Ok, so i made this distressed canvas last night. You can see the original photo in my Miami Review ( scroll down, it is one of the last pictures)
I am not going to bore you with another tutorial ( UPDATE: read my tutorial here) , as there are already hundreds of better instructions on almost every craft blog. But i want to mention a few things that are improtant to me:
I came across the first distressed canvas several months ago and have been flirting with the idea of turning one of my beach photos into wall art since then. However, the author of the tutorial emphasized that it would only work with laser printed pictures and Gel Medium.
Now, we only have an inkjet printer. Not a huge problem, i could have my photo printed in a copy shop.
BUT, i do not have access to Gel Medium, or all the other awesome craft supplies that are sold in the United States and used by all the awesome bloggers out there. Think of Mod Podge, Krylon, Martha Stewart, ...
This depresses me everytime i see a great project, and i spend hours trying to figure out a way how to make these things using the supplies i already have, or what i could use as an alternative. I recently found a DIY ModPodge tutorial via Pinterest, and indeed, with the help of comments from all over the world i was finally able to find the equivalent to Elmers Glue, Claq, PVA and whatsoever. Now i know finally how to make my own Mod Podge, yay!
Based on said canvas tutorial mentioned before i was too afraid to try the technique with an inkjet photo- it would have been a massive waste of ink and i would have ruined a canvas. Not good.
I had several conversations with MisterT about alternative solutions and my possibilities, but without success. So i skipped the project, sad and a bit frustrated that there was no option.
Until Gina from The Shabby Creek Cottage published her tutorial. She used an inkjet photo!
I do have something similar to the decoupage she used, but with golden glitter. Um, not the right thing for a beach print. But with my newly learned wisdom about DIY ModPodge i was finally able to make my own canvas!! And and i am ultra happy with the result!
I am not implying that the blogger i referred to lied; she wrote her tutorial based on her experience. But what did not work for her does work for me.
So what i'm trying to say here is that there is never just one option! Not only related to crafts but in life in general. Do not limit yourself by listening to other people. Find your own way and don't just give up based on what someone else tells you. All you need is some creativity, a bit of research and most of all courage. I could have created the canvas months ago but i was too afraid of making a mistake, i was my own stupid blockade for no reason.
Don't let anyone stand in your way! There is an alternative, always!