Mason's Annual Handprint Canvas~Year 6!

Yes, we're still making a handprint canvas every year on the kids' birthdays..and yes, I'm Sooooo thankful we started this tradition when Mason turned one! We already have a nice little collage wall of handprints in his room (6 to be exact) and I just hope he lets me keep doing it until he's 18! :) Ok...I may have to stop before then, but a Mama can dream, right?

This year, I let Mason choose what colors he wanted the canvas & his handprint to be. He chose royal blue & orange. Bright--but it turned out nice, I think!

Hung in a random order...may have to rotate them before next year's handprint.

Here's the big 6 year old!

Here's a link to the past 5 years of handprint art!

Kids' Canvas Name Art

This is a fun art project that your child gets to help make! My son and I made this last Fall but I'm just now getting around to sharing it.

My son always wants to paint while I'm painting and I thought this would be a cute sign for him to make for his bedroom.

Step 1:

Paint canvas a solid color. This is the color your child's name will be. It also helps in case he/she doesn't get the canvas completely covered with paint and so white won't show through.

Step 2:

After the paint has dried, spell your child's name out in removable stickers.

You can use:

A. Painters tape (good if your child's name is short and doesn't have many curvy letters) or

B. Large letter stickers or

C. Cut out adhesive vinyl letters from a Cricut or other cutting system. (This is what I did.)

Step 3: Let your child go wild painting on the canvas--assuring that the letters get covered really well.

Step 4: Let it dry, then peel the letter stickers off to reveal your child's name!

I used a staple gun to attach a ribbon to the back of the canvas...

Then I attached 2 removable Command hooks to his bedroom door and hooked the painting on.

Here are my kids' bedroom doors! I made the ribbon wreath for my daughter's door and I have since added a large painted wooden letter in the center. I love having their names/initials on their bedroom doors!

If you'd like to see another kids canvas art idea, check out our Annual Handprint Art. 

Celebrate Blacklisted & Make a Photo Canvas!

I'm honored to be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the launch of Lela Davidson's charming book, Blacklisted from the PTA! Lela is not only a witty author, but also a friend of mine and fellow blogger. Her book is such a fun read about motherhood and marriage in suburbia. I'll admit I laughed out loud in the car-rider line many times while enjoying this book!

So what's in it for you? First let's learn a little DIY trick, then you can see how to win a FREE copy of Lela's book...

Instead of framing your favorite family photo, have you ever considered mounting it on canvas to display in your home? It's very inexpensive and even the crafting disabled could pull this one off.
There are a few different ways to mount a photo, but this is the way I did it...quick & easy!

First, decide what size you want your photo canvas to be. If you have no idea, think about where you want to display it and go from there. Print your photo...or have it professionally printed.

Supplies needed:

(All are available at hobby supply stores like Hobby Lobby)

Wrapped Canvas

Photo

Paint (Inexpensive acrylic paint will do the trick.)

Paint brush or foam brush

Foam roller brush (optional-but it helps!)

Mod Podge (For those newbies out there, that's the brand name of decoupage glue)

Step 1: Paint the top edges and sides of your canvas. It's doesn't need to be straight or perfect because the photo will cover most of it.

Step 2: While the paint is drying on your canvas, trim your photo down so that it's just slightly smaller than your canvas. This will prevent overhang.

Step 3: Use your foam roller brush (or paintbrush or regular foam brush) to roll on a even layer of Mod Podge onto the canvas, making sure to cover the whole surface area and the corners and edges. You don't want it to be too thin or your photo might not stick well--but you don't want it to be so thick that it buckles your photo. Just use your best judgement.

Step 4: Lay your photo on the canvas. If you don't get it lined up perfectly the first time, don't worry-just peel it up and center it. Make sure you don't have any Mod Podge on your hands, then smooth out the photo, eliminating any small air pockets.

There you have it! Just let it dry overnight then hang it up for all to see your clever craftiness. (And your cute family.)
Note: I used a coupon from Snapfish.com & got this 16x20 print for almost nothing. Keep your eye out for deals like that. I had it printed Sepia to match the browns in my living room. I'm enjoying looking at those cute faces every day!

Now that you know how to make your own photo canvas, it's time to join in on the celebration!
It's a giveaway!

Leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to WIN a personalized, autographed paperback of

Blacklisted from the PTA!

It's also available on Kindle, if you prefer.

I'll pick one lucky winner via randomizer. Contest ends on Sunday, July 22nd at midnight CST.

I'd appreciate it if you'd "follow" this blog...the button is in the upper right hand column. :)

You can also check out Lela's website and blog, After the Bubbly. For every day this month, she is featuring a different blogger to help her celebrate! Go check it out & good luck!

Madelyn's Annual Handprint~Year 1!

My son has a nice collection of 5 of these now (see previous post) and it's now my daughter's turn to start her handprint tradition, since she just turned One!

I went with light pink on pearlescent hot pink paint. I use a metallic silver marker to write her name, age, and the date (which is on the side.)


She moved (who knew) so her face is a little blurry

Checkin it out

I hung it over her dresser-I'll have to move it in the future when she gets more.

Mason's Annual Handprint~Year 5

You know the drill by now...Each year on his birthday, I paint Mason's hand and put it on a little painted canvas. I'm so thrilled we started this tradition because it's fun art for his room that is also a great keepsake that shows how much he's grown over the years! This year I chose charcoal grey & yellow paint.




Here are all the other year's posts, if you care to check those out:

2010

2009

2007 and 2008

The canvases will get bigger & bigger! *sniff*
Next post: Madelyn's FIRST handprint canvas!!!

Go Hogs! Painting

Ok, I'm posting this here (on this poor neglected blog) instead of my ETSY SHOP or Fiddlesticks blog because I'm totally undecided whether or not I actually Want to sell it!! :) I mean, it could have a nice home in our Razorback office pretty easily...

My latest painting~acrylic on canvas with ribbon embellishment

With a frame I made a while back~also not for sale (Yet)