My daughter is almost three and a half, yet I still rock her every night. Even when her father puts her to bed, I often end up getting up at least once during the night to hold and rock her for a few minutes. I’ve sung “You Are My Sunshine” to her every night since she was a newborn, and now she knows the song by heart and sings along with me. Hearing her sing is one of my favorite things.
When we removed the changing pad from the top of the dresser recently, the wall above felt a little bare. I wanted a piece of art that meant something to us and fit the room’s soft palette.
DIY Stamped Art (How To)
I’ll admit I’m in a bit of a motivation slump—so what should have been a two-day project stretched into a couple of weeks. I’d stamp a word or two, then walk away and come back a day later to do a little more. Giving myself a deadline finally pushed me to finish, and standing back to admire the completed piece made the effort worthwhile.
I started with a canvas I’d picked up at Goodwill. It had a nice frame and an existing painted scene that was charming, but not the aesthetic I wanted for this nursery. The original painting featured an outdoor picnic scene, which I painted over to create a neutral background for the stamped lettering.
First, I lightly sanded the raised areas of the old paint to create a smoother surface. After wiping the dust away, I painted the canvas with Annie Sloan French Linen chalk paint, blended with white and off-white to achieve the exact shade I wanted.
For the lettering layout, I planned the wording and spacing using my Silhouette design software. I prefer designing in the software because it makes it easy to size and position the text before cutting. I then used Silhouette stamping material to cut out a full set of letters at the size I needed. If you don’t have a cutting machine, store-bought alphabet stamps are a good alternative; I almost used pre-made stamps, but I wanted custom sizes for this piece.
With the letters cut, I worked one word at a time. I used painter’s tape to mark straight baseline guides and arranged the letters along the tape. Using a small amount of acrylic craft paint applied with my fingertips, I pressed each letter onto the canvas to stamp the text. The process is methodical: arrange letters, apply paint, stamp, then rearrange and repeat for the next word. It takes time, but the result has a handcrafted charm that machine-printed text can’t replicate.
For the frame, I used simple 2″ x 3/4″ wood strips from the hardware store. Rather than mitering, I cut the pieces with a mitre box and a handsaw, then painted them in the same French Linen chalk paint to match the canvas. I attached the frame pieces with a nail gun for a secure fit.
I haven’t applied a clear wax yet, but I plan to seal the frame and canvas with a protective wax or clear finish once I’m ready. This will help protect the paint and give the piece a subtle sheen, especially in a room that gets regular use.
I love creating wall art that carries personal meaning, and this piece—bearing the words of the lullaby I sing to my daughter—fits perfectly above the dresser. It complements the room’s colors and adds a handmade touch that reminds me of those quiet bedtime moments.
If you want to make similar stamped wall art, here are a few practical tips: sand and clean the surface before painting, plan and measure your text layout carefully, use painter’s tape to keep lines straight, apply paint sparingly to avoid smudging, and give letters time to dry between passes. Whether you use a cutting machine or store-bought stamps, this technique is approachable and results in charming, meaningful decor.
Do you have a piece of wall art with special meaning in your home? I’d love to hear about it.