Add a touch of color to any room by creating your own, bloom where you are planted watercolor painting!

I saw the saying bloom where you are planted in a local antique shop and fell in love with it. I feel like it is something that can both resonate with children and adults alike. I felt that being a military family that has been uprooted and replanted more than once, we really embrace the concept of blooming where we are planted, even if it’s just for a little while. 

I loved the massive sign that had, bloom where you are planted, painted across it in script, but didn’t love how expensive it was. So instead I got out a piece of scrap paper, a pencil, some colored markers, a blank 8×10 canvas, my watercolor paints, and let my creativity flow.

Creating your very own bloom where you are planted painting is really quite easy, you can either use the stencil I will provide or create your own, this is a project that is definitely do-able at any artistic skill level. I consider myself creative, but not an artist, and despite being unsure about my final product at first I have really grown to love it. 

If You’re Going to Create Your Own Flower Drawling

I recommend starting with drawling out the pattern you want with a pencil onto a regular piece of computer paper (just make sure to line it up with the canvas, because your computer paper might be a little longer than your canvas). Once you’re happy with your sketch, trace over the different flowers with different color thin makers, to get a better idea of what your finished product will look like. 

Then you can use your drawling as a stencil, and move onto Stenciling & Painting 

If You’re Going to Copy My Stencil 

You can get the pdf, here. All you have to do is download and print. 

Stenciling & Painting  

Next, you want to take the flower drawling you are going to use and turn it over. Use your pencil to color in the back of the paper anywhere there is lines, just like coloring a big open area. That way you can flip the picture back around, line it up on the canvas, and trace over all of your lines. While tracing over the lines on your stencil, make sure to push hard enough for the stencil to copy onto the canvas, but not too hard to leave dark lines or marks in the canvas. I used a pen to trace my flowers just to make it easy to see where I had already traced. 

After you’re finished tracing, you can start painting. I started with the thinnest brush I had, and traced each line in the color I wanted to use. I started with creating my own colors by mixing the watercolor paints off to the side on the pallet my watercolors came with (I also used the pen it came with later on). Later, I found my set on Amazon for cheaper than I paid, here. 

After letting it dry a little I went back in with a bigger brush and began blending extra color into the flowers. If you notice your stark lines start disappearing, that’s okay. You can go back in and add more lines at the end. 

After I was finished blending and adding the color I wanted to, I allowed my painting to dry for about an hour. I waited until it was completely dry to the touch. Then used the water pen that came with my paint to go back in and add all sorts of extra detail and shading. 

Once I was happy with the floral aspect, I allowed it to dry until I could run my fingers over it and nothing would smear. Then I was ready to move onto adding the words. 

Adding the Words

Since I don’t trust my own handwriting, I typed up the words and printed them. Repeating the coloring of the back with pencil to turn my printed words into stencils. Then I cut out the words so I could line it all up at once and see what it looked like before I committed to it. 

Then I traced the letters, and painted over my pencil markings using the black watercolor paint. It did take a few coats to get the words a nice dark black. 

The Finial Product 

So now when I look up at our mantel, I am reminded, to bloom where we are. We may not call this place home for too long, why not make the very best out of every day! 

If you’re looking for other floral inspiration you need to check out these awesome posts from some of my favorite bloggers

Goodie Godmother’s, Cherry Blossom Cake Tutorial

Cook. Craft. Love’s, Royal Icing Flowers

No Bohns About It’s, Easy DIY Floral Wreath You Can Make With Kids