Inspiration Finds Me

Inspiration eventually finds me.

I've come to KNOW and TRUST that when it's right, it'll come my way.

Today I found inspiration in the pages of a West Elm catalog.

I turned a page and the color, the texture and the ethnic pattern 

made my heart go thumpity thump thump.

That's when I know it's real and I have to do something 

with it NOW or else it leaves as quickly as it came!

I'd LONG been wanting to paint a canvas bag I had - 

one which I'd long ago grown tired of the print.

I ADORE the grommets, rough canvas texture and dark handles - 

a mixture of canvas and leather - but the rest was "meh".

Seemed like just the "right" canvas for this new inspiration.

As Inspiration goes when it comes on this swiftly, I failed to take a before pic.

But I'll share with you the after.

The white is pure gesso.

The rest is umber and black mixed with a bit of white

to soften the color a bit.

Wish I could tell you that I took the time to stuff the 

insides with cardboard or tissue before painting - but I didn't.

Wish I could tell you that I let the gesso dry first 

before adding the other color, but I didn't do that either.

The only thing I was careful about was NOT getting it on the handles, strap or grommets.

I'm kind of shocked that I didn't, 

but I used a smaller brush around those areas and "breathed" slowly through it.

I figure if I "messed" up, it'd work with the messy drippy look I was going for anyway.

I've painted quite a few canvas bags over the years 

(usually those gift with purchase tote bag give aways).

Even with heavy wear, the paint never seems to fade.

So I don't "fix" it with anything.

I can always paint over it again, right?

What the heck . . . a girl's gotta go for it every once in a while.