Do It Yourself Art

by Andrea Elliston

Don’t know one end of a paintbrush from the other but need something to hang on the walls?

Don’t worry - even the most ‘artistically challenged’ of us can create our own works of art with just a little imagination and a few ideas.

If, like me, you like projects that are quick and easy - you’re going to like this.

It’s only a small shopping list:

* One box canvas for each piece of art you are going to make. They don’t need to be top quality as they won’t be seen.

* Some fabric, a little bigger than the canvases - either bought specially for this project or something from the ‘rag bag’.

* One of my favorite craft tools - a staple gun.

Make sure that the fabric is perfectly flat - iron or press it now if you need to. Cut a piece of fabric that is the size of the canvas with a few inches extra and lay it face down on a table or flat surface. Place the canvas in the center of the fabric, also face down.

Just pull the fabric up the sides of the box canvas and staple to the wood at the back. It doesn’t matter how neat it is at the back as long as it isn’t too lumpy as the finished item needs to hang flat against the wall. Pull the fabric as tight as you can and then trim any excess fabric at the back if necessary.

The most important thing is that the fabric is pulled tightly so there are no wrinkles or bagging visible on the front of your ‘work of art’.

Depending on the size of the canvas you may find it easier with someone to help you as it is not always easy to pull tightly and staple at the same time.

If you have made cushion covers and have some leftover fabric, this is a good way to use it to add a co-ordinated look to your room for little extra cost. It also works well with a fabric that has a picture - a flower for example - on a plain background as the finished piece will look quite like a painting.

Have you ever bought a bed-in-a-bag set and had unwanted pieces? They can now be turned into stylish bedroom wall decor. Rather than use something that is exactly the same as your bed cover, it looks great if you have fabric that is the reverse of the colors - e.g. pink flowers on a blue background and blue flowers on a pink background.

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