Craft: Mini Canvas

This winter I've been helping my husband coach our daughter's basketball team.  The season is winding down, and I wanted to give each of the girls a small token so they could remember their time with the team.  In this post, I will share how I personalized these cute mini canvases for the girls on the basketball team.  The total cost was less than $1.75 for each gift, including the gift bag.  Our Girl Scout Troop will be bridging this spring, so I've also been brainstorming gift ideas for them.  With a few modifications, you can personalize Bridging gifts without breaking the bank.  

This four-pack of 3" mini canvases was found at Hobby Lobby for $4.99.  Using a 40% off coupon, the package can be purchased for $2.99 plus tax.

I picked up the paint for $0.50 a bottle at Walmart.
I also bought the Sharpies at Walmart, but they can be purchased at Dollar Tree as well.

Paint the front and edges of the canvas your desired color.  Purple and white are the colors of our basketball team.  It took three coats of paint to cover the canvas completely.

Cut a 1.5 inch circle out of cardstock.

Using this cardstock template, trace a basketball in the center of each canvas.

It took six coats of orange paint to cover the circle for the basketball.

Using a Sharpie, outline the circle and add lines on the basketball.  

Write the player's name, number, and team name on the canvas.

Of course, a thin paintbrush and black paint or a paint pen would work as well.  I'm just partial to the permanent marker.

Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge on the front and edges of the canvas and let it dry.

Borrowing parachute cord that remained from our Girl Scout Troop's macrame bracelet project, I snipped three-inch segments of purple cord. 

Using a glue gun, adhere the ends of the cord or ribbon in the center of the top edge of the canvas to make a loop.

I decorated white gift bags I purchased at Dollar Tree (3 bags for $1) by cutting 2" orange circles out of cardstock.  I added lines to the basketballs and adhered them to the bags with a glue stick.  Each player's name was written on a bag beneath the basketball.  I used tissue paper and white curling ribbon I had on hand to finish the bag.  My husband will write a note to each player, and we'll stick the card in the bag before heading off to the Awards Ceremony.
 

For Girl Scouts:

• Cut out a trefoil template.  I found this trefoil on the cover of a Girl Scout Volunteer Opportunities booklet.  It was the perfect size for this mini canvas.    
• Paint the trefoil green.  
• Outline the trefoil with a black Sharpie.  
• Add a girl's name and your troop number to the canvas.  Or write the words "Courage, Confidence, and Character."
• Use a glue gun to adhere ribbon to the back of the canvas.
• Place in a personalized gift bag.  I used this same template to cut trefoils out of green cardstock.  I glued the trefoils to the gift bags and added tissue paper and white curling ribbon as was done for the basketball gifts.

Don't have an athlete or a Scout?  These mini canvases would make adorable birthday party favors.  I picture a personalized cupcake on a mini canvas for the guests.  I can see this working well for a beach-themed party:  flip flops, bucket, sand castle.  A zoo or farm-themed party:  faces of pigs, cows, and horses.  A tea party: tea cup, flower...the options here are endless!  Depending on the ages of the guests, it might be fun to have the kids paint a canvas during the party.

Instead of making this gift for our Bridging Girl Scouts this year, I decided to melt crayons on a canvas for each of the girls in our troop.  I will share the process and the finished product in a future post.  I hope you check back soon!  Thank you for reading.