. Even with the best instructions, the results are, well…unexpected. When I saw this ghost footprint picture on one of my favorite blogs, Baby Rabies, earlier this week, I thought, “I should do that!”
Who needs instructions? Not me. I even decided to up the ante and make two, one for each set of grandparents. I determined that I needed to start right way so I could get it in the mail before the end of September. I know (no matter how it turns out) my mom will want to put it up in her house. I may have to tell her what it is, but she will display it, because she is a mom like that.
My first stop was the craft store where I picked up two 8×10 canvases, tubes of black and while acrylic paint, paint brushes, and ribbon. This craft would have been so much cheaper if I had any idea where my acrylic paint and paint brushes are, but oh well. I think I paid $3 for the twin pack of canvas and $1 for the ribbon.
I went home and immediately painted the canvas black. I left it to dry overnight and raised it off the newspaper so it wouldn’t stick:
The next day we painted each of their feet and put them on the canvas. No pictures because that part took two of us. The key here was to have plenty of paint on the foot, because if there wasn’t enough paint, the footprint barely showed up on the black background. Greenleigh thought it was so much fun to have paint on her feet that I put down some scrap construction paper and let her paint with her feet some more.
Later that night I started to add the letters. The great thing about working on a black background is that you can cover over and fix what you don’t like.
After letting the words dry, I added the ribbon to the back. This was where I learned that the ribbon had to be placed at a slight angle, instead of parallel to the edge of the canvas. It doesn’t hang properly if it is straight. I learned this the hard way, and had to fix it.
My finished product:
Not quite like the original, but I’m happy with it. I love how it shows their ages on canvas. They will never be this small again. Greenleigh’s toes are a little smudged, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. That is Greenleigh – constant motion.
How adorable is that?! I love the smudged toesies. Makes them seem… ghost-like 🙂
Hi Jill! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. The more I look at it – the more I like it! Your halloween tutu wreath is next on my list.
Adorable! We had the footprint tie for Father’s Day, the handprint apron for Father’s Day the next year. He used it when we had our annual Memorial Day BBQ for years with a smile on his face.
You are absolutely right, they will never be that small again! Great post.
This is such a cute project. It came out great. I didn’t realize they were feet -lol! Thought they were ghosts! I can’t wait to try this with Buggy.
I just found your blog (thanks to the bump) love it, keep blogging!!
Super holy cool! I am so doing that!! I came by from the hop to follow -Hope you can stop in and return the favor sometime soon 😉 http://www.shaunanosler.blogspot.com
Wow, what a great – and inexpensive – project to do with the kids! I’m doing this this weekend.
So creative, I love it! I will have to do this with my kids. Thanks for sharing.
What a sweet project. I love it!
Hope you’re having a fabulous Monday my dear!
xoxo,
Joelle
http://www.whereweloveishome.com
Found your blog via “Meet Me Monday”. I LOVE Pinterest. This project is on my “to do” list. I need to figure out what to add to it since I have 1 child. 🙂
Originally I was going to do our feet (mine and my husbands) with our two daughters in the middle. When i got the canvas, I realized that there wasn’t going to be enough room, and the next size canvas just looked too big. So that is always an option – if you feel like getting messy that is!
This post is being featured today at Kidding Around Friday! Come by to grab a button and link up again!
-Amanda and Katie
http://growingupgardner4.blogspot.com/2011/09/kidding-around-friday-linky-930.htm
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