it's Christmas time at the not so blank canvas

    

it’s Christmastime at

the not so blank canvas...

Looking for Christmas gift ideas? 

Why not skip the department stores and give something that adds               

color, meaning, and style to any room? 

Place your order by December 10^th to ensure that you receive it by Christmas.

Special Teacher Gift Offer

Buy two, get one free of the 8x8 BE MERRY or JOY pieces. 

These make great teacher, Secret Santa, or hostess gifts! 

Pictures of these and other Christmas canvases can be found at thenotsoblankcanvas.etsy.com

Gift Certificates

Since it's sometimes difficult to pick the right piece for someone, why not give them a gift certificate from The Not So Blank Canvas? You can either gift them an amount or a size.

Business Orders

If you need Christmas gifts for employees, co-workers, volunteers, etc., order by November 28^th and receive a 20% discount on bulk orders of 10 or more.

                  Shop:  thenotsoblankcanvas.etsy.com

         Facebook:  facebook.com/thenotsoblankcanvas

     Contact: hharrison1976@yahoo.com

Simple door storage aka a boy's room essential

Happy Monday friends!  After living in 3 different houses with three boys through the baby/toddler/little kid/big kid/teenager stages, with all kinds of room arrangements, I've noticed that there are a few things that are essential to a boy's room.  

 One the simplest ones that has made the biggest difference is 

a place for all their little "treasures." 

You know those treasures, the ones that don't need to go in a keepsake album but also don't need to be thrown away...keys, locks, nerf bullets, matchbox cars, army figures.  When they were little and I helped them clean their room I would say, "put it in it's home," which meant that it was up to me to find a home for everything.   

This was especially useful when we lived in houses with no storage.  We've used these shoe organizers in multiple rooms--including the pantry and laundry room.   If you came to my house right now, you would find 5 of these.  They are quick and easy to install--the only reason this is a diy is that I use ribbons and tacks instead of the metal hangers that come with it because they scratch the doors.

Make sure to get one with the clear plastic so you can see what's in the pockets.  You can find these at any Wal-Mart or Target.

Here is where the diy part comes in.  

 Measure and cut strips of ribbon, all the same length.

Use flat tacks on the top of the door to attach the ribbons. 

Hammer them in once your fingers give out.

Cut off the excess ribbon so they won't be visible when the door is shut.

I put this one up when they were at school, but trust me, by 3:30pm it will be full of little crap treasures.

 Here's one from my oldest's closet door.

Yes, that's a molding of his teeth from when he got braces.  Sentimental, that boy.

Light Rehab

Today's DIY is a super simple way to change a light from the builder grade ceiling mount to a more updated look. 

 It's fun to make a new home reflect your family's personality but moving into a new house when everything needs updating can be a little overwhelming. 

There are some things you want to change immediately, some things you can live with for a while, and then there are those changes that may not be a permanent solution but are definitely better than before.

When we moved into our new house, we replaced a few lights but we couldn't replace all of them at once.

 I love this ceiling light but knew I could tweak what we already had for way less.

All that you need is a lamp shade--I bought this one at Home Goods, a ladder or stool (or woobly chair in my case), and maybe some string--I didn't need any with this light but sometimes I have used string to secure the shade. 

First, you'll unscrew the brown, round tip and take off this glass bowl.

Next, take the bulbs out so they won't break while you're adding the shade.

Now here is where this can be a little tricky depending on the type of shade you have.  With this one, I just had to thread the wire part of the shade onto the screw and then use the rubber spacer that was already on the light to hold it in place.  For other types of shades you may need to use string to secure it in place.

Once you have the shade where you want it and it seems secure, you can put the light bulbs back in.

And you're done!

 

More light rehabs coming soon...

new listings

Sharing some new listings with you today...

Happy Wednesday, friends!

journal reupholstery

I love journals.  Don't you? Not because I'm an avid writer, but because I need to get my thoughts written somewhere before they are long gone.  The pages are like little invitations to write, doodle, make lists, or anything else you can think of...like those friends who want to hear all that you have to say. 



This is such a quick and simple craft that you can make them with your children or with any group that needs a little crafty-bonding.  College girls love craft nights, by the way!

When my boys were younger, they would each make one at the beginning of every summer. Journals also make great teacher gifts, or inexpensive happys. 

You'll need

 a journal--mine are usually from Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart, 

mod podge, 

a paint brush, 

and paper.  

When making these with my kids, they pick their own paper but when I've made them with groups I just use the stash of paper I have left from my scrapbooking days. (Oh, the scrapbooking days...)

Begin by cutting your paper the size of your cover, leaving a little room for the spiral binding.

Paint the mod podge on the cover in a (kind of) smooth layer.

Quickly place the cut paper on the cover, smoothing out any bubbles with your hand. The paper won't move once it's on the journal, so make sure to line it up with the edges well.  Next turn it upside down and put something on it for about 5 minutes.

Now you can mod podge the front of your paper.

You can even add a letter, either a sticker or one that you've cut out, to the front.

My journal is where I investigate my life. 

Stacy Duplease