Family Reunion Silent Auction Item

There are 22 Weeks Until Christmas, but I had to make creating things for our family reunion auction a priority. I hope to be able to get back to making Christmas cards after the reunion.

My family reunion is Saturday, July 26 and I was woefully unprepared to contribute any items to the silent auction - that is until the past couple of days. We use the silent auction to raise funds for printing and mailing the announcement, reserving the park and purchasing shared supplies (charcoal, condiments, etc.). We usually have an auction and a 50/50 raffle.

I purchased a Cricut® Explore during the World Launch on HSN and joined a few groups on Facebook to see what other people are creating, to learn more about my Explore and stretch my creativity. Only a few weeks into having an Explore many people were creating split monogram items.

I was thinking a split monogram home décor item would be a perfect auction or raffle item for our family reunion. I am not in love with my first attempt but my mother tells me she likes it. I added some additional elements to it so it is still drying. I'll share that project in a day or two.

I got to thinking that a split "family" tree would look nice on a mirror. What you see here is my trial cut with cardstock (retired CTMH Stella B&T™) - I wanted to be sure I would not waste any vinyl.

This was also only my second attempt at creating a canvas and I am still learning. During the grand opening of a craft store I picked up a "bulk" package of canvases so I have some more to keep trying to "perfect" my technique. I painted the canvas with Aleene's Premium-Coat Acrylics Paint in Dusty Sage. The tree is #M3CEF8 from the Botanicals cartridge. I am sorry, but I do not remember what font I used for the name, but I do know it is a Cricut Font; "Est. 1857" is from Art Philosophy. The letters/numbers were cut using cardstock from my stash.

I'm a novice at using Mod Podge and my paper rippled a bit, but I have decided I like it. It gives the tree more dimension. And I have layered so much Mod Podge on this that it feels leathery where the edges are raised.

Please visit again in a day or two when I share a mirror I created in a similar manner, but with vinyl. I am ready to cut, but am a little nervous since it will be my second vinyl project (my first was putting numbers on my new mailbox).

I hope my family likes the canvas and get carried away bidding on this item. We need to build up our 2015 Reunion Fund.

Thanks for visiting today.