DIY Initial Canvas Art

This post may contain affiliate links (full disclosure policy). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Looking for a cute DIY idea to decorate that blank space of wall above your bed or your baby’s crib? You can make this canvas initial art yourself for super cheap, and it turns out pretty cute!

The apartment The Mr. and I are currently living in is a red brick building built in 1930, surrounded by maple trees that are just starting to turn green again, elegant Victorian-style homes-turned-dorms, and all of the dark-leather, old-money feel this area of Boston has to offer. Sounds classy, yes?

It’s not. Trust me: It’s really not.

Find MORE TIME TO DO WHAT YOU ENJOY

Feel like your to-do list is looming over you? Our Productive Mom Checklist gives you 10 simple ways to boost productivity so you can have more free time to spend doing things you actually enjoy! 

It’s just another red brick building, with wood floors with a peeling finish and bland white walls badly in need of decor. When The Mr. and I first moved in here almost a year ago, I wasn’t sure how long we would be in this apartment, so I wasn’t ready to commit myself to decorating it. After all, as important as I believe aesthetics to be (i.e. very), decorations are just another thing to pack when you move. And I hate packing.

But The Mr. and I just renewed our lease for another year. Which means it’s time to break out the art supplies!

DIY Initial Canvas Wall Art

This is a quick little project I worked on for the awkwardly empty patch of space above our headboard in our bedroom. I wanted something super easy, simple but personalized, and chic with maybe just a hint of shabby. This project would also be super cute above a baby crib!

So I moseyed on over to the Michael’s in Porter Square, bought myself some acrylic paint, a set of new paintbrushes, some big wooden letters (a G for me and a J for The Mr.), and three canvas boards. Yes, spray paint would have been a lot easier than painting by hand, but it also would have been a lot smellier. I don’t particularly fancy paint fumes! And besides, I find painting by hand to be incredibly relaxing :)

I chose “Deep Sea” and “Putty” for my colors since they matched my comforter. I know a big decorating “rule” is don’t be too matchy matchy, but I wanted my wall art to be “one” with the my bedroom, and I like breaking rules! I my painted the letters over about three times, just because the wood was rough and needed the extra coats for everything to sink in the way I wanted. I didn’t bother trying to smooth out the wood, since it gave it that slightly shabby look I was going for.

Wooden letter G for initial wall art canvas
Wooden letter J for initial wall art canvas

Then I moved on to the bird in the middle. There wasn’t any reason behind the bird stencil except that I thought it was cute and a lot easier than painting my own bird! Martha Stewart makes a bunch of different stencils like this one. Just place and paint!

Stencil for Initial Wall Art

And that’s it! Quick, easy, and I thought it turned out pretty cute :) I hung it up such that our initials hang over the side of the bed we each sleep on…although if I were to hang these accurately, my initial would be hanging over two-thirds of the the left side ;) I keep telling The Mr. we need a king size bed, but he seems content with his third of the mattress!

Finished Canvas Initial Wall Art

Find MORE TIME TO DO WHAT YOU ENJOY

Feel like your to-do list is looming over you? Our Productive Mom Checklist gives you 10 simple ways to boost productivity so you can have more free time to spend doing things you actually enjoy! 

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out our digital library of helpful tools and resources that help you organize your life, connect with your kids, focus on your well-being, and love being at home.

P.S. This post was originally published in 2013, back when Mom Makes Joy went by the name Essentially Eclectic.

Similar Posts