Painted Checkerboard Tote

This wearable craft is great for going out places. Carry your tote bag around with style. Get a plain bag and decorate it with paints and designs.

Materials:

• DecoArt Products Required
• Dazzling Metallics
  • DAO71 - Glorious Gold
• Americana Acrylics
  • DAO1 - Snow (Titanium) White
  • DAO3 - Buttermilk
  • DAO67 - Lamp (Ebony) Black
• Americana Multi-Purpose Sealer
  • DS17 - Multi-Purpose Sealer
• Brown canvas tote (14" x 13.5" x 3"), Blumenthal Craft # 2020496
• Foam plate
• Masking tape
• Ruler
• Pencil
• 3/4" flat brush
• #8 shader brush
• #3 round brush
• 24 1" x 1/8" wood circles, Darice Craftwood #9147-25
• Sharpie fine point black permanent marker

Steps:

1. Use ruler and masking tape to block off 12" square on front of tote.
    
2. Use shader brush and Lamp Black to paint half of wooden circle "checkers". Paint remaining half of "checkers" Glorious Gold. Let all dry.
    
3. Using large flat brush, apply Glorious Gold inside border of square area about 1 1/2" wide. (Brush away from tape towards center of tote to avoid paint seepage under tape.) Let dry.
    
4. Remove tape and replace with tape border 1" from edge, exposing only 10" square to be painted.
    
5. Use large flat brush and Snow White to paint 10" square; let dry after each coat. Remove tape.
    
6. Use pencil and ruler to mark gridlines over square, placing lines 1 1/4" apart. (This will create checkerboard with 64 squares.)
    
7. Use shader brush and Buttermilk to paint alternate squares of grid; let dry.
    
8. Being careful not to extend over edges of each square, use round brush and Glorious Gold to make irregular spots on Buttermilk squares; let dry. (Refer to photo for spacing.)
    
9. Use round brush and Lamp Black to paint three uneven splotches around and over edge of each spot; let dry.
    
10. Use round brush and Lamp Black to paint zebra stripe pattern over Snow White squares; let dry.
     
11. Use permanent marker to trace over grid lines.
     
12. Apply Multi-Purpose Sealer over painted area of tote and all wooden checkers; let dry.

Helpful Tip:
As a precaution, place piece of waxed paper inside of tote to prevent paint from soaking through to back side.