Home is Where The Heart Is - Heart 2 Heart Challenge

Hello. We are back with a new challenge at {Heart 2 Heart}.

This weeks challenge is Home is where the heart is. It is however you take it. I took it literal. You will see in a bit.

I have been wanting to make a sign stating where we have lived with the army for a while now. A home is where they send us thing. This challenge, and my Explore, gave me the nudge to do it.

When I made mine, I just eyeballed the location and placed it like that. I then came up with this idea. 

I googled map outline, and also the actual map.

If you need help with uploading the photos, here is my {upload tutorial}

When you go to upload this map, you will want to keep the preserve image button selected. This will keep the map visible for you to place your heart, or star or whatever shape you choose to show your cities location.

When you upload the outline, make sure to unclick the preserve button. You want the outline to cut.

Insert the map, the outline and whatever shape you are using. I went literal and chose a heart. I used image #M46EAC from Art Philosophy. Ungroup and use the outline.

Size both the map and the outline the same size. You want the map to be the bottom layer. Line up the outline over the map. Adjust sizing as needed to the match up. This does not have to be perfect unless you have to make sure the city is exactly in the right place. I just made it close enough.

Size up your heart to whatever size you would like it to be, then place directly over the spot shown on the map.

You will now select the map and delete. 

Make sure to select and attach. Or if the city is right on the outline, like Holland was in Michigan, weld. I didn't want the heart to cut out part of the outline, like it would if i was to attach.

Have the Explore cut this out. When I do cuts for temporary applications, like this project, I use contact paper. It works perfectly and it doesn't cost a lot for something I am just going to throw away. If I have to have something perfect, no mistakes at all, then I will use vinyl. Only had that once. Every other time, contact paper. Do make sure to burnish a little more than you would with vinyl. Even add a little heat to it to make sure there is less chance of bleeding under. This project uses reclaimed wood, so perfection was not going to happen. No matter what I did, the paint was going to bleed under a little. If it was a little too much, I just scraped it off a bit. But because it is reclaimed wood, it really didn't matter.

You will need to weed differently for this project. You want a stencil, so you will remove the positive and leave the negative. What you will have open is what it will paint.

Make sure to remove the outline only when it comes to the map, unless you want a solid state and not an outline. This is your choice. I used transfer paper so the centers of the letters and the state and the heart stayed in place. You do not want to do this by hand. Way too much work. If you are using contact paper, do not use contact paper as your transfer paper, It is like vinyl, once it touches itself, it will not let go without a fight. 

Once you place it on the wood, apply your paint. I used basic 50 cent acrylic paint. I wanted the brush strokes, hand painted look. I did pounce it on. That will help it not bleed under as much. Then I went back and brushed it down. Dried a little and did a second layer, That was just brushed on. 

Here it is all together.  I used Art Philosophy font. When I did it, I made sure to justify to the right to get the state to sit under the city like that. If you need help, here is my {text tutorial}.

As you can see, each outline is a different thickness. This is because I googled them. I tried to have them about the same thickness tho. The first Texas outline I got had almost no thickness to it. I couldn't even weed it. So make sure there it isn't too thin. I haven't sealed them. Not sure if I am going to. It is staying indoors. If I do, I will choose a matte finish to keep this look.

Would love for you to join us for this weeks challenge. You must have a Close To My Heart product to play along. You can place an order at {nikkageers.ctmh.com}and come back to play along.

I used Art Philosophy Cartridge Z1686 for my project today. 

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