There are friends you have coffee with, and there are friends you have coffee and craft with – at the same time. I tend to have many of the latter, and I love that! A while back I met my friend, Alexa (SwellDesigner) for dinner when I was in Fresno, and wouldn’t you know, she whips out two big photo mats and two sets of markers for us to decorate during dessert. Everyone always thinks of decorating frames, but I think the idea of coloring on the mats is much more fun. Alexa is a master at lettering and showed me a few tricks. We sat and colored the night away. Once I got home back to Phoenix, I thought of how fun it would have been for us to trade our mats. Alexa just got married in October, and we took some cute pictures together.
So here is my idea for this. You buy some blank photo mats – the wide ones, and then doodle them up with your friends. Have everyone exchange them. Or if you want to use this as a gift, you can wrap up two photo mats – one that you decorated, another blank with markers for your friend to have her/his way with. Imagine a wall filled with decorated frames lined with artful mats!
Supplies!
Pack of 25 11×14 WHITE Picture Mats Mattes with White Core Bevel Cut for 8×10 Photo + Backing + Bags
Tulip Dual-Tip Fabric Marker, 14-Pack
TIP: Pick an empowering quote or saying, make it meaningful!
This is what we started with – an empty canvas. We each thought of a saying and used different colors and lettering styles to write it down. We just kinda went kamikaze, but it’s a better idea to lightly draw out your saying with a pencil to make sure it all fits and is balanced.
Here is Alexa working on hers. There is a certain calmness that comes with conversation while coloring. It’s so relaxing and healing. Once I get in the zone, there could be explosions behind me and I wouldn’t even notice. Especially if chocolate dessert is also involved!
And mine in progress.
Alexa stopped to assess the situation – she worried if she would have enough space to finish her quote.
I filled in every little area with doodles in a range of colors. I’m excited to use my photo mat soon. I feel like decorating a bunch of them to give them out for the holidays! So many ideas!
I love the Friendship Photo Mattte idea, I think I will do one for my Sister-in-law!!!! cool cool cool!
Can I add some Glitter????:)
Blessings,
Gretchen