I’m so excited to share this “hand-painted” still life monogram with you! I’m not a great painter, so naturally I have to cheat. The Anthro version of this project is painted canvas covered metal, but mine is painted decoupaged paper over wood.
Supplies you will need for this project:
- 13″ Wood letter (I found mine at Hobby Lobby for $3)
- Pencil for tracing
- Scissors
- Spray adhesive
- Multi-Surface Decoupage Gloss Finish
- Small foam paint brush
- A set of craft paints in colors to match your still life
- Small detail paint brush
You will first need to find a gorgeous still life to print. The Rijks Museum now offers hi-res downloads of many of the works of art in their collection for free. Follow the link here to check out some beautiful works of art to use for your project.
You will need to print two copies of your artwork, one for each side.
For the side that will go on the front of your letter, widely trace around the edges of the letter, leaving enough space around the edges to be able to fold around the edges.
For the back of the letter, trace right around the edges of the letter, and when you cut, cut just slightly inside the lines.
You will adhere the wider front side first. Spray the front with spray adhesive and smooth the front side down. Next spray the sides and back of the letter. Wrap around the edges from the front, smooth them down and attach the second smaller side. You will have some areas not perfectly smoothed down, but that will be taken care of by the decoupage finish.
Dip your foam brush in the decoupage finish and brush generously on the front and sides, further smoothing the paper as you go.
Add another coat to the front and sides. Once dry, repeat the same steps for the back. Once the second coat on the back is dry, you’re ready to start painting!
The decoupaged art serves as a guide you can accent with paint. You will want to cover all of the background with paint. Once this dries, paint over selected areas of the details. I think you could certainly paint over all of the detail, but I wanted to preserve the finer lines in the flowers of my still life, so I only painted over the edges of the flowers, leaves and vase.
Here is what you end up with…A beautiful, one-of-a-kind accent piece for just £10. I can’t wait to show this off in my new craft room!
See more of my craft projects here!
Becky is the voice behind Life in Velvet, an organised, intentional living blog focused on practical food, calm homes, thoughtful projects, and everyday systems that make real life feel easier. A mum of 3 living in the UK, Becky writes from lived experience, sharing what works, what doesn’t, and the decisions that make family life run more smoothly.
With a background in marketing and content writing, and over a decade of blogging experience, she brings a thoughtful, structured approach to everything from baking and home projects to routines and decision-making. Life in Velvet is where planning meets creativity, with ideas designed for real homes and real life.