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Wall art on the cheap

My studio is bare. Well, actually the floor is a hot mess with all my crafting/sewing/scrapbooking supplies waiting to be organized, but the walls, they are bare. I needed some big art on the cheap. I figured the best way to fill a big space was with a big canvas. Sounds great right up until I remember that I can't paint worth a flip. So what can I put on a canvas? Washers! Off to Hobby Lobby we go and buy a 24x32 canvas (with a 40% off coupon of course!). Then we go to Home Depot.

I bought 6-25count packs of washers in various sizes.


I also picked up a tube of StrongStik. After reading the package of 32 different kinds of adhesives, we decided on this product. Oh, and I can't leave out the pack of gladiolus bulbs. We go to check out and the lady says "Whacho gonna do with all these?" and I say, "I'm going to glue them to a canvas." Looking very confused she says, "Uh, that'll be $12.43, mam." I don't think she got it!

By the time we got home it was about 10:30 and I think my creative genius had already gone to bed. Keep in mind at this point I didn't even know what I was going to design the washers into. So, I call for the hubs and ask him if he had any great ideas. He says why not make them into the shape of a pair of scissors. Good idea babe! So we lay them out and I love it.


It would have been awesome if the canvas wasn't still in the wrapper and was already painted. I didn't have the heart to dump them off. I made the hubs do it while I went to the basement to get the paint. I painted the canvas the same color as the bathroom walls, the very pale blue. Once it was dry, we laid out the washers again and I wasn't loving this pair of scissors. It looked like a goofy bow. Poot! What do I do now? I tried a cross, a sans serif P monogram, an ampersand, a peace sign. I wasn't loving any of it. I think the hubs heard my huffing and puffing in the other room and came to help. He tried a question mark, an eyeball (I looked like the lady at Home Depot when he tried that one!) and a huge spiral. By this time it's after midnight and I'm just frustrated. I tried the P monogram again but this time made it a serif font. That little serif at the bottom made all the difference. The next day I started gluing all the washers down with my StrongStik.


It worked, but geez, it took fo-eva! 2 hours later, I was done and I love it. All those circles just make me happy.


Now I have to figure out where I'm going to hang this beauty. I only have one shot to get it right. Putting holes in walls that I just drywalled gives me serious anxiety.


What do you think? Do you love the monogram or should I have stuck with the scissors? Either way, I got a huge art piece for under $20.00.

Check out all the great stuff at the link parties I am sharing at this week!

Amy  – (March 7, 2011 at 11:27 AM)  

I love all the options!!! Soooo many ideas are swirling around inside my head, thanks to this post! =)

Beth Eaton  – (March 7, 2011 at 11:27 AM)  

I ABSOLUTELY love it! What a neat idea! I'm going to put this in my Tumblr site so I can do it later. Thanks for sharing!

TheCraftInMe  – (March 7, 2011 at 12:12 PM)  

I love the monogram, the scissors look good too, what a fabulous idea!

Lindy@Itsy Bitsy Paper  – (March 7, 2011 at 3:50 PM)  

This is AWESOME!! I am loving it. I'm looking for a big piece of art and I was thinking of a monogram so I may have to come up with something like this. Thanks
http://itsybitsypaper.blogspot.com

Jaedyn  – (March 7, 2011 at 5:44 PM)  

I love this idea! I want to make something in the shape of a guitar and I think my husband would be impressed. :)

Kristy  – (March 7, 2011 at 5:57 PM)  

So glad you guys have enjoyed this piece!

Lindsey, I think a guitar would be AWESOME! Maybe even a 3 canvas arrangement with 3 hanging vertically with the guitar stretching across all 3! I don't even have a connection to guitars and I want to make that now!

Maggie  – (March 7, 2011 at 8:41 PM)  

This is great! beautiful :)

Brittany  – (March 9, 2011 at 12:59 AM)  

how awesome is that??!! you're so creative! i love it! i'm stashing this one in my brain for when i get my own house and am trying to decorate!

Mallory  – (March 9, 2011 at 10:44 AM)  

Looks great! I love that you used all different size washers! I'm a new follower :)

Susan  – (March 9, 2011 at 11:09 AM)  

I saw your link at Someday Crafts and I love this! Definitely think the "P" was the way to go. Great idea!

Anonymous –   – (March 9, 2011 at 4:36 PM)  

I like this idea! Love the scissors :)

Stephanie  – (March 10, 2011 at 8:36 AM)  

Wow I really love this! Great job.

Michelle @ Delicate Construction  – (March 10, 2011 at 10:05 AM)  

I would love to feature this tomorrow! Do you mind if I add a picture to my post?
Michelle
www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com

Finding Home  – (March 10, 2011 at 1:16 PM)  

Very creative, I would do a whole series of them, that would make an impact on the wall!

Melissa  – (March 10, 2011 at 9:38 PM)  

That is way cute! Thanks for sharing!

ΗΡΩ  – (March 11, 2011 at 1:56 AM)  

this is fantastic.hi from styleitchic.blogspot.com

Michelle @ Delicate Construction  – (March 11, 2011 at 7:20 PM)  

I featured this on my blog today! Come by and check it out!
Have a great weekend!
Michelle
http://delicateconstruction.blogspot.com/

melissa  – (March 22, 2011 at 2:33 PM)  

What an amazing idea. I'm not going to lie...I kind of love the scissors. It will give someone an idea of what your into. (crafts I'm guessing...or a hairdresser)To us it's obvious but conversation piece for anyone else!

Heather - Dollarstorecrafts.com  – (April 15, 2011 at 9:01 PM)  

This is cool! I am going to link up at Decor Hacks on 4/21: http://decorhacks.com/2011/04/metal-washer-art/

I also might link up at Dollar Store Crafts, too!

Michelle L.  – (April 23, 2011 at 4:24 PM)  

This is so cool, I love it. I actually adore the scissors, but the P is wonderful. Just found you via Decor Hacks, what a great blog....off to explore!

jewelrygirl  – (April 28, 2011 at 1:39 PM)  

I just love it!! I have made jewelry from washers, but this is not something I thought of.

Very cool.

Jenny

Ginger  – (April 28, 2011 at 3:47 PM)  

Loved this idea so happy you shared how to do it.Outstanding art!
Relinking you.Hugs

Sara E  – (May 5, 2011 at 12:22 AM)  

LOVE LOVE LOVE! I just shared on my Plaid Punch page :) and pinned on Pinterest :)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Plaid-Punch/174522122593178

Anonymous –   – (May 7, 2011 at 8:09 AM)  

What a great idea! I love this; art that's not too girly. I have three teenage boys and I'm getting all kinds of ideas for guy friendly art. I think I have a wall in my living room just screaming for this artwork!
I found your post on Pinterest. Thanks for sharing!

Mandy Weaver  – (June 5, 2011 at 9:02 PM)  

cute idea, think I'm gonna try an anchor!

Erin  – (June 13, 2011 at 4:00 PM)  

This is so cute and clever! I get that people-like-you-are-insane look from workers, too. It's so worth it, though. :)

Anna@Directions Not Included  – (July 5, 2011 at 11:12 AM)  

I found this on Pinterest and did a small one for my inspiration wall. Thanks for the great idea!!

I posted about it today and gave you credit for the inspiration: http://directionsnotincluded.blogspot.com/2011/07/brought-to-you-by-letter-m.html

Anonymous –   – (August 15, 2011 at 8:50 PM)  

I <3 this! So amazing- I would have never thought about this.

L.A.  – (August 27, 2011 at 1:49 PM)  

The monogram makes it so much more personal! It's great!

Christina  – (August 28, 2011 at 9:00 AM)  

I love this idea and am going to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

Unknown  – (September 1, 2011 at 10:33 PM)  

I love this! And while the scissors were pretty cool, I do love the "P" you ended up with! : )

-Mel the Crafty Scientist

Michelle  – (September 2, 2011 at 11:38 PM)  

I love this idea! so simple but so pretty <3

Anonymous –   – (September 21, 2011 at 1:33 PM)  

The P is cool but I really loved the scissors. I have been buying all sizes of stainless steel washers for three years. I think I am obsessed with them. They are so unique and eye catching. I did an ornament and have many other ideas.

g  – (October 17, 2011 at 5:20 PM)  

I found you on Pinterest. Love this idea--so cute! I hope you didn't put any holes in your walls. Those adhesive velcro Command strips for picture hanging are so awesome. I don't get the picture-hanging anxiety any more, lol!

Krizzta  – (October 22, 2011 at 1:28 AM)  

Hello from Hungary, your blog is pretty and smart

Autumn  – (November 8, 2011 at 11:13 AM)  

I love this! Found it on Pinterest! Question, what kind of paint did you use on the canvas?

musicmom27  – (December 18, 2011 at 10:12 PM)  

i am a music teacher...i can do a whole series! treble clef, bass clef, eighth note, etc. wow! isn't there spray paint that adheres to metal? who knew the hardware store could be so much fun?

SparkleGirl  – (January 13, 2012 at 11:28 AM)  

Some of my friends and I just started a Pinterest Challenge group on Facebook. My Challenge buddy wants me to make this project they found on my craft board, so I'm heading to the hardware store right now. Fun! thanks for the idea!

Unknown  – (August 9, 2012 at 10:17 AM)  

What a wonderful idea! If you don't mind me asking ... how did you "know" the shape of the font? It looks so perfect!

The Dose of Reality  – (September 24, 2012 at 2:54 PM)  

Found you on Pinterest...LOVE IT! I can't believe something that I can actually maybe *do* can look that good! Thanks for the inspiration!

Andrea  – (September 26, 2012 at 7:09 PM)  

Thanks so much for the inspiration!!! http://www.onecreativehousewife.com/2012/09/washer-art.html

Pam  – (October 8, 2012 at 3:45 PM)  

I have worked with washers in jewelry and again making coasters but this is really great.

Idgafmsnd  – (December 4, 2012 at 1:22 AM)  

Oh this is so cute! Definitely have to try this!

froggy  – (January 3, 2013 at 12:10 AM)  

If any one could tell me how to make a W with washer thank you

froggy  – (January 3, 2013 at 12:12 AM)  

I need to know how to makethe letter W out of washers thanks

Caryn Love  – (February 3, 2013 at 10:27 AM)  

I did this the other day, spray painted the washers gold, glued to my board in a heart shaped...came out so well (even through my fingers were covered in superglue..hahaha)

Unknown  – (April 6, 2013 at 3:12 PM)  

Another coolish idea, maybe, could be to scatter the assorted washers over the canvas and spraypaint over them, remove. Or paint, scatter, spray, remove, repeat from scatter. So many ideas now, great job!

Unknown  – (July 19, 2013 at 8:27 AM)  

There are many inexpensive canvas art prints providing websites which can we find easily on the internet and get order in cheaper prices but i want to say that such kind of wall art will give more attraction on our homes wall, you have done a great work and i appreciate it. Great creativity you have performed keep it up.

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hwylde69  – (August 18, 2013 at 2:23 PM)  

I think they BOTH are adorable. I LOVE the scissors, but I've been looking for a monogram that I really really like & this is it! My hubby, my two boys, & I all have the same first & last initials so I thought it'd be cool to make this! Funnily enough, I have a big bowl full of washers like this that I've been collecting that I've been trying to figure out what I could do or make with & voila! THANK YOU SO MUCH for this FAB-U-LOUS IDEA!!!

Unknown  – (November 11, 2013 at 3:28 AM)  

Great. Those are really wonderful artworks. Brilliant idea there.

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Unknown  – (November 14, 2013 at 8:48 PM)  

Excellent article with great information. I wonder if you could speak a little more about your experience with minimum quantities from customers to place wholesale orders. I also sell fine art prints and wonder what my minimum wholesale order quantity should be. Should I make tiers for the discounts? How many items would you say a boutique might try to acquire and how does that compare to a larger store(s). Would love to hear more about this from you :) Thanks!

Discount Canvas Prints

Unknown  – (June 20, 2014 at 9:58 AM)  

Who would've thought that washers could be made to look so cute? I wouldn't mind doing this for my last name and putting it in my home. Thanks for the idea.
Cynthia | http://shop.randsfabrication.com/

Unknown  – (July 30, 2014 at 12:11 PM)  

This is such a great idea! I wish I was more creative and could come up with stuff like this. I am moving into a new apartment and I have no idea what I am going to fill the walls with. I'll have to try making one of these.

http://shop.randsfabrication.com/Welded-Metal-Wall-Art_c3.htm

Unknown  – (March 12, 2016 at 3:52 PM)  

Hi my name is Eadie. I am a fifth grader and I did this wall art as a letter "s" with painted purple canvas. I would like to take it as a 4-H project to my county fair. Since I found this on pinterest I need to have your permission by e-mail to be able to do this project. My family's e-mail is suhrdy@iowatelecom.net please e-mail us as soon as possible thank you :)

James Robert  – (December 6, 2016 at 7:00 AM)  

Its a great to see the information about the canvas prints like, how to print on canvas and many more.
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