DIY Photo Canvas

This past Friday night I had the joy of a quiet night alone (hubby had a guys night & kids asleep) so I decided to have a Crafty Mama Night, got a Mike's Strawberry Lemonade, put on some Gretchen Wilson, and conquered a pile of crafting supplies. My outcome...

I must say I am so completely happy with how it turned out! We redid our living room about a year ago but our walls for the most part were still bare. I love how this canvas wall adds some color to our walls and but more importantly shows what this room is about... our family. It's where we play games, watch movies, build blanket tents, and just be together as a family.

So getting to what you all want to know. How did you do it? Well for starters my inspiration comes from Pinterest (of course). Pinterest showed so many different ways on how to make your own canvases but fell in love with this one over at Girl. Inspired. She also has a tutorial if you want to check out hers. But here is mine:

These are a quick, fun, and easy way to decorate your house. I now want to make more for presents. The best part though...the cost! Here is my total:

1 hr Photos Printed ( One-11x14"  Six-8x10"  Four 5x7") =$32.00 

Canvases= $30.00 (Michaels at 40% off and had a 20% off entire purchase coupon)

Mod Podge = $4.50

Brushes = FREE (already had)

Scrapbook Paper = $3.00 (Michaels)

Brown Paint = FREE (already had)

Grand Total= $69.50 

Which is around the cost of One 11x14" professional canvas and I made 11!!! 

Supplies Needed:

Printer Paper

Tape

Mod Podge (Matte)

Blank Canvases (try to get ones with flat sides without folds, makes life easier when modge podging)

Scrapbook Paper

Paint in your choice of color

Foam brushes

Photos

Rotary Cutter or whatever you prefer for cutting straight

Straight Edge Ruler

Steps:

1. Take your printer paper and cut to the size of the canvases you will be creating. Tape them on the wall to get the idea of the layout you want. This was my layout...

2. Get all your supplies and and start to cut strips of your scrapbook paper into the width and length of the sides of your canvas (Note: Cutting the paper just a bit thinner than the width and shorter than the length I found worked better)

3. Once you have your strips cut for your first canvas, brush the Mod Podge along the sides and glue on your strips. Once your strips are glued on apply Mod Podge to the front of your canvas and glue your photo on. 

4. Allow to dry completely (approx 30 mins). Once canvas is dry, apply a coat of Mod Podge over the entire picture and sides. (Do not worry Mod Podge dries clear)

5. Once your canvas has completely dried take your paint color of choice and "antique" sides and corners with your foam brush. This step helps to hide the seam between the photo and the scrapbook paper while adding character to the photo. 

Made a little mistake with the paint? No problem! Since the Mod Podge has dried completely, if you make a little mistake a damp cloth easily takes the paint right off

  

And remember that DIY projects are not to reach for perfection, but instead to try something new and have a little fun!

Happy Monday!

<3 Kris

Fabric Nerds

Go Big or Go Home

I have been working on my quilt for my bedroom makeover surprise I hope to complete this weekend while my husband is away visiting family. As I type that I hope he doesn't read this blog but I think I am safe because I would place my life savings that he doesn't even know what a blog is or reads anything I post on Facebook :).  I have completed a full row of 9 blocks only 81 more blocks to go..I can do this! I went off the pattern a little because I thought with all the different patterns in the fabric, the blocks would look cool pieced right together instead of having sashing in between them. Here is a quick sneak peek of what it looks like so far;

I have to give myself a pat on the back. I am quite pleased with how it is coming out for my first time attempting a BIG quilt. 

I have also been contemplating on what else to do in this bedroom makeover and think I have picked out the colors I want to do. With the quilt being so colorful and bold I want the wall colors subdued, so I think I am going to do khaki color walls with a accent wall behind our bed in chocolate brown. I also did some poking around in our garage attic and I found an old wooden shutter that I think I am going to paint a deep purple,  dark red, aqua , (ugh not quite sure yet) and upholster part of it with some extra fabric I have. 

I was also thinking of putting some canvases of us throughout the years above our bed. Having canvases made is not in my budget though so I found some awesome tutorials on Pinterest on how to make my own. Of course I can't do something simple :) so I have started playing around in my photo program with a vintage photo effect to them. here is a sneak peak, what do you think?

Well that is it for now. Let me know what you all think of my ideas or any suggestions on this makeover. Right now I better get back to some sewing while my youngest is actually napping, which is a rarity nowadays.

<3 Kristyn
Fabric Nerds