Today’s post is all about using what you already have to decorate your home.  You’d be amazed what you can create with just a little effort and getting creative.

Once my husband and I moved into our new home the design challenge began for me.  My first obstacle wasn’t buying new things for our home but figuring out where our existing home décor should go.  Our walls were newly re-surfaced, I had applied the fresh paint, and therefore my wall art, pictures, etc., sat on the floor for a good two months.  Gasp! Needless to say I got past my fear of putting tiny holes everywhere on our walls in case I didn’t like where I placed a certain picture.

I also formed a love/hate relationship with certain décor items.  I had two big canvases that would no longer match the color scheme in the new house.  Do I give them away? Do I donate them? Do I at least keep one?

I figured if I am going to just give them away that I could at least attempt to give them a face lift.  After using drywall compound as a material on one canvas, lots of fun paint, and patience, I had new wall art!  I can’t believe the difference of the before and after.   I couldn’t be more thrilled!

Want to give it a try?  Here are step-by-step directions to give your own canvas a face lift.

Gold Arrows

Supplies:

Canvas || Painters tape || Gold and white paint || White spray paint || Paint brush || Tarp or a material to place your canvas on

Step 1: Place your canvas on a tarp or cardboard outside.

Step 2: Using the white spray paint, paint a generous white coat over the entire canvas to create a blank space.  This will help prevent having to apply several paint coats.  Be careful not to spray too much in one spot at once.  This will cause drip marks.

Step 3:  Apply the white paint over the entire canvas.  Apply 2 coats so that the white color is even throughout.

Step 4: Using the painters tape, section off the areas you want gold.  I traced my arrows with a pencil first to make sure they were symmetrical.

Step 5: Paint your arrow design gold.  Depending on your gold paint, this may take more than two coats.

Step 6: Carefully and slowly pull off the painter’s tape before the paint dries.  This will prevent the paint from sticking to the painter’s tape as you pull it off.

Textured Wall Art

Supplies

Canvas || Navy, gold, and white paint || Paint brush || Drywall compound || Putty knife || Adhesive spreader

This canvas can be very messy and is best done outside or in an area where you don’t mind getting dirty!

Step 1: Place your canvas on a tarp outside.

Step 2: Using the putty knife, add the drywall compound generously all over the canvas. Apply more compound in areas that seem thin.

Step 3: Working quickly before the drywall compound dries, use the adhesive spreader to create your design using the rigid side.  In my case, I created lines going from top to bottom on my canvas.

Step 4:  Following the directions on your drywall compound container, allow the material to fully dry before moving to the next step.

Step 5: Paint your entire canvas white.  You may need two coats.

Step 6: Once the white has dried, roughly apply two strips of gold.  Paint them as far apart as you would like them.  This sets the width of your overall stripe.  Don’t worry about painting the entire area between the two stripes gold due to applying the navy blue on top of the gold.

Step 7: Apply the navy blue paint in the middle and allow it to run into the gold color some.

The best part about this project is that you can be messy and not perfect!  It actually adds a lot of character to this design.

If you don’t have a canvas you can use at home, search your local thrift stores or simply buy one at a local craft store.

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