Happy Birthday, My Dear Friend

Today is my BESTEST friend's birthday! She is such an amazing and strong individual, and I love her so much! A few years ago, while Mel was traveling around the world, I painted a picture for her. I didn't know where to send it, so it eventually ended up framed at my mom's house.

This year, I tried to improve on this concept! I kept the blue butterfly surrounded by purple idea and even included a poem that I had written under the butterfly. I didn't get many picures, because I was entertaining my two toddlers, but here is one after I completed the border.


So, how do you paint while watching the kiddos? You try to get them involved too and HOPE they enjoy it enough to stay entertained until you're done (which didn't happen, but they did have fun)!

To create the center of the painting, I painted a background color, taped off where the butterfly would go, added plaster, wrote in my poem, and then added several more layers of paint. Afterward, I peeled of the tape of the butterfly and painted that. I polyed the butterfly but nothing else.

And here it is completed! It's full of little hints of our friendship, which I know she will appreciate! I'm not sure if it's as good as the original, but I really like it!

Happy Birthday, Mel and thank you for always being such an amazing friend!