This month’s Junk Revision Challenge was about Valentines. I have laid low the last month and this project excited me and got me back on track and on focus for the coming year. For this Valentine’s I decided to go with a mixed metal theme and venture away from the expected pink and red. Here is the story of how it all came together, what this piece means to me and some direction for the blog. Make sure you check out the links below to my counterpart’s precious projects!
Recently, I had a garage sale and my mom brought half her house over to add to mine.
We purged.
It felt good.
I got rid of all sorts of stuff, projects I never got around to. Things that weren’t working for me anymore. Junk in closets.
One eye soar that got rescued was this canvas print.
My mom’s hairdresser gave it to her because she knows we like to re-do stuff.
I also hung on to this broken shutter that I pulled off someone’s curb.
I promise I am only a partial pack rat. Not full blown.
These two castaways were the basis of my mixed metal idea.
I started with Kilz paint. This boldness might be hard to tame without some heavy hitting paint coverage.
Even after I blotted out the tropical scenery, some of the built up paint swirls and shape texture stood up off the canvas…and I love that!
I spray painted the whole canvas metallic gold then free hand painted wonky stripes of various acrylic metallic paint.
While that was drying the shutter was dismantled and the slats were given a facelift with a deep rich stain.
Assembly was quick and easy because I used glue to fasten the wooden slats together with metal finishings that I painted to look rusty.
I secured my newly made LOVE letters to the canvas using Command Strips so I could remove them later and reuse the canvas.
I layered it on my mantle with the wire arrow nail art from the Christmas Advent Series, finials from Round Top and a candlestick I re-worked.
It never fails.
When I paint over something loud, in bad shape or a piece that just needs a change 1 Peter 4:8 pops into my mind.
Love covers over a multitude of sin.
The image conjures of thick, sticky red blood, running, as a covering of my sin. Thicker than Kilz on this canvas, it’s covering power blotting out my transgretions.
It’s a heavy visual.
But it’s truth in sight.
If we back up and read the first portion of the verse it states:
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin.
God never sees us as we see ourselves or as we see others. He sees us as a finished work, completed to perfection, the way he created us. Our canvas has already been painted, covered, made a new when Jesus died on the cross.
God’s heart longs for us to see through His eyes when we look in the mirror or across the table.
All to often the truth of the fall gets in the way of our vision and muddles our ability to love each other deeply.
We only see the sin and don’t even consider the sinner.
It’s true – we are nothing but a needy bunch of sinners.
Every single one of us.
Me, you, your spouse, your neighbor, your co-worker, your kids, your parents, your friends, your enemy.
All sinners.
Every day.
It’s the exact reason we NEED Jesus.
We can never be good enough, be enough or perform our way to perfection. And the good news is, we don’t have to.
This new paint job, this freedom and forgiveness is totally free, not dependent on anything but a heart that cries out, “you alone are my Savior Jesus.”
There is nothing to get in order, no perfect time, no supplies needed. Right now is the time, right now is the place to reach out to the One who is worthy of all praise, The Maker of Heaven and Earth, The Author of Salvation.
He is able, enough and wants YOU as His masterpiece. Desperately.
I assure you, whatever brought you to this post was no coincedence or mistake. As you sit here reading, do you really grasp that you are forgiven? Yes, for ALL the ugly things you did, the nasty words you spoke, the dark thoughts that invade your being. All the shame and regret you harbor tight in your heart. They are His for the taking. No person on Earth can love you like Jesus. No one can provide forgiveness like Jesus. No one and no thing can fill the void you feel like Jesus. No one is as jealous for you as Jesus. And no one can give you the eyes to see past sin and see your fellow sinners as beloved treasures but Jesus.
What an astonishing honor. It’s hard to wrap my head around this magnificent gift. But I don’t have to understand it, just accept it.
I want you to know Him.
I want you to stop seeing the dated palm tree canvas and see the bright shiny finished work. To know you are covered in love like paint. 
Will you walk with me on this journey? Can we get to know Jesus better together? Can we share how amazing He is and all He does in our lives? Can we love each other deeply here? That is what this space is called to be. It will be fun along the way…we will decorate, hunt and craft, but my heart is called to share the gospel here.
So I will.
And I truly hope you’ll hold my hand along the way. What a privilege this will be.
Please don’t leave without sharing your thoughts, this post if you liked it and visiting my talented friends below.
Blessings Friends, Kim
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It’s so good to have you back! I’ve missed you, friend! Let’s get together again soon!!!
I would love that!
Love what you have done here ! Really like how you assembled the letters with the metal fixings.
Thank you – it was an easy fix!
So true sweet friend! Thanks for the visual AND the cute repurposed art! Missed you so welcome back! Xo
Thank you Anne!!! It’s good to be back!
Kim, I love how you repurposed the canvas to make a new piece of art that would fit your home!! It looks fantastic!! Love the message behind your sign!!
Thanks you, I love that I can use it again if I want as well!
Amen and amen!
🙂
I have a couple of shutters lying around. What a great repurpose.
It’s amazing how many times I have used those slats for one thing or another!
Such a cleaver way to create a beautiful setting love your color choices. and adding the hardware…Perfect!
The hardware is my fav too
What a beautiful sign, with an even more beautiful message. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Carrie
I always love to see the outcome of mixing the most unusual pieces together. Your sign is so cute – and so creative – love tall the metal hardware and the reuse of the canvas is awesome. Cathy
Thanks Cathy – it’s why I save little bits and pieces, you never know what will come from them!
What a great way to repurpose an old shutter. I love how you joined the pieces for the letters. Fabulous!
Thanks – it was an easy and fun project!
A-to the-MEN, sister. This post brings tears of joy to my eyes. It reminds me of a verse I read this morning about Him being FOR us. We need not be afraid of ANYTHING. Hard for me to get my head around, but His words are truth. Love you, and I’ll gladly walk this road with you. Anytime. ❤️
thank you friend and yes it is SO hard to not be afraid, but we truly have nothing to fear. it’s craziness.
Kim… your choice of repurposing materials is ingenious and to think that you turned this junk into something beautiful is a great reminder of what God can do with the “junk” in us. It looks amazing with everything else you have on your mantle!!!
Thanks Lucy – He does love when we give him our junk!!!
Great repurposing idea! I love the dog too.
I have an abnormal love for that dog 🙂 He has moved cross country and then some with us!!!
I know the Lord and my family knows the Lord and we love Him with all of our hearts for His amazing Grace to us all. When he looks at us all he sees is His precious blood. May He bless you and yours until He comes back for us. Iam looking for that day !
I am so glad you all are saved. It is such a sweet assurance and yes – come Lord!!! thank you friend!
Welcome back, Kim!! Love you and all you do!
Thanks mom – love you
Great project – love the mix of metallic paints, wood slats, and metal fasteners 🙂
Thanks, dark wood always makes me happy
Such a change up from what you started out with, and I LOVE that you didn’t go with pink or red!! It’s looks gorgeous on your mantel and the message is pure ~ Amen!!
I am really enjoying the change up in color 🙂
Kim,
Love your insightful message as well as your artful blog.
Your sister in Christ
Thank you SO much!!! Glad you stopped by
I love Him because he first loved me. I love him, I know Him. Thank you for your words.
amen! So glad you know Him. Happy Valentine’s Day!
What a beautiful design for Valentine’s Day that’s not… red and pink! and what a beautiful message also. Welcome back.
Thanks – I loved doing a color change up! And I am glad to be back…now if I can just get back in the swing of it! 😉
Oh my goodness this project!! Every time I think you cannot possibly give me a new favorite here you come with something fabulous like this. Oh how I dream of “seeing” things in a different way. Love it!
Girl…I always say, wish you’d come over with your eyes and look at my closet. I could use your gift of fashion for sure!!!!