Oh Baby! Mixed Media Kids Room Decor, Handmade Garden Mobile

I made some mixed media baby decor for Josh's room and submitted them a few months ago.

 It came in the mail today. (Wahoo!)

BEAUTIFUL. 

is the only word I can use to describe all of the Somerset publications:

They always create such a beautiful spread.

It's such an honor to be a part of this issue of Somerset Home.

When Josh was born I wanted to switch up the boys' room

and make some cute things just for him, like I did with Jack.

 I was not the psycho nursery perfectionist I was with Jack.

Don't tell him, but I didn't even get around to it until he was about 9 months old.

It all started with this mobile, since I've been
wanting to create a mobile for forever.
I have about 12 more ideas for mobiles in my head, but this was a start.

And then I made a "You are loved" banner for his crib,

 since banners have a magical way of transforming any space

and I love them more than peanut butter.

And the last thing I made were magnetic picture frames.

 I wanted to make something that I would actually use to display pictures

and not leave them empty on a shelf until he goes to high school.

(Yes, I'm that much of a procrastinator.)

So here's a quick tutorial for the mobile,

and I'll post the instructions for the banner &
 the frames tomorrow and Saturday.

Mixed Media Garden 
Mobile Tutorial

Tools and Materials

Old Garden trellis

Saw
Ball of twine
Scissors
Burlap scraps
About 1/2 yard canvas fabric
Text from old books
Patterned paper
Acrylic Paints
Gel Medium
Glue gun

 

Step 1: Create the main hanging piece.

Cut up an old, square garden trellis to create the top portion of the mobile. Tie twine to each corner and tie them in a knot at the top to allow for hanging. Next, cut 8 pieces of twine, differing lengths (approx. 2-3 ft). Tie each piece of twine to the wood with a simple double knot. Double know the end, as well.

Step 2: Create the bugs & leaves

Lay out your canvas on a flat surface. Cover your canvas with old text. First coat the canvas with gel medium, lay down your text, and coat the top with gel medium,. The canvas is very porous, so it will need a lot of gel medium. Then, cover the text with gesso and a dry paper towel, to make it look uneven. Lightly wipe off the gesso with a wet paper towel, so that the text shows through.

Now you are ready to paint your bugs. Create 2 bugs for each piece of string, 16 bug in all. Paint 16 bugs on the canvas/text/gessoed fabric. Outline each bug in white paint. When they are dry, cut them out.

Now you want to create the mirror image of each bug. Lay your fabric right side down and place each bug right side up on the fabric, so that the wrong sides are touching. Trace around each bug and mark the wrong sides of each bug with corresponding numbers so that you can remember the matching bugs. Cut out each mirror image, then paint them to match its corresponding bug.

Cut leaves out of patterned green paper and glue together with gel medium. Trace the mirror image onto another piece of green paper and cut out the match.

Step 3: Attach the bugs & leaves & burlap.

Attach each bug to its mirror image on the twine with a hot glue gun. Make sure the bugs are spread out and at differing lengths, with two bugs on each piece. Next glue each set of leaves and it’s mirror image to the twine. Last, tie little pieces of burlap to each piece of twine and put up your mobile.