Vintage Truck Photo Canvas DIY

Today I'm going to show you the really simple canvas photo art I made to hang over our family room couch.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided it was long past due time to paint our family room.  17 years with the original beige, and lots of scuffs and dings.  I filled holes, sanded and painted in one day.  It's a tan with a hint of gray.  Now I have large walls that need some decorations.  Of course I went to my pinterest boards for inspiration, and decided to try this.  DIY Photo Canvas

I pretty much followed her directions, but did 3 - 16" x 20" canvases to fill the wall.  Trying to be cheap as usual, I figured out it was way less money to get a banner print than three 16 x 20's. Walgreens has banners 2' x 4' for $25 with a 30% off code it was about $18.50.  I cropped the free photo I found online to the right proportions and uploaded it to Walgreens photo. Done in an hour.

I picked up 16 x 20 canvases from Hobby Lobby at $7.99 for 2, with the 40% off came to $2.40 each. Brought the hubs along to get 2 of them with the coupon. :)

Found a can of flat black paint and a cheap brush and painted the edges and a little of the front.

Took the banner and cut out the 3 prints so they would look right on the wall.  This took a little figuring, and I was afraid they wouldn't look right with the space between them, but it turned out great.  Just doing one canvas would be way easier. 

Covered the canvas with matte Mod Podge, and glued the photo on. Pressed it down really well around the edges, flipped it over and pressed on the canvas to make sure it adhered well.  I cut the pictures about a 1/4" smaller than the canvas so the edges would glue down well.  Let it dry for about 30 minutes.

This is the part that I was worried about. I couldn't imagine painting the surface of a photo with a water based product and not having it ruin the picture. But, everyone's doing it, so I did it!

I used a foam brush, others said that left fewer brush marks.  I wasn't too worried about it, I was looking for a vintage feel. It looks creamy, but dries clear and beautiful!

I only did one coat, too anxious to hang them on the wall before my hubby got home.  He loves old pick up trucks!

If I was doing anything that got any use, I would do a few coats, but hanging on the wall it won't ever get touched.  

I'm so happy with the results. It was cheap, quick and easy.  Less than $30 for all three.  

One wall done, three to go....

Thanks for stopping by!

Karilyn

Half Bath Redo

Long time, no see, talk or anything!

I haven't blogged in almost 2 months.  I am working on a couple things, but they were bigger projects, and didn't want to share them until they were done, or close to it. Here's the new half bath we finished just before Christmas. I am overjoyed with the end results!

The main floor half bath was in dire need of redecorating.  We built our house in 1996, and thus is has a lot of oak, and I still was hanging on to a bit of the country style. My hubby loves to fish, so the bath and family room were done in hunter green, burgundy, plaid, oak and lots of fishing accents.  I wish I had better before pics, but I started ripping paper off the wall before I remembered to take a picture.

The bath was still sporting some sweet fly fishing wallpaper with border, an oak vanity, toilet seat and waste basket.  I had taken the brass out or painted it, and replaced it with black, but that didn't help much.

These are not total before pictures, but after I took the wallpaper down. The mirror was plain just hung with brass clips, and the hunter green formica counter had a 4" glossy tile backsplash.  The sink, toilet and tile look white here, but they are bisque.  Loved it 17 years ago, but not so much now.

If I ever suggest wallpaper again, just shoot me.  I really love the look of it, and actually enjoy hanging it, but removing it is the worst!!  The paper usually comes off Ok, but washing the paste off the walls is miserable. Here's a little piece that was behind the light fixture.  Nice, huh?

I have the best neighbor, and he made new doors and drawer fronts for my vanity, to give it a more modern look.  Here is the list of what we actually did or replaced.  I stained the vanity with dark walnut gel stain, painted the walls gray, changed the toilet for a white one from the upstairs bath, replaced the sink, quartz countertop, glass backsplash, faucet, knobs/pulls, towel bar and tp holder, light fixture and a framed mirror.  

It's kind of hard to get any good pictures, as the room is pretty small.  Especially trying not to take a picture of my reflection in the mirror.  :)  It all came together better than I even had anticipated.  I knew I wanted the straight, modern door handles, but was so excited when I found the faucet with the same lines! Then of course I had to find a towel bar and paper holder to match.  Those and the light fixture were my biggest splurges.  It really pulled the room together. 

I am so happy with the results.  Every time I walk by I do a double take, like I'm in someone else's house.  The fishing wallpaper had just become a part of us. Even though it was awful, I became blind to it.  Once it came down, the ideas started coming.  

The counter is cut from one inch thick 2ft. by 2ft. piece of quartz tile. He even got the edges from the same piece. So glad I married a cheapskate like me!  The sink was a brand new craigslist find. Once we found that, I new everything had to be linear or square.  

The backsplash was cut from one 12" x 12" sheet of glass tile.  We brought 3 choices home, and the one my hubby liked was the right one.  I should listen to the tile setter more often!

I just have to keep adding pictures because it looks so good.  I bought a couple of gray towels and wash cloths to finish the look.  I'm thinking a couple of shelves over the toilet, and maybe some pictures or a clock? My kids tease me, I have a clock in every room.  Doesn't help me get anywhere on time, but I love clocks!

How about a sweet before and after.  Makes it even better!  I have a couple more baths that need some attention, but not as much as this one.  

In case anyone cares, here's where most of the stuff came from.

Light fixture, towel bars, door pulls, and backsplash are from Lowe's.

Faucet I found at Williams Distributing while I was looking for a toilet. 

Countertop tile is from the Tile Shop. They have a few 2' x 2' granite and quartz tile choices, and most of them have trim pieces for the edge. Of course I picked one that didn't have any, but in the end I think I like the square edge in this room better anyway.

Mirror came from Menard's.  I was planning on just framing the one we had, but somehow in it's trips on and off the counter during this process, it cracked.  Just buying a new one was more costly, but way easier.

Thanks for stopping by to visit.  Feel free to comment with any questions.