This Mother’s Day craft is one that you can treasure year after year – use this cute handprint art on canvas to measure the growth of your children!
Skills Required: Beginner. You’ll be tracing hands with a pencil, cutting out, and Mod Podging to make a handprint canvas. It helps if you’ve used Mod Podge before, but it’s not required.
I LOVE Anna from My Life and Kids. She is hilarious! She’s also a great Mod Podger. Do you remember her Pottery Barn knock-off LOVE canvas or her joyful holiday tray? Anna is really good. She is back with a Mother’s Day craft for kids, and you are going to love this handprint art as well.
Hi, my name is Anna, and I *love* Mod Podge (almost as much as I love eating Crisco out the can). I had three kids in three years, and now I spend my days wearing mom jeans, driving a minivan and blogging at My Life and Kids.
I drive my mother nuts, exercise in my underwear, and sometimes I can be serious.
For the past two Mother’s Days, I’ve made a very special decoupage project for myself: handprint art. Our tradition is only two years old, but I know it’s one that will last – and I want to share the instructions on how to make it!
Handprint Art
Gather These Supplies
- Mod Podge Matte (you can use the Paper version, but you don’t have to)
- Foam craft brush
- Craft paint (optional)
- Scrapbook paper
- Scissors
- Canvas – one for each hand
Before you start: this is optional, but if you like, you can paint the canvas with acrylic craft paint and let it dry. You’ll probably need a few coats. Let dry completely before beginning.
Step 1: Trace your kids’ hands on any paper you can find. Choose your scrapbook paper. I like to use Amy Butler scrapbook paper in coordinating prints.
Step 2: Trace your kids’ hands onto the paper you chose. Cut them out.
Step 3: Coat your entire canvas with Mod Podge. Can you tell that my Mod Podge is “loved?“
Step 4: Place your scrapbook paper hand on the canvas. Cover it with Mod Podge.
Step 5: Add your finishing touches. I like to add a small heart in the palm of each hand with the child’s name and age. I add another coat of Mod Podge to keep it in place.
Step 6: Repeat as necessary with each hand. Let them dry for 24 hours.
Hang them on your “handprint” wall and see how much your children have grown in just one year! Try not to cry. Thanks for having me Amy! It’s always fun at Mod Podge Rocks!
Handprint Art
Equipment
Materials
- Mod Podge Matte
- Scrapbook paper
- Canvas(es) one for each hand
Instructions
- Trace a child’s hand on the paper of your choice. Cut out.
- Coat a canvas with Mod Podge.
- Place the scrapbook paper hand on the canvas. Smooth thoroughly and let dry for 15 – 20 minutes.
- Cover the canvas with Mod Podge and let dry.
- Add any finishing touches like a heart with the child’s name and age.
- Repeat as necessary with each hand. Let dry for 24 hours before displaying.
If you like this handprint art, check out these other options for using your children’s hand prints in projects:
How adorable….I love this idea….thank you for sharing….
Thanks so much for having me Amy!!
I must admit I’m pretty sick of handprint crafts (except, of course, my OWN son’s handprint artwork). But cutting them out of patterned paper really makes them attractive. Nice idea. I wonder if a spin off could be letting the kids make the patterned paper you cut them from, which, of course, would change in appearance over the years. Always fun to do something each year that shows growth.
So cute. Great tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
So awesome and easy too! Thanks for anoter great idea Anna!
I just love this! What an awesome way to watch the kids grow through the years. Such a great keepsake.
Great project, and of course I love handprint art!!
Beautiful!! I would like to invite you to share at my Mother’s Day Gift Idea link party at https://www.craftymomsshare.com/2012/05/mothers-day-gifts.html. Thank you!! Happy Mother’s Day!
Awesome idea!
I just finished the project, it took me a whole 20 minutes for a pricless gift! Were on a tight budget & the canvases were kinda pricey so I just bought an 8 x 20 canvas and put all the kids on one canvas. I love it! Thank you soo much for posting! P.s. it was my first time using mod podge, I loved it!
What a great and meaningful idea!
absolutely love this. Going to make this with my grandchildren in the morning to give to their moms for Mother’s Day. I’ve been trying to find something to do with them for my daughters and this is perfect.
Thank you for the inspiration. Your canvases are so beautiful. My children put their own artistic spin on their canvas hand prints. Again, thank your for sharing. You rock!
I plan on doing this as Christmas presents to the grandparents, but I wanted to write a personalized message on the canvas as well, can I mod podge over the entire canvas after I have written on it, or will that smear whatever is written? Thank you!