Painted canvas wall art

I picked up a canvas print from PierOne last season, attracted to the bold graphic hibiscus. The bright orange didn't fit my color scheme, but it occurred to me that I could take some craft paint and mix up a custom color to paint over the canvas.

Using the lines of the flower graphic, I just used a small paintbrush to guide the new paint over the existing. See progress in photo above. No prep needed!

Voila! New wall art in a custom blue shade.

Monogrammed Nursery Artwork

With two weeks until my due date, my son's nursery is now complete. I opted not to do a themed nursery, instead choosing three colors to repeat throughout the room. The color scheme is anchored with homemade artwork above the crib.

Here are the steps for this monogrammed art project:

Supplies

- 12"x12" art canvas

- acrylic paints

- paintbrushes

- ruler

- stencil letter (or find a font that you can freehand)

- level

- painter's tape (optional)

- trim from hardware store

- spray paint

- wood glue

- wood filler

- picture frame wire and eyehooks

- mounting strips

Canvas

• Using a ruler and pencil, divide your 12"x12" canvas into three horizontal sections for the stripes (each would be 4 inches deep).
• Trace the letter with a stencil or eyeball it using a font you like as a template.
• Stipple (paint small dots) the three stripes with the acrylic colors you've chosen, making sure to continue stripes around the sides of the canvas. Let dry.
• Paint the letter with a contrasting color with a thin paintbrush or paint marker.

Mat

• Measure a 24"x24" square on your wall.
• Using the same color as the letter on your canvas, paint the square. (You can use painter's tape as a guide for best accuracy, but the trim should cover up any imperfections later.)
• Consider adding a second coat, especially if your wall is textured.

Frame

• Select a 2-inch trim/moulding style from your local hardware store (usually sold in long pieces by the foot).
• Cut into four 2-ft pieces with corners at 45-degree angles. Some stores have cutting stations that you could use without having to own a saw at home.
• Assemble with wood glue and filler at the seams, making sure that the end result is square (90-degree corners with no warping).
• Spraypaint the frame (two coats recommended) and let dry.

Assembly

• Attach mounting strips to the back of the frame and hang on wall. Screws or nails on the top corners could be added for extra reinforcement.
• Screw in two eyehooks to the upper back corners of your canvas and thread picture wire through the loops.
• Hang in the center of the painted mat with a nail.
• Step back and admire the results!

Potato Stamped Towels

• 2 potatoes, cut in half and carved for stamps
• assorted fabric paint colors
• 4-pack white flour sack towels ($9.99 at World Market)

Crafting is simply more fun with a toddler involved. (Plus, it gives you an excuse if the results aren't magazine-page perfect!) For Mother's Day, my 2-year-old and I used potato stamps for creating gifts. She loved following my instructions to dip the potato in the paint and repeat the same pattern all along the hemline. We ended up with some whimsical, one-of-a-kind dish towels.

P.S. I apologize for the long hiatus in posting this spring! From moving into a new house to approaching my third trimester with Baby #2, I've been pretty busy (and tired). Hopefully, I'll be able to return to monthly posts from here on out. Happy Mother's Day to all! :)

Fall Apple Stamp Stationery

This week, my toddler brought home a large sheet of apple stamp artwork from her Mother's Day Out program. Instead of hanging it on my fridge, I decided to share the artwork with our friends and family by creating these stationery cards for autumn greetings.

Cutting out the stamped paper, I used a brown permanent marker to trace around the "apples" and drew in the apple seeds and stems. Red gingham ribbon wrapped around a brown stationery card finishes off the country look. On the back of the card, use rubber cement to attach some white paper to make room for a personal note.