Mini Canvas Painting

One of my all-time tips' for selecting presents for anyone would definitely be a DIY present, handmade with love and care. Some might take an infinite amount of time to complete, like scrapbooks, but I've got a couple of craft ideas that are perfect for those who don't have a lot of time on their hands.

First craft project up on this blog would be a Mini Canvas Painting!

Basically I've had this mini painting canvas stand left lying around in my craft bag for YEARS. I bought it because it was cute, but never used it at all. So since Christmas was around the corner a few weeks ago, I decided to finally make use of it and get rid of it once and for all!

Things you would need:

1 mini painting canvas stand

4 1.5" x 1.5" empty canvas

Acrylic paint

Paint brushes

Craft glue

Pencil (optional)

Both the canvas and stand were purchased from Art Friend. The glue I used is actually more for jewelry and beading, with a super fine tip for precision, but I like the strong adhesiveness of it, so I used it for this purpose. Otherwise, craft glues like PVA would work fine :)

Step 1: Make a light sketch on the canvas before actual painting

Unless the painting is to be abstract and freestyle, I would say sketching definitely helps in the painting process later on. 

And yes, from the sketches you can roughly tell that I've taken much inspiration from the Hong Kong cartoon character, McDull. 

Step 2: Paint!

I realised, while sketching, that the pencil marks kept smudging the white canvas and might still be visible after painting. So to rectify the problem, I painted a layer of white over the entire sketch to fade the pencil marks before the actual painting. I would say it helped because I could barely see the pencil sketches and knew it wouldn't show in the final product. Having said that, you would probably need to know 90% of your painting to paint without the sketch as your guideline.

If you're not confident enough, then perhaps instead of painting the first layer of white over the sketch, paint as per normal. Let it dry for 30 minutes, or until dry, and at the end, use a fine tip permanent marker to outline your painting to conceal the pencil marks.

What I did here was both, actually. I used a fine tip Sharpie pen to outline the painting and add in details like the facial features of the pigs. It was either the Sharpie pen or using a super fine tip paint brush, and since I didn't have the latter, I opted for the easier way out. It's more precise as well, because you get a firm grip and control over a pen rather than a paint brush, which I was totally not confident about anyway.

Step 3: Glue the pieces together

I guess this really is a no-brainer. Just bear in mind not to apply too much glue on each side, lest the excess leaks out when two pieces of the canvas join together and it becomes a sticky mess.

The glue I used here is G-S Hypo Cement, which I purchased from a jewelry and bead shop along Arab Street.

Step 4: Let it dry overnight and VIOLÀ! 

You've got yourself a mini canvas painting!

This took me about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to do (minus the drying of the glue), because the canvases are pretty small and the drying time for the paint was quite short.

It would make a pretty piece to place at a bedside table, bookcase or something. What's not to love about this affordable, customizable DIY present?

I hope this was a good start to kickoff my craft projects on this blog :)

Have a happy first Monday of the year! xx

A new beginning

It's been a long while, and so much has changed, since I last blogged. So I was thinking that perhaps this new year calls for a fresh start, to start blogging again with a newfound perspective on life and new experiences I know I'd be going through this year.

So for a start, why coffee and crafts? 

They are both things I love and enjoy. I can say that even though my knowledge of coffee might be limited, I do know how to appreciate a good cuppa here and there. I've also always wanted to do a barista course but never found the opportunity to do so, as of yet. As for the craft side, I am a self-proclaim hoarder and addict when it comes to buying anything related to craft. Put me in a craft shop and I would just spend hours in there, not only grabbing anything that appeals to me, but also running craft ideas through my head and contemplating whether certain items are worth the purchase. I can safely say that more than half of the craft items I have bought over the years are still either brand new or is stored away in my craft box or bag at home, waiting for the opportune moment to arise and be used. It also does not help that my generous friends are so kind enough to feed me with my addiction by gifting me with various craft merchandise as well. 

Another question I asked myself was: what is the purpose of this space?

I guess just like my old blog, I really wanted a space to record down what I've been up to in life, be it in words or photographs. Having taken probably a three-year hiatus from my previous blog, I really missed recording down events that have taken place in my life in a virtual platform in the form of a blog. I regretted not doing so for my university life, which was an incredible journey by the way, and I guess I only have photographs on Facebook as memories to get by. 

I know having the word 'coffee' in the blog address might seem like I'd be doing some cafe hoppings or something related to coffee, but no. Unfortunately, in the long run at least, I would not have the leisure of time to do cafe hoppings around Singapore because of my future work life. Working hours would be irregular and sleeping time would be precious. You get the point. But for now, you might just see some short reviews on places I will visit in the months to come because I am currently on a month's break and will be working in a foreign land for six months starting this February. 

I really hope I do not disappoint on this, but I'm thinking of dedicating a portion of this blog to share DIY craft projects I might have for birthdays or gifts for celebratory occasions like Valentine's day, Christmas and so on. I know it will be difficult for me to find the time to do these side projects due to work, but hopefully there will be some energy left in me to carry out craft projects despite the long hours at work :)

Okay, this seems like a promising short introduction to a new blog. So here's to new beginnings in the new year!