Truly Madly Deeply

Recently, I've been working on finishing up a gallery wall in our dining room. I had artwork already picked out, but once I hung it up, it just didn't excite me. The colors looked too washed out and light. I wanted to add a punch of color. Unfortunately, I didn't have any more money to spend on artwork.

I was browsing around the internet and saw a colorful, abstract piece on Minted.com that I was immediately drawn to. It was done by just making simple brush strokes in various colors. It was a lightbulb moment for me and I knew I could use that method to create my own painting. 

I really wanted my painting to say "Truly Madly Deepy". That song has been Jeremy and I's "song", if you will. For years, we will randomly put that song on and dance to it. It's so sweet!

Want to know what's even sweeter, though? Jeremy, who has never taken a single piano lessen in his life or learned to read music, worked for weeks to learn how to play that song on the piano for me. I had no clue he was even working on it! The piano is in his office above our detached garage, so he was going to work 30 minutes early and staying 30 minutes late every single day for an entire month to practice the song. He watched videos of people playing the song, downloaded the music, studied chords, and came up with his own piano version of the song. 

When it was perfected, he surprised me by bringing me over to the office and playing and singing it to me. I totally cried. It really blows me away. What gets me is how much time he invested in it for me, how much sleep he gave up on, how bad his wrists hurt from the carpal tunnel, and how he even had to endure me complain one day that he had to work such long hours at his new job. I can't get over it!

Jeremy often sees me at my worst and still chooses to lavish his love and thoughtfulness on me. It was such a sweet picture of how God sees my every flaw and still freely pours grace on me through His Son. It's nothing that I do. It's all grace. Needless to say, this painting has an extra special meaning to me. ;) 

Ready for the how to? I simply cut out a paper oval and laid it in the center of my paper, taping it down with washi/painters tape, to leave a white spot for my writing. Then, using various shades of blue and turquoise watercolors (I used these inexpensive ones from Target that I had on hand), I made brush strokes in a circular pattern around the paper. I just kept layering on more colors until I liked how it looked. Then, I added the lettering to the middle. I simply sketched the lettering out with a pencil, then when I was satisfied with my writing, I went over it with a blue marker. But, you could also create the lettering on the computer and have it printed on cardstock, then do the painting part. Whatever floats your boat! Easy, right?!

It's far from perfect (I stink at lettering!), but I like the way it turned out and how it looks in the gallery wall. I'll share the gallery wall with you next week!

Linking up with The Turquoise Home, The Thrifty Home, Tatertots and Jello, Shabby Nest, and Savvy Southern Style!