I always seem to find myself painting at this time of year. Once the holiday rush has died down and I’ve cleaned and organized my house and office, I look towards new crafts and artistic techniques to try. And since I actually have a little bit of time on my hands, I always find myself trying out painting. Last year I painted a few abstract pieces on canvas. But this year, I decided to try out painting on a zip pouch I picked up in the Target dollar spot and I made the cutest DIY abstract art pencil case! It was also the perfect way to try out my friend Jessi’s (@EttaVee) new book, Happy Abstracts. I used her technique for painting a sky abstract along with DecoArt stylin’ paint (its perfect for faux and real leather) to make the absolute cutest little bag to store my pens, pencils, and new heart magnets! It could also be used as a costmetic bag, but I have way too much makeup to fit in this little bag. Maybe I’ll try painting a larger pouch next time to use.

Isn’t it adorable?!

And Jessi’s book helped me get the perfect abstract swooping look.

Materials for a DIY Abstract Art Pencil Case:

• Happy Abstracts book
• Deco Art Stylin’ paint
• Paint brush
• Paper plate or paint pallette
• Wet paper towel

I began by finding the piece I liked best in Jessi’s book and then simply followed her instructions for painting the perfect sky scene. Since I was working on a smaller canvas and painting onto faux leather, the process was a bit different. But I found that using a wet paper towel helped blend the paint colors together on the bag better than a paint brush. So my technique was to layer the lighter pink colors on to the bag in the sweeping motion, and then I let the paint dry for a few minutes. Next, I came back and used the damp towel to gently blend the colors and loosen up the brush strokes.

Once I had the base of my sky, I added in the contrasting details like the book shows. Then once dry, my bag was ready to load up with all the goodies! I love the Deco Art Stylin’ paint because when it drys it is flexible, doesn’t peel or crack, and feels like it is a part of the faux leather. So it’s the perfect paint for painting accessories!

I also tried my hand at painting a gradient rainbow and used the same paper towel technique to blend the colors. It’s cute, but I think I prefer the abstract one.

Now you know how I spend my new year. Always crating and trying something new. How do you spend yours?