PATRIOTIC MAP {Craft}

I have an antique hutch on my front patio that my neighbor gave to me after it didn’t sell for $30 at a garage sale she had!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  I have started trying to decorate it for seasons and holidays.  But, I am a cheapskate so I don’t like to go buy things for it!  Anyway, I am trying to decorate it for 4th of July.  I have very few Americana decorations.  So, I thought I should make some things to go on it.

Well, another thing about me is that I am a lazy and impatient crafter.  I love to create and craft, but only things that don’t take too long.  A couple hours is about my max for a project.  I prefer quick and easy projects.  I am also VERY impatient when I am making something.  I HATE having to wait for paint or glue to dry.  I don’t like to stop to clean up.  Once I start something I just want to go, go, go ‘til it is done!

Ok, onto the subject of this post:

Sorry there’s a bit of a glare so the FREE is a bit hard to see.  But, I found a printable for this map graphic on I Heart Naptime!  You can find it HERE.  I printed it out on my printer and then I took some little scissors and carefully cut out the map.  I happened to have the perfect size piece of birch plywood in the garage….a scrap from a bed my son built in woodshop.  I took that piece of wood and painted the edges red with acrylic craft paint.

Then, I took a piece of this navy star fabric and cut it a little bigger than the wood.  I wanted to make the fabric look a little old, so I took some sandpaper to the surface.  See how it changed it?  The left side is normal, the right is sanded.  It is a printed fabric (the color is on the top only).

Then I applied ModPodge to the surface of the wood and placed the sanded fabric on it, using a credit card type tool to rub it down and press it to the wood well.  I let that dry for a bit while I took some fine sandpaper to the map to make it look a little less perfect.  Then I used my finger to add some distress ink to the paper to make the edges brown and dull down the white of the areas I had sanded. 

Next, I turned over the wood onto a cutting mat and used a sharp Xacto knife to trim the excess fabric.  I then flipped it back over and applied a layer of ModPodge to the fabric face.  While it was still wet, I placed the map onto it and pressed it down with the credit card again.  If you don’t want a distressed look be careful pressing it down because I noticed it scratched it a couple times.

Now, a GOOD and PATIENT crafter would have let that dry completely.  But because I am NOT that good and patient crafter I let it dry for about 10 minutes and then applied my final coat of ModPodge to the map face.  Unfortunately, that cause it to bubble in 3 or 4 places.  I poked those places with a pin and pressed the air out.  I don’t think anyone can notice it now but it was just a hassle.

Once it was dry I sprayed it with a coat of clear spray paint to eliminate the tackiness of the ModPodge.

All in all, it was a fast and easy project and I am really happy with how it came out!