Subway Art DIY

I finally finished my DIY Subway Art!  Literally this has taken me months!  Not because it was super difficult, I just couldn't get that motivation.  So yesterday afternoon I was supposed to be doing book work for my hubs business....but guess what?  Motivation struck instead, lol!

I was so motivated when I saw this tutorial from From Gardners 2 Bergers.  Becca did a great job on her instructions...but I still couldn't figure it out!  I played around with my Word program but I really didn't have any luck.  I had to talk myself into this "I am a smart girl, right?"  add that with the fact that I really, really wanted some of this art in my house!  So I started looking at photo editing sites.  I finally settled on iPiccy.com

Once you are on the site you have the option to create a new blend.  Then you just choose fonts and sizes and go to town.  I created the whole piece....it took me awhile.  I ended up choosing fun words from our home town.  Then I save the image on a U-drive.

Then I hit another road block.  Becca finally found a Staples that did an engineers print.  Well I don't have a Staples by me.  I called the Office supply store closest and they had no idea...great!  We do have Office Max and Office Depot, I so cannot remember which one ended up having this BUT THEY DO!!!

I didn't have the best little gal in copies at the store; really I got all of her life stories and different stories of her having to deal with customers when she is really hungry because it is almost lunch time! (For real) (I am not kidding)  They didn't know what an engineers copy was but I just explained that there was a black and white copy that I can get really big for really cheap, lol!  Luckily she finally figured it out!

After about an hour and a half, and yes I came home with 2 because she couldn't get it to print the full 30x40.  She said I will have to come back and someone that knew a little more would have to help me....let's face it, I was spent!  Mine ended up being 24x24.

I was super excited but then these prints sat and sat at my house!

Yesterday, I pulled out the jigsaw and trimmed a piece of thin plywood for my backing.

Then I applied Modge Podge all over the board to adhere the poster.

Next I lined up the poster to the board and used the handy dandy Home Depot Gift Card to run over the top and get the bubbles out.  Don't panic!  There is only a couple of dollars on the gift card, lol!

I wanted my piece really distressed so if you don't you will have to be really careful rubbing on the top.  The black comes off really easy!

Next I flipped it over to attach the edges.

I stapled the back side down and on the corners, I folded these similar to when you do a corner on upholstery.

Next I distressed the entire piece, I really wanted it to look old.  I took some really fine steel wool and ran it over the entire print.  For the hanger my husband help me screw in some knoted jute twine.  I liked this look, kind of industrial.

This should be sealed with a spray sealer for paper; yeah I haven't done that yet!  I don't think anyone will touch it up on the wall, but the black does rub off when you do.

You can see this as you walk in my front door; makes me smile every time!  Love it!

So what do you think of Subway Art?  Do you love it or hate it?