MY SECOND STYLIN' SUSAN

A few months ago, our annual publication titled Somerset Home was released. One of the projects that I made to support the pub was an altered lazy susan (titled Stylin' Susan) ... which actually ended up on the cover, which was a COMPLETE surprise and thrill! Here it is in my kitchen ... where we use it every day.

This weekend, I made a trek out to IKEA again and picked up another wooden lazy susan to alter. This time, I thought I'd take some process photos to show you my approach. I also decided that for this project, instead of vintage wallpaper, I would use Claudine Hellmuth's new Sticky Back Canvas sheets developed for Ranger. 

I started by penciling a circle onto the canvas ...

And then I free-sketched petals to the circle and then started painting the canvas with some fun colors.

 Simultaneously, I sanded the lazy susan with some sandpaper and then applied a spray of white primer and let it dry. (The spraying was done outside.)

Afterward, I applied a layer of Absorbent Ground from Golden. (This is a trick I learned from Lisa Kaus.) Once dry, the Absorbent Ground becomes nice and toothy, and ready to receive lots of different kinds of mediums, including graphite pencil work, which you'll see below.

Next, I used scissors to cut out the flower shape from the painted Stick Back Canvas sheet.

And then I used a roller rolling letter stamp and black acrylic paint to stamp my favorite saying about home onto the painted canvas.

Then I peeled the paper off the canvas back and adhered it onto the prepared lazy susan.

Next, I used my favorite graphite pencil (Cretacolor Monolith — 9B) to free-sketch scallops around the outer edge.

Then I took the end of a paintbrush and a bit of yellow acrylic paint and added dots to the middles of the scallop petals.

So far, this is how my second Stylin' Susan looks. I'm not sure if it's quite done but so far, I love it. If you want to see how it ULTIMATELY turns out, you'll want to tune into next year's Somerset Home. And if you want to join in on the fun, you'll need to get your artistic creations for the home submitted to us no later than March 15, 2009.

(PS: The complete Claudine Hellmuth Studio line can be purchased here.)

Comments

[jamie]

Well how Cute is that! What a Fun project and a Great Idea.. We always laugh and say were gonna put a lazy susan in the middle of our dining table with everyones reaching and grabbing. Love it, jamie

[claudine hellmuth]

such a cute project!!!!

[Jen Osborn]

so cute! I have to laugh because I bought a new sweater and beaded tank top this weekend at Old Nave in your two main colors :)

the absorbent ground idea is genius ... I MUST get some at Michael's this week as I think it would work fabulously on paper before I stitch it with a transparency and draw on it!

tell Lisa thank you for the inspiration!

xox
jen

[deb hodge]

Adorable!
XX Deb

[Colette]

With all of the work you do, it's so wonderful to see that you also make beautiful things!

[Kristen R]

I am loving these you are such a clever and creative soul! LOVE IT.
XO
K

[Pam]

Very cool idea.
Pam