canvas map wall decor {guest tutorial}

Our guest post today is from an awesome craft blogger / interior designer that we can't wait to share with you! Her blog is not just inspirational but instructional, too, because sometimes we need someone to tell us how to make our ideas happen, right? This is one of my favorite projects she's done--it's on my project list and I'm betting it will be on yours, too. Enjoy!

I am so excited to do a guest post for Mandy and Jessica!

I'm Selina from Creative Juices Décor. What you will find on my blog is lots of inspiration for all your Creative Juices! I am an interior designer by degree and LOVE home design/decorating, thrift store shopping, healthy recipes and crafting. I have 3 young kids so I also have fun crafts for them too. Come stop by, I think you’ll be inspired!

Today I am going to show you how I turned a $2.00 thrift store map into a large piece of art!

This project was inspired by wanting a large piece of art (on the cheap!) for my 7 year old son’s room. I had picked up this map from the thrift store for $2 and knew if I got my Creative Juices flowing I could figure a great way to use it! I went to Michaels and picked up a bunch of canvases at 40% off. I spent $29.00 on all 12.

Next I spray painted the edges with a left over blue from a previous project. I am a sucker for anything AGED looking so I lightly spray painted some brown on the edges too.

Once dry, I brushed on some Mod Podge and attached my cut out map pieces.

Once that dried (I turned them over to add some weight to the drying process) I wanted to age the edges just a little more so I took out my inking pad, or chalk pad, and “aged” the edges. I also put a little brown glaze on the map itself to try to give it some more character. Anyway, once dry I came back and put Mod Podge over the top, quite thick, and in criss-cross strokes.

VOILA!!! Really, that wasn’t too hard. Now I have a BIG piece of wall art for under $35.00!

Stay creative with me folks – even if you didn’t find a map at a thrift store you could take this same technique and make a large canvas art display. Just apply Mod Podge to your photos and apply it to the canvas. It makes it look like a designer print on canvas. The possibilities are endless. How about cutting out a favorite fabric and applying that to the canvas?

Thank you LittleBirdieSecrets!

I'd LOVE it if you readers would stop by and say hi! I have a few fun pottery barn knockoffs and mod podged transformations I know will get your creative juices flowing!