This is one I've been working on over the course of a couple of weeks. I think I painted one week then put the scrapbook paper on the next week and then it was a couple of weeks before I ended up cutting out the actual silhouettes...Still, here they are and done now. I like them a lot. I even know where I am going to hang them, though I haven't got them up yet. Maybe in another couple of weeks. :0)
I've wanted to do something like this for some time. I've seen them before and think they are so classic and beautiful. Still, I wanted to do something with a little bit of a Holly Twist to them instead of your same 'ol same 'ol black paper on a cream background with an oval frame. I'm really happy with what I ended up with.
I started out with two wooden plaques that you can very easily buy at Hobby Lobby or Michael's or any craft store like that. You might even be able to find them at Wal-Mart. Then I picked out two different colors of paint (Blue for Sebastian because it goes with his room and red for Parker because it is the best color ever, in case you didn't know.), and I covered them in 3 coats.
Once they were painted and dried, it was time to cut out the scrapbook paper for the background. I picked two patterns that I really liked (Parker approved too) and then used the plaques to make an outline that I then cut out carefully with an Exacto knife.
I took the scrapbook paper and applied it to the plaques using Mod-Podge (Who doesn't love Mod-Podge?), first on the backing and then a layer over the top. I let it completely dry, and then put another layer on. After that layer dried, I used some sand paper to rough up the edges and give the paper a slightly aged look. (For some reason, I didn't take a picture of this step. I am sorry about that. Sometimes I just get too into what I am doing.)
Once I was happy with how they looked, it was time to get good profile pictures of the boys. Do not underestimate the difficulty of getting an eight month old and three year old to look sideways and hold still long enough to get a good shot. I took dozens before I came up with two that worked for what I wanted them for. It was worth the work though.
Once I got them printed out, it was time to get them cut out. I used my Exacto knife again to trace along the outside of the picture while it was over top of a piece of black card stock. I paid a lot of attention to the little hairs and eye lashes with my big guy, knowing that they would give the silhouette a lot of personality...And he has that in abundance.
Once I had the silhouettes cut out, I again spread Mod-Podge over the plaques and placed the cut outs where I wanted them. I then added more Mod-Podge over the top of the silhouettes. (It will dry clear, in case you are worried.) I waited for them to dry and added another layer of Mod-Podge. It probably wasn't needed, but I like to be thorough.
Once everything was dry, I added my initials to the front like they do in the old time silhouettes, and I added the boys information at the time I did them to the back of the plaque. Now they are done and perfect and just waiting to be hung in the hallway between their rooms! I'll post another picture when they are up on the wall, but for now I am just happy they are completed. I am really, really happy with how they turned out. I think they are still very classic, but they also have a twist that makes them uniquely ours, which is appropriate, I think.
I absolutely love how you can tell that Parker is smiling in his. It so fits his personality, and the fact that we managed to capture that in the silhouette makes my heart smile.
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