Inspiration/Imitation

I like a theme when I do a room.

Not a scary, over-the-top theme. I'm not talking about anything Disney-esq.

Just an idea to keep in mind.

For Tessa's room we decided on butterflies as the theme.

I visited the Pottery Barn Kids website for some inspiration, and I wasn't disappointed. I found this gorgeous piece of art:

Unfortunately, it's $180.

Yep...one hundred and eighty dollars.

I'd have to be crazy to pay that for a piece of stretched canvas with a butterfly on it!

So I've made my own.

In the beginning I planned to use only a few real buttons. I thought I'd paint most of them with a circular rubber stamp I found at Joann's. However, the first time I used the stamp I realized it wasn't going to work - the canvas just didn't allow the paint to saturate evenly. So I ended up using all buttons.

I really like the way it turned out, though it's obviously pretty different from the original.

It also cost a lot less! The canvas came in a 2-pack from Michaels for $14.99, but I had a coupon and actually bought them for about $10. I already had a lot of the buttons, the remaining ones cost another $10, maybe?

I ran across these sweet little bamboo butterfly table confetti things at Pier 1 and grabbed them, not know what I'd use them for.

They ended up on the second canvas, after I painted it with 4 different shades of blue paint to give it a streaky appearance.

Now Tessa has two good-sized pieces of art in her room that really help tie the theme together and add some much needed color (which was beginning to be overtaken by pink.)

Her room is finished - I just need to get some good pictures to post!