nap time craft time-DIY canvas art using numbers

I'm Still in the process of updating Cade's room into a BIG BOY room and made a ton of progress today painting over the existing strip in his room and rearranging his furniture. I decided that along with this ABC canvas we needed one more piece with numbers this time. We've all seen the pottery barn hot ticket item:

While I really love it its not the color I want for his room so I decided to make one myself using the same OJ color as his ABC canvas. I also decided to change it up and make it amongst 3 smaller canvases instead of one big one. It was super duper easy. To start off I used WORD to create my numbers in all diff sizes and fonts. The sizes ranged from 150-400 size font, so really large.  I Printed, and cut them out (don't worry the cutting doesn't have to be perfect bc you will be painting over it).  Once I got my numbers cut out I arranged them on my 3 small canvases some of the numbers even off the edge of one canvas and onto the other.  I then traced the numbers onto the canvas, painting in a variety of colors to match the ABC canvas.  Once it was dry I used some sand paper to "rough it up" and you're done!

(sorry my pics are blurry) 

This project was FREE bc I reused the canvas which used to hold Cade's initials for his room. What a great educational piece, yet super trendy and cute.

I'm Still in the process of updating Cade's room into a BIG BOY room and made a ton of progress today painting over the existing strip in his room and rearranging his furniture. I decided that along with this ABC canvas we needed one more piece with numbers this time. We've all seen the pottery barn hot ticket item:

While I really love it its not the color I want for his room so I decided to make one myself using the same OJ color as his ABC canvas. I also decided to change it up and make it amongst 3 smaller canvases instead of one big one. It was super duper easy. To start off I used WORD to create my numbers in all diff sizes and fonts. The sizes ranged from 150-400 size font, so really large.  I Printed, and cut them out (don't worry the cutting doesn't have to be perfect bc you will be painting over it).  Once I got my numbers cut out I arranged them on my 3 small canvases some of the numbers even off the edge of one canvas and onto the other.  I then traced the numbers onto the canvas, painting in a variety of colors to match the ABC canvas.  Once it was dry I used some sand paper to "rough it up" and you're done!

(sorry my pics are blurry) 

This project was FREE bc I reused the canvas which used to hold Cade's initials for his room. What a great educational piece, yet super trendy and cute.

DIY canvas art for under $20!

Who would think you could make such a great decorative art piece using 3 canvases for under $20?

Last weekend Michael's had their canvases on 50% off plus I had a 20% off your entire purchase coupon. Most the acrylic paints were also on clearance .49 each so that was a steal as well.

So I decided it was time to re vamp the art near our front entry way table. I’m over the pre-framed Van Gogh print. BEFORE:

not bad, but not really my style anymore.

So when I saw this I decided I had to give it a go.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/little-greene-paint-company/4177017724/sizes/m/in/photostream/


I got a my 5 paint colors and 3 canvases for just $16. This is the finished product, I really like it. It adds some much needed color and looks more original than what was previously there.

Part of me wonders if I could have gone a tad bit larger with the biggest piece but what is done is done. So easy to do too, using painting tape, and your choice of colors, viola! don't you love the green ball under the table too? IDK if its Cade's or Mias ball!

Who would think you could make such a great decorative art piece using 3 canvases for under $20?

Last weekend Michael's had their canvases on 50% off plus I had a 20% off your entire purchase coupon. Most the acrylic paints were also on clearance .49 each so that was a steal as well.

So I decided it was time to re vamp the art near our front entry way table. I’m over the pre-framed Van Gogh print. BEFORE:

not bad, but not really my style anymore.

So when I saw this I decided I had to give it a go.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/little-greene-paint-company/4177017724/sizes/m/in/photostream/


I got a my 5 paint colors and 3 canvases for just $16. This is the finished product, I really like it. It adds some much needed color and looks more original than what was previously there.

Part of me wonders if I could have gone a tad bit larger with the biggest piece but what is done is done. So easy to do too, using painting tape, and your choice of colors, viola! don't you love the green ball under the table too? IDK if its Cade's or Mias ball!

DIY ABC canvas art for kids rooms for around $20:

I’ve been in the process of updating Cade’s room (I will post pics of the finished project once it’s completed). Now that he is 2 I decided it was time to part with the pastel greens, and blues and time to make the room a “big boy room.” After all when he was born we didn’t know his sex so we had to decorate his room pretty gender neutral!

So last night we made an ABC canvas art piece using chip board letters. I had never heard of these until I saw them at Hobby Lobby.

So I purchased 3 different sizes they sell in packages of A-Z for about 4.99-2.99 each package. I also bought 1 oversized A and one Z to begin and end my piece with a bang.

Next I choose a bright complimentary color to paint my entire canvas, I chose the color OJ.

The placement of the diff size letters was crucial so it flowed nicely. My hubby helped me with the layout as he has a great eye for that type of thing. I was excited to have him actively participating in this craft for Cade. As we were doing this project together I thought it was funny that Evan said “this is an educational piece” here all I thought was it was super cute, so double bonus that it’s educational too! We think very differently can you tell?

Once we decided on the layout it took me an entire episode of “Jersey Shore” to paint each chip varying colors. I went between dark blue, gray, black, red. I allowed them to dry over night and used a tacky glue to attach them to the canvas.

This is the finished project all for about $20 (not including paint colors and canvas bc I already had those on hand).

I’ve been in the process of updating Cade’s room (I will post pics of the finished project once it’s completed). Now that he is 2 I decided it was time to part with the pastel greens, and blues and time to make the room a “big boy room.” After all when he was born we didn’t know his sex so we had to decorate his room pretty gender neutral!

So last night we made an ABC canvas art piece using chip board letters. I had never heard of these until I saw them at Hobby Lobby.

So I purchased 3 different sizes they sell in packages of A-Z for about 4.99-2.99 each package. I also bought 1 oversized A and one Z to begin and end my piece with a bang.

Next I choose a bright complimentary color to paint my entire canvas, I chose the color OJ.

The placement of the diff size letters was crucial so it flowed nicely. My hubby helped me with the layout as he has a great eye for that type of thing. I was excited to have him actively participating in this craft for Cade. As we were doing this project together I thought it was funny that Evan said “this is an educational piece” here all I thought was it was super cute, so double bonus that it’s educational too! We think very differently can you tell?

Once we decided on the layout it took me an entire episode of “Jersey Shore” to paint each chip varying colors. I went between dark blue, gray, black, red. I allowed them to dry over night and used a tacky glue to attach them to the canvas.

This is the finished project all for about $20 (not including paint colors and canvas bc I already had those on hand).

DIY artwork time

So I was thinking tonight as I was searching blogs and blogs for DIY artwork ideas and I thought to myself, why haven't I ever posted How-to's on my own DIY projects?? Well for one I am too lazy to take extravagant pictures of each and every step bc usually I am too excited to just get it started and done before my son wakes up from his nap. I can now appreciate the blogs I have seen called "nap time is my craft time" and "nap time is my favorite time" I get it now! So anyhow, a lot of my decor in my home is DIY so I will try to rethink the steps of my past projects and make a point to try to post one project per week.
Here goes:
So I stole this idea from a friend who also stole this idea from a local home decor store. The artist was selling an item very similar to this one for over $800.
It cost me:
$20 canvas which was 50% off at Michaels, I love their sales!
$2.50 old dictionaries from Good Will on clearance that day also
$5 for acrylic paint
TOTAL: $27.50 woohoo!!
I already had on hand foam paint brushes and glue.

To get started I started with a large canvas bc I wanted the size to be substantial for our LR.  You can use whatever size you find fitting. I made two others for my mom and sister in diff sizes also.

I began by painting my entire canvas including the edges with a orange color called terra cotta.  I ended up needing two of these from Michaels to ensure I got good coverage on my entire canvas.


Next I made a paisley template using a thick cardboard.

After that I sat for awhile and picked out words in the dictionary that meant something to us. For instance, I used LOVE, FAMILY, GOLDEN RETRIEVER, MOM, DAD you get the point.  I placed my paisley template on top of the dictionary pages and traced the paisley and then cut out the shapes, I ended up using about 28 paisleys for my large canvas, but you do what you like, more or less.
The cool thing about buying an old recycled dictionary from the Good Will is that it was super old and the pages were thin like a bible. And the insert pages were this red wine colored ribbon textured paper. I ended up using those also by cutting out paisleys using the ribbon pages in the dictionary to add a POP of color.  I really like that added touch. If your dictionary doesn't have that option you could always use cool scrap book paper in a pattern or design that you fancy.

So anyhoo, I then layed out my paisleys on my dried canvas in the design that I liked. I used a non yellowing glue to adhere the paisleys to the canvas in the design that I had layed out.  Have fun with it lay then upside down and sideways. I ended up doing a sort of fan design up my canvas that thins out toward th top. But you can do whatever you like to make it your own.  Viola!
I suppose if you wanted you could add a layer of Mod Podge to the top to protect it, what is Modge Podge you ask? Well its my new favorite decopage.

Here are some more images of the DIY canvas art upclose and in my LR.

I think you will find my next project will involve my new found love of Mod Podge!! I got mine at Joann's, FYI Michaels did not have it!

So I was thinking tonight as I was searching blogs and blogs for DIY artwork ideas and I thought to myself, why haven't I ever posted How-to's on my own DIY projects?? Well for one I am too lazy to take extravagant pictures of each and every step bc usually I am too excited to just get it started and done before my son wakes up from his nap. I can now appreciate the blogs I have seen called "nap time is my craft time" and "nap time is my favorite time" I get it now! So anyhow, a lot of my decor in my home is DIY so I will try to rethink the steps of my past projects and make a point to try to post one project per week.
Here goes:
So I stole this idea from a friend who also stole this idea from a local home decor store. The artist was selling an item very similar to this one for over $800.
It cost me:
$20 canvas which was 50% off at Michaels, I love their sales!
$2.50 old dictionaries from Good Will on clearance that day also
$5 for acrylic paint
TOTAL: $27.50 woohoo!!
I already had on hand foam paint brushes and glue.

To get started I started with a large canvas bc I wanted the size to be substantial for our LR.  You can use whatever size you find fitting. I made two others for my mom and sister in diff sizes also.

I began by painting my entire canvas including the edges with a orange color called terra cotta.  I ended up needing two of these from Michaels to ensure I got good coverage on my entire canvas.


Next I made a paisley template using a thick cardboard.

After that I sat for awhile and picked out words in the dictionary that meant something to us. For instance, I used LOVE, FAMILY, GOLDEN RETRIEVER, MOM, DAD you get the point.  I placed my paisley template on top of the dictionary pages and traced the paisley and then cut out the shapes, I ended up using about 28 paisleys for my large canvas, but you do what you like, more or less.
The cool thing about buying an old recycled dictionary from the Good Will is that it was super old and the pages were thin like a bible. And the insert pages were this red wine colored ribbon textured paper. I ended up using those also by cutting out paisleys using the ribbon pages in the dictionary to add a POP of color.  I really like that added touch. If your dictionary doesn't have that option you could always use cool scrap book paper in a pattern or design that you fancy.

So anyhoo, I then layed out my paisleys on my dried canvas in the design that I liked. I used a non yellowing glue to adhere the paisleys to the canvas in the design that I had layed out.  Have fun with it lay then upside down and sideways. I ended up doing a sort of fan design up my canvas that thins out toward th top. But you can do whatever you like to make it your own.  Viola!
I suppose if you wanted you could add a layer of Mod Podge to the top to protect it, what is Modge Podge you ask? Well its my new favorite decopage.

Here are some more images of the DIY canvas art upclose and in my LR.

I think you will find my next project will involve my new found love of Mod Podge!! I got mine at Joann's, FYI Michaels did not have it!