Give Thanks Reverse Canvas

Learn how to make a super cute fall decor for your home by using a technique I call reverse canvas. Follow along as I show you exactly how simple this is!

How to make a Give Thanks reverse Canvas

Being grateful is so important to me. I taught my girls from a very young age 2 important things. First, always find the good in others. Second, give thanks. Finding this little gem of a wooden sign, made my heart so happy. This simple reminder to be grateful for all we have is perfect this fall season. And bonus, it’s a super simple DIY fall craft to create for your home. It would even make a great gift. Just like the DIY FALL DECOR PUMPKIN PATCH SIGN.

Who wouldn’t love a new fall home decor piece in their home? Speaking of gratitude, I’m so grateful you’re here. Let’s get crafting! 

Supplies Needed for a Reverse Canvas:

• “Give Thanks” wooden sign – (Target Dollar Spot)
• Candle (Dollar Store)
• 11×14 canvas
• Box Cutter or Exacto Knife 
• Paint sticks
• Paint Brush
• Baby Wipes
• Hot glue gun 
• Metal Scraper
• Waverly paint – color Truffle and white
• Acrylic paint – Burnt Umber and Traditional Umber by Deco Art, and fall colors like green, red, yellow
• Fall ribbons – 1 thick, 1 thin
• Pom pom ribbon
• Jute
• Baby Wipes
• Black ink pad
• Puppy Pads
• 

STEPS:

1 – Grab your canvas and your box cutter. Cut along the outside of the staples and then just pull the canvas off. No need to remove all those staples because they’ll be covered up anyway.

2 – With the paint sticks found on Amazon, they come free of that little dip in the sides. This makes them super easy to work with. Paint 12 of them brown with your Waverly paint, color truffle. Completely cover them. Set aside to dry. 

3 – Grab your canvas frame, your Truffle paint, and a baby wipe. To give this frame a weathered look, dab a bit of your paint on your baby wipe. Cover your frame. Work it into the grain of the wood. Make it as distressed/weathered as you like.

4 – Flip your frame over. Hot glue 12 paint sticks onto the back. They will rest vertically on your sign. Be sure to leave a little bit of space in between in each paint stick. This gives it the effect of a plank wall for the canvas. Your paint sticks will be longer than your canvas frame.

5 – Use a heat gun to help speed up the drying process. Your sign must be completely dry before moving on to the next step. 

6 – With the excess length of your paint sticks, grab your box cutter to score the edges. I did this 3 times and then was able to fold up those boards. Do this one at a time to pop the excess off. Tip* Be careful and take your time. 

7 – Use some sandpaper to smooth down those edges. 

8 – Grab your candle from Dollar Tree and rub along your paint sticks in certain spots to distress. Tip* Remember where you applied your candle wax. 

9 – With your chip brush, paint on white paint. Be sure not to completely cover your Truffle color. The chip brush works perfectly for this. Make sure it does completely.

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10 – Grab a scraper, and bring it straight down over your paint. Remove a layer of paint over where you applied that candle. This will enhance the distressed look. Take sandpaper and brush over.  Remove debris. Set aside.

11 – On your clean puppy pad, paint your pumpkin with your desired color. I am using Burnt Umber, by Deco Art. Cover completely. Tip* Have fun with this pumpkin. You can cover it in scrapbook paper and Mod Podge instead. Whatever level of creativity you are feeling for that day, roll with it.  

12 – With a dark brown color, Traditional Umber by Deco Art, paint on your pumpkin details with a thin brush. Give it some definition and be creative. Use the same brown to paint your “Give Thanks” piece of wood. Dry with a heat gun. 

13 – Grab your leaves and whatever color acrylic paints you want. I love all the colors, yellows, greens, and oranges found in fall. Mix up some colors to make them look different and unique. Use a makeup sponge to apply your color, dabbing on a bit at a time. Set aside to dry.  

14 – Then let it dry. Once it is dry, hot glue your “Give Thanks” directly onto your pumpkin. Play with 2 leaves placement and hot glue.

15 – To add a touch of fun, grab some twine or jute. Hot glue on one end as you begin to wrap around the pumpkin stem. Cover completely, wrapping tight as you go. Hot glue end to secure. Add the last leaf on top of the jute with hot glue. 

16 – I am not a bow maker, repeat! I am not a bow maker, but this project needed a bow. Grab any 2 fall-colored ribbons you like, one thick and one thin. I added a pom pom ribbon detail too, for fun. Cut into 6-8” sections and criss-cross them, overlapping as you build an “X” like pile. 8-10 pieces of ribbon in all. Take jute and tie in the center to form your bow. Tie tight. 

17 – Trim ribbon tails with a dovetail look. Trim any excess jute from the center.

18 – Hot glue your pumpkin to your reverse canvas board. Pay attention to sign placement if you care about exactness. Or, just eyeball it like me. Next, hot glue your bow in the corner of the canvas too!

There you go! So cute, so simple, and so cheap to create! This fall home decor is a great reminder to have gratitude in all things. I’m especially grateful you were here today to craft with me. Until next time! 

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