Learn how to make a DIY love canvas that looks great as Valentine’s Day decor, but it’s also perfect for a kids’ room or baby nursery.

Skills Required: Beginner. You’re going to be painting a canvas, cutting out letters from paper, then decoupaging them on top. This is a good beginner Mod Podge project.

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to slap some love on a canvas, DIY-style! I’m excited to share these DIY love canvases that are very, very easy to make.

And will have you cutting and pasting your way to some unique wall art.

While the word I use in this project is “love,” it could be any word. I’m going to show you how to cut out letters from scrapbook paper and decoupage them to a canvas.

The results are pretty awesome. It’s just what happens when scrapbook paper meets Mod Podge in a blind date set up by yours truly.

The nice thing about this project is that you can personalize. However if you use the word “LOVE”, take our free template for a spin—because why torture yourself trying to freehand letters when we’ve done the heavy lifting for you?

I wanted to show you how the canvases would look doing two different colors for the base and two different color palettes of scrapbook paper, so I crafted two different versions.

As you can see these would make cute Valentine’s Day decor, just because of the word . . . .but I think they’d look great in kids’ rooms or a nursery. Or anywhere that you want to spread a little love.

Whether you’re a seasoned DIYer or a newcomer to the world of Mod Podge, these love canvases are a fun and easy foray into the craft.

It’s so simple that older children or teens can use this idea to design their own wall art. What could they cut the letters out of besides scrapbook paper? What about magazine pages? Or comic books??

Before you get started, you’re going to need some supplies to make this project. Here’s what you should grab:

Square canvas – 12″
Scrapbook paper – 4 sheets
Acrylic paint
Printable template – designed to fit a 12″ x 12″ canvas, but you can shrink and enlarge as you need
Mod Podge Satin
Scissors
Paintbrushes
Stencil tape
Craft knife and mat (optional)
Brayer (optional)

Tips and Thoughts for This Project:

I find it way easier to cut round edges with a craft knife on a self healing mat, like the inside of the “O”.

When you’re smoothing paper down on canvas, it can help to put something flat behind the canvas (like a thin book) to give the canvas rigidity. Canvas is somewhat flexible, and it bends a little if nothing is behind it when you’re pushing down.

If the canvas is going to be in a window or area with a lot of light, consider adding UV sealer on top so the paper doesn’t fade. Mod Podge isn’t UV safe.

Get the printable how to card for this project below:

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4.96 from 44 votes

DIY Love Canvas

Create your own canvas with the word "LOVE" on it in scrapbook paper! It's a charming addition to any room in your home.

Prep Time10

Active Time1

Dry Time2

Total Time3 10

Yield: canvas

Cost: $5

Equipment

Materials

1 Square canvas 12"
Scrapbook paper – 4 sheets
Acrylic paint
Printable template
Mod Podge Satin
Stencil tape

Instructions

Lay out your papers and decide which design you would like to use for each letter. Print out the template.
Cut the template into separate letters. Use the stencil tape to attach the templates to the scrapbook paper. Cut out with scissors, using a craft knife for detail areas.
Paint the canvas using a few coats of acrylic paint. Let dry between coats, then let dry completely.
Lay the letters out on top of your canvas, making sure the spacing is where you like it. Honestly, I just eyeballed.
Pick up a letter. Add a medium layer of Mod Podge to the canvas in the area where you are going to apply the letter. You're going to coat the whole canvas so just put it all over the area.
Smooth the letter down into a Mod Podge, using a brayer to help you smooth, if necessary. Brush any excess Mod Podge down smooth and let dry.
Repeat this process with the remaining letters, then let dry.
Seal the entire canvas with a coat of Mod Podge. Let dry and repeat. Let dry completely before hanging.