Before the year ends tomorrow I wanted to post about a couple of Christmas crafts I took on this year.

Each year I knit an ornament. Last year it was hummingbirds, this year snowmen. I knit A LOT of these little guys. They knit up relatively quickly (in about an hour). The pattern is for sale here. So starting in October they are my go-to nap craft. They are the perfect stocking stuffer. They aren’t breakable, so they are a good present for little ones. They are light and easy to ship. We gave them to everyone from Ellis’ teachers to city boy this year.

The second craft is truly a last minute inspiration. I got a great shot of the boys at the Christmas parade this year that I wanted to enlarge as soon as I saw it. I remembered that Gretchen Rubin wrote about framing a Halloween picture of her kids each year. I don’t take great Halloween pics of the kids, but we always seem to get a few gems at Christmas time so I thought it might be fun to have a little seasonal gallery of a special Christmas photo from each year. Part time capsule, part decor. I snagged a pack of 11×14 canvases on sale at Michaels the day after Christmas. I want to put the pics on top of our bookcase in the living room. 11×14 fits the space and will be big enough to see. I didn’t even look into having canvases printed, because I wanted to have something that was easy for me to reproduce each year. DIY was my best bet.

DIY canvas tutorial
1) Select your photos and have them printed. (I use shutterfly. The quality is the best bang for your buck in my experience). I ordered 4 prints while they were having a 50% off sale.

2) Gather your supplies. I used matte Mod Podge and a 1.5 inch brush. Lay out your canvases on cardboard or a drop cloth.

3) Start with a layer of Mod Podge on the blank canvas.

4) Position your photograph on top of the layer of Mod Podge you just spread.

5) The scary step. Pour Mod Podge all over your picture and spread in an even layer. It is thick and white when it goes on, but it will dry clear. Trust me.

6) Make sure your brushstrokes are all going the same way. You will be able to see the brushstrokes faintly once the Mod Podge has dried.

7) Hold your breath and wait for it to dry.

8) I might try a clear coat since I will be storing these in the attic 11 months a year and I don’t want them to get tacky.

9) Enjoy your simple and inexpensive canvases for years to come.

So funny that a sweet canvas came in the mail today from you, city mama. I love it and it has already found a home in our gallery wall (although I might snag it for my office when I finally have a room of my own.) Thank you!!