I am so excited about this DIY Christmas project. Last summer I saw this pin and emailed the blogger to find out how she had made her light up Christmas canvas because I had to make one!
I liked her “Merry and Bright” but I decided I wanted my canvas to say “for unto us a Savior is born”. I designed the words in my Silhouette program and then printed them in two different colors because I really want the “Savior” and “born” to stand out. Then I spray painted the words “for unto us” and “a is” with a glitter paint I’d found at Michael’s. I liked the glitter paint it because it had lots of blues and purples in it, just like my peacock themed Christmas tree.
While the spray paint was drying we put the lights on the canvas.
To put the Christmas lights into the canvas I used a screw driver to puncture the canvas. I tried pushing the lights through on their own but they were stretching the canvas too much. This screwdriver worked perfectly.
My husband helped me by holding the canvas while I punched the holes.
After punching each hole, my husband would push a light through it. We were joking around that it was like using a Light Brite, remember those?
Here’s what the canvas looked like, from the back, when we were done. I only used a strand of 50 lights because I didn’t want the lights to be too overwhelming.
Once the spray paint was dry I transferred the letters onto the canvas by hand.
To make sure the words wouldn’t fall off I used Mod Podge and painted over all the letters.
Once the Mod Podge was dry I put the canvas up on my mantle and plugged it into the other lights.
I love the sparkle and glow the Christmas lights give off!
This light up Christmas project was really easy and I get TONS of compliments on it! The whole project cost me about $23: $20 for the canvas and $3 for the spray paint, and I know I will love it for years to come! It officially my new favorite Christmas decoration!
What is your favorite Christmas decoration in your home?
If you like this Christmas project you might enjoy some of my other Christmas projects for this year:
Christmas Party {clean-up} Must Haves
White Cranberry Martini {perfect for the holidays}
Tips for Planning a Holiday Bake Day
Buche de Noel {Yule Log} Recipe
It’s gorgeous Anna! What a fabulous idea.
Thank you! 🙂
Wow! That’s such a great idea and it turned out so well.
Stunning project – thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much! It was so easy but makes a big statement. 🙂 I’ve enjoyed seeing your comments again this last week. Didn’t realize how much I’d missed them!
So elegant…I love it. Thanks for the wonderful idea!!
Anna, this is beautiful! And a great new use for my screwdrivers ;-). Thanks for sharing. I hope you don’t mind if I share this in my favorites from the DIY Gift Idea party.
I would be honored! Thank you. 🙂
I like what your canvas says…good choice!
Love it! I just got a Silhouette last week and am learning its many uses 🙂 Did you cut out the words on sticker paper? What fonts did you use – they are great! Thanks!
I don’t remember what fonts I used but I printed them on vinyl paper and then spray painted them with the sparkly color. If you want to find fun fonts to use with your Silhouette, there are tons at dafonts (dot) com. 🙂
I’m still a bit confused how you did the lettering on the vinyl–can you explain more?
I used my Silhouette to cut the lettering out of vinyl, then I spray painted the letters the color I wanted, then I placed the lettering on the canvas by hand, and mod podged them on to keep them in place.
I am confused about the lettering. Did you cut them out and glue them on the canvas?
I used my Silhouette to cut the lettering, then I spray painted it the color I wanted, then I placed the lettering on the canvas and mod podged them on.
Just to add to this (which, is Beautiful BTW). A leather punch (available in most craft stores) works well to make the holes,( it has a sharper point) and, so you don’t see the light strand behind the canvas or the bulb holder, you can use white wired lights
How did you transfere the letters to the canvas?
Because the lettering was so large I just did it by hand instead of with transfer paper. After I placed the lettering in the right places I mod podged them on to keep them in place.
That is FABULOUS! I, too, was thinking “Lite Brite”.
Do you think it would also work if you didn’t push the lights through, and just had them nestled behind the canvas?
Totally! I have a few that are just laying behind the canvas and it gives it a nice glow. 🙂
Anna,
I have a fiberglass shower pan. I can have it sparkling clean and after one use it
grabs almost every bit of grime and stains up. Currently I’m using Bon Ami pumice cleaner, a scrub brush and LOTS of elbow grease. Any suggestions about a better way to keep this textured bully looking good?
Love your site!
Blessings to you and yours!
What size canvas did you use? It is beautiful, and I would like to make one myself!
It’s a 24×20. 🙂
I am currently trying this project because I fell in love with it. I have punched the holes in the canvas and pushed the lights through, but my lights don’t seem to want to stay in. Did you have this issue? I cant figure out how to get them to stay put.
I didn’t personally have this issue but I’ve seen others that have used clear packing tape to tape all the lights in place. Don’t use a colored tape because it will show through the canvas.
Thank you! I will try it.
I have tried something similar and my lights kept falling out of the holes. Do you have any tips to keep them in place? Love your design! Thanks!
Thank you! I used packaging tape to tape mine in place. It’s clear so you can’t see it through the canvas and it’s just strong enough to keep them in. 🙂
Hi,
Thanks for your tutorial!
I was just wondering, you said you printed them, spray painted them and then transferred the letters to the canvas. I’m just wondering how you did this? Is it special paper/program you use?
Thank you ?
Hi, Katie! This is Anna’s assistant, Bethany. Anna used a Silhouette to cut the lettering out of vinyl, then placed the lettering on the canvas by hand, and mod podged them on to keep them in place. Hope this helps!
I realize that I’m seeing this several years down the road, but absolutely love it. Reading through the comments answered a lot of my questions. Do you remember what size font you used? Hoping to make this as a gift for someone. Thanks for thinking about this.
I don’t remember, sorry. I would just play around with it depending on the size of canvas you choose. 🙂
Thanks. Played around and got it.
Finally finished making this and thanks to your wonderful directions and detailed pictures, it is beautiful. We have obviously given you the credit for the original idea and creation. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Yay, I love it! Thank you for coming back to share with me. 🙂
So did you use vinyl for the letters? If so 651 Reason I ask I didn’t notice you mentioned it at all.
Yes, I used the vinyl for the letters. They didn’t stick to the canvas well so I ended up Mod Podging them on, so really you could use anything for the letters.