Color Blocking DIY 2 Ways: tired wallet to dayglow clutch

Alright, I couldn’t resist the color block trend any longer. Time for a new DIY!

Here’s the story: I’ve had this yellow wallet for years, and since I bought a new one recently, old yellow is not really getting any use. So I grabbed some of my trusty textile paint and got to work. Now I am using it as a colorful clutch for lunch dates with friends. Wanna make your own? Here’s the breakdown (two ways)…

Supplies:

1. old wallet (marks and scuffs are okay)
2. textile paint (I prefer Jacquard Textile Paint)
3. paint brush
4. an old rag or paper towels

How to Make it (part I): Distressed Paint Technique

1. Clean your wallet as best you can with a little soap and water (or leather cleaner). If you used yours as much as I used mine, you need to clean it girl!

2. You can do this two ways. I’m going to show you the color blocking one last because it’s pretty straight forward. So for those that are looking for something more unique and distressed instead of bold (and beautiful).

Grab your paint brush and start with one small(ish) section at a time.

3. As the paint is drying, take your rag or paper towel and start lightly wiping the paint away. You can experiment with this technique and just have fun with. At times, I even added a little water to my rag to remove large areas of paint and then went back into it once it was dry.

4. Continue to layer your paint and then wipe off in certain areas to get that distressed look.

Here’s the finished piece…

How to Make it (part II): Color Blocking

1. Again, clean your wallet as best you can with a little soap and water (or leather cleaner).

2. Now I am going to show the color blocked version. It’s pretty simple. First, choose your color combo. I picked red-orange and fuchsia textile paint and decided at the last minute to keep a pop of the original yellow as well.

3. Next, it’s time to grab your paint brush and paint away. Pay close attention to even strokes and don’t be afraid to layer up! I ended up painting at least three coats of the red since it’s a bright color and I wanted it to really pop. Here’s an in-process shot of the layers as I was building them up…

4. Choose an area for your accent color (optional). I don’t have a picture of this part, but it is pretty self explanatory. My wallet had a natural place to add my accent color, find yours if you want it to look like you bought it that way. If you want to share your artistic side, choose a less expected area for your accent color – maybe a fun shape or stripes.

Here’s the finished piece…

I like the color blocked version better than the distressed look from part I. What do you think? Which is your favorite?

Weigh in below in the comments section.