Our Poetry Project

So as everyone knows, April is National Poetry Month.  You probably also know that poetry is not exactly a strong suit over here at A Reader's Respite.  Still, we try.  This year, we got all Martha Stewart-ish and did a poetry project.  Here's how it all went down.....

So we started with a plain ol' hardback canvas.  You can pick 'em up just about anywhere in various sizes.  This one was just laying around the house and it happened to be an 8x11 incher.

Then we painted that canvas black.  Took a couple of coats and a stern reminder from Mr. Reader's Respite not to get paint on the kitchen table.  (As if he has ever cleaned anything around here...but whatev.)

Okay, so we then wandered through the house looking for a piece of artwork that was a) not an original and b) not valuable and c) something we had hanging up forever and didn't really like anyway.  It wasn't hard to find.  We removed the backing, took out the print and tossed all that in the garbage leaving only the frame and glass behind.  The size of the sacrificed artwork wasn't too important as long as it was the same size as our canvas or larger.  We chose one that was quite a bit larger - on purpose, but you'll see that below.

Now we get to the poetry part.  You need a poem.  We just happened to choose our copy of Edgar Allen Poe's "Annabel Lee" which was printed on vellum-y parchment paper.  We picked that one up some years back while visiting the Poe museum in Baltimore.  (Truthfully, you can't walk two steps in Baltimore without running into some Poe memorabilia for sale...it's their claim to fame.)

Now here comes the icky part.  We had to use Mod Podge to shellac that poem to the center of our painted canvas.  If you've never used this sh*t before, we're warning you right now: it is evil and from hell. We are still peeling glue from our hands.  And arms.  And neck (what the hell?).  Be patient.  Get the bubbles out from under your poem.  Put a couple of coats on.  Then throw that damned bottle in the freaking garbage.

b

 When it's all good and dry (overnight, people, overnight), you need to find something with which to stick your canvas to the wall.  We used a tile-setting mat that we picked up from Home Depot some weeks back when the saleslady assured us that this stuff would permanently stick tile up to 8 lbs to a wall.  She lied, as you can see here, but that's not pertinent to the Poetry Project.....

(broken hand-painted tile that fell off wall...those lying bastards)

But even if the tile sticking crap didn't actually work for tile, it does do the job nicely for a lightweight canvas.  So stick it to your wall.

Now simply center your glassed frame around it and voila, you can rest easy knowing you've done your bit for National Poetry Month.

 There.  Now don't say A Reader's Respite has never taught you anything.  Happy Poetry Month!