The following guest craft was done by J. at Budgets Are Sexy. You can subscribe to this fantabulous blog here (I do!) or you can obsessively check out his blog here.

So I may have been on the road but I was still doing some blog reading on the vacation. When I saw J's painting, I immediately thought it would be fun for a Too Cute Tuesday project. J emailed me back right away, even with his favorite cocktail recipe.

What I like the most about this project is the fact J attempts and does something fun that most adults don't think of doing. (In his words, "Finishing your first painting since second grade: Priceless") As adults we (myself included here) are doing things to fix something or improve functionality or even just to turn around and sell it. Why not make something cause it's fun? And why not this money painting? Have fun why don't you!

(I kept J's words from here on out because his writing style is part of what makes it fun.)

Materials needed:
– 1 canvas (i think mine was 30" by 24")
– 3 acrylic paint colors
– 3 paint brushes
– 3 bowls
– 48 $1 bills (depending on canvas size)
– 2 things of elmer's glue (you can also use Modge Podge)

Favorite cocktail?  i suuuuuure do :)  Baileys on ice…mmmm….i can go for one right now!

Steps: 

1) Glue all of the $1 bills on!  This was the most time consuming – i think it took me an average of 20 mins per row, and there was something like 11 or 12 rows on this bad boy ;)  i'd divide it up a bit so you don't shoot yourself.  I went with a "brick-like" pattern, trying to align the edges in a way that they all don't match up exactly (so like the opposite of a grid-like pattern…if that makes sense). i zig-zagged plain ol' white glue on the back of the bills, and then aligned them nicely, one at a time, on the canvas.  once placed, i went over it a few times with my fingers to make sure the glue would spread out and not leave any bumps and all….most of the time the glue covered the entire back, and front, of the bills when i finished ;) 

2) Splatter all the colors of paint on it! Go outside, get something to hold up the canvas, and dip a medium-sized brush into the acrylic paint (straight up with no water added), and then "fling" the paint on it a la Jackson Pollock!

3)Then, while the paint splatters are still wet, grab a larger brush and dip it into the main color you want (in this case, it's blue).  Start painting whatever object you'd like! I did the dollar sign cuz it's one of my favorite symbols out there :)  the beauty of all this is that while it'll start out mainly blue, as you paint the object it'll hit all the other colors and swirl them into the blue!  Thus, leaving you with both texture AND a wonderful new colorful!

4)Then add any borders you'd like, using the same fashion – pour the color in a bowl, dip the brush in, and start painting – again picking up colors from the "splatters" as you move along.
 
And that's basically it!  If you're  perfectionist like me, you may have to go back and touch it up a bit (like adding your signature and all), but it's all a matter of your liking.  If you go down this route, you'll have to pour the main color in a bowl, and then drip a cple other colors in to give it that "swirly/mixture" concoction since the painting will be dried by then.

So even if you're not nervy enough to pick up a big canvas, making a painting is a fun way to personalize your space and get in touch with your inner creative self. Happy Crafting and thanks J!