Pinterest Projects: Canvas Quotes

My Pinterest boards are out of control. 

Mainly, my "things I want to make board" is out of control. 

It's my digitized version of hoarding.

I could pin stuff all day long, every single day that I want to make, but unless I actually make any of it, I'm just wasting my time.

So I decided that once a month {minimum, but hopefully more} I will pick something off that board and do it.

Then if it turns out ok, I will give you all instructions on how to do it, or just post pretty pictures of the shit I make so you all feel inferior to my crafty skills.

Just kidding.

mostly.

I digress.

The first project I picked was actually picked by Lainie:

Quotes/song lyrics on canvas. 

The idea is simple: to have pretty letters that seemingly appear to be cut out of beautiful backgrounds on solid painted canvas.

And the instructions are easy. 

You can find the step by step from the original author here.

I liked her idea, and definitely wanted to try it, but I knew ahead of time I would change it quite a bit. 

For instance, I wanted mine to be smoother and less textured than the ones above.

I was going for something clean and classic that would go well with the comfortable but classy decorating scheme I've been dreaming up for the house these days.

Behold, the product of me and Lainie's entire Saturday:

Supplies. We got a two pack of canvas so we could each make one, and 3 packs of vinyl stickers because they were on clearance at Michael's and we wanted to be sure we had enough. 

The spray paint was .97 cents at Walmart, the scrapbook paper was 5 dollars for the whole pack of it, and each package of stickers was 1.29. Oh, and the Modge Podge was like 4 bucks. 

I used a page of scrap book paper that looked like an old map of Chicago's train routes, because the quote I was putting on mine was travel related, and I am giving it to my dad and he has a soft spot for Chicago. 

Perfect!

I traced the canvas on the back of the paper, and cut just inside my trace lines so I was sure the paper wouldn't hang over the edges of the canvas anywhere. Your edges don't have to be perfect because they'll be glued down and painted over anyway, so no one will know.

Cover just the outer edge on the under side of the paper with Modge Podge, as sometimes regular paper will wrinkle from the heavy weight of the Modge Podge.

Stick on your letters. 

Mine were a little wonky and crooked, but it was my first time, and I was kind of OK with a more messy, spontaneous look. It fits the travel and live your life theme I was going for.

Spray paint. Outside on the ground, of course. Not on your hardwood floor.

And you're done. 

You may need the paint the sides of the canvas by hand with craft paint if it's windy outside because the spray paint might decide to blow anywhere but the edges of the canvas like you want it to. Not that this happened to me or anything....

Like I said, this one is a present for my dad. Since his diagnoses his mantra of sorts has been that if he survives this {which he will} he's going to eat better, live better, and finally see the world.

So hopefully this reminds him to do just that when he gets home.

Happy Pinteresting!