Our kitchen table and living room floor have, for the last two weeks, resembled Santa’s workshop. The resident elf? Yours truly.

My first project of the season has been recreating an adorable swallow (acrylic on canvas) spotted at Portobello West for $50. My goal? Recreate it for under $12.

First I painted two small canvases grey.

Second, I made a swallow stencil using card stock and a magazine image, and taped it in place.

Third, I rolled the paint on top careful not to let the paint spill over.

Fourth, I pulled off the stencil and…

Voila! A lovely little gift.

(photos taken by jenuine)

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive.  And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

–  Harold Whitman