DIY Mixed Media Wall Canvas

Paint the canvas with black Gesso first to prime the canvas

Lay the stencil on the canvas. Using a spatula or credit card smooth some texture paste over the stencil. Remove the stencil straight away and wash the stencil before the texture paste dries.

This does not need to be perfectly smooth. The imperfections is what makes these mixed media canvases so interesting.

I wanted the centre of my canvas to stand out higher than the rest of the canvas. This make the canvas more interesting. Using card stock or cardboard cut out some shapes that you like. Cut multiple pieces which you can glue together to build a platform for the centrepiece to sit on.

Using items that you have around the house to create different textures and elements to the canvas. I wrapped some string around the board and pulled it together using a wood stud from my workshop. The corrugated cardboard was packing from some crockery I bought.

Over the years I have ordered items from china and other places and when they arrive they were totally unsuitable usually to small. They came handy for this project. If you don't have the charms they are reasonable cheap on Amazon. I went around the house and my workshop with my box collecting lots of elements to use.

Plan where you want to place all the embellishment before you glue them in place. I moved mine around so many times before I was happy, it was ridiculous. Then take a photo so you know where to glue everything.

Remove all the embellishment and paint them all with black Gesso. It is easier to paint them first. Once it is all glued down it is hard to get into all the nooks and crannies.

Start gluing all the embellishment onto the canvas with a quick drying glue like E6000.

I got so carried away I forgot to take a photo of this stage so here is a fake one ha ha. Using your finger and the coloured wax paste. Dip your finger in the paste and run it across the surface. Not filling the nooks and crannies, this give the old age effect. Do the same using different colours on all the embellishments.

You can use acrylic paints to add some colour. I made my own coloured wax pastes and shimmer sprays which work just as good as the stored bought products. Just add splashes of colour randomly. You then add some shimmer spray to make the canvas shimmer.

Ta-Da All done. The flowers were artificial flowers from around my house they all sacrificed a flower to the canvas.

If you have a good look at the canvas you will see a lot of the embellishments are everyday items. Keys,screws,hinges, thumb tacks, hot glue and broken jewellery. With a little imagination you can find many items around your home to use. Looking for your next DIY project check out how I turned my chalk paint metallic.

This is the final project. You still don't see the true effects of the shimmer in the pictures, but it is stunning.

This charm is her most treasured piece from her wedding. The picture at the top is Grandmother and granddaughter when she was young. The middle charm was their favourite saying. When they visited my Mum she would shout "Is everybody happy" to which they replied "You bet your life we are" and the last was a photo before she passed. Their is so much meaning that can be added to these mixed media canvases. The cost will depends on the supplies you have at home only a small amount was used of each.