You Make My Heart Soar - Hot Air Balloon Art

Have I told you lately...that I love you?

NO, really.

Sometimes you guys leave the sweetest

comments and I just grin from ear to ear.

I know, I know...I suck at responding...

but sometimes it's just not my fault.

But that's a whole other post...seriously.

But I wanted you to know...

You Make My Heart Soar

Cheesy, right?

Sorry, sometimes I'm just all about cheese.

Anyway...a long, long time ago...when I was in college...

I mean waaaaaay back when...

like, aaaaaallllll of my friends were elementary ed majors.

Seriously, what's up with that?

Not me, I was gonna be Indiana Joanie.

But that's a story for another time...or never.

So, I had this friend who needed an awesome idea for a bulletin board display.

She was kind of obsessed with hot air balloons...

I think her psychiatrist father had something weird to say about that...

but I digress.

I came up with this fabulous plan for a 3D hot air balloon

and I totally wish I had a picture of it now.

We made giant strips of paper and laminated them

at the library and she stapled them to the board.

I don't remember all the details, come on, that was twe....a bunch of years ago.

A bunch.

Let me tell you...it was really something and a big hit.

I have attempted to recreate that in a smaller version here for you.

I used a 9X12 canvas, construction paper, twine,

paint, washi tape and a little ingenuity.

I painted the canvas all cream...then mixed some other colors, shown above...

in swirly patterns to mimic whimsical clouds and

repeated with some pinks for a truly Valentine-y sky.

This picture shows you the basic shapes I used for the balloon.

I didn't take a picture of the basket, sorry.

I hot glued them to the canvas to make the balloon shape.

A gold paint pen was the easiest to write the swirly words...

I can't really write letters with a paint brush. Ugh.

Then I brushed some paint mixture over them

so they were more blended and wispy.

The glitter circles are just cut from scrapbook

paper and used to cover the twine ropes.

I used the washi tape around the edge of the canvas,

but didn't get a great picture of it.

I thought about spraying the whole thing with some glitter spray,

but was concerned it might make the paper splotchy.

So I didn't...

Up, up, and away!

So, if you ever find yourself in need of a

gravity-defying idea for a bulletin board,

or just a bit of whimsy...I hope I've tweaked your imagination.

You're welcome! :)

Well, I hope your heart is soaring...high above the clouds.

In a pretty pink hot air balloon.

Come back next week!

I'm hoping to have Sara's bedroom reveal ready.

{that was the secret project!}

If not, I promise it will still be something great!

Flying lessons here:

Put A Bird On It
From My Front Porch to Yours
 Crafts a la Mode
AKA Design
Craft Dictator
Love of Family and Home
Whipperberry
Horrific Knits
Jennifer Rizzo
Cheerios and Lattes
Serenity You
It All Started With Paint
Will Cook For Smiles
I Heart Naptime
Reasons to Skip the Housework
Maison de Pax
Dwellings
The Dedicated House
I Should Be Mopping The Floor
A Stroll Thru Life
Love Grows Wild
Life With The Crust Cut Off
Ivy and Elephants
Ella Claire
Embracing Change