Framed Canvas Photo on the Cheap

Hello there.  Do you remember about one million years ago when I shared with you here this steal of a picture frame that I got for 95% off??  I was SO excited to get it because I had such big plans for it... but these big plans were expensive... or so I thought.

I've been wanting to have a large canvas printed of our family photo for a long time.  But, it had to be big and big means expensive.  One of my biggest pet peeves is too small pictures on the wall, especially if they are photos.  Picky, Picky, Picky I am...

Even when some of the canvas places around the web were offering 65% off it was still going to be around $100 to get a 16x20 printed and shipped.  Maybe that is a good deal but not good enough for me. ;)

I went to ArtsCow.com and they had a coupon for a 16x20 photo canvas print (unstretched) for 17.99.

Coupon code HERE, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page.  And no, Artscow is not paying me for this post, just sharing a good deal because I'm nice like that. wink wink ;) 

$17.99!?  Seriously??!!

Unstretched means the canvas comes unframed and rolled up like a poster.  No problemo...  especially if it saves me big bucks! 

Here's a pic of what unstretched looks like...

I had purchased the digital image from my photographer, Ryan Mousty (ryanmoustyphotography.com), inexpensively so I could blow it up like I wanted.  Ryan's prices are really great and she is very talented and very patient with squirming kids so check her out!

On top of the ridiculously cheap canvas I found a code on-line for free shipping.  WooHoo! 

Arts Cow is the cheapest online photo printing I have found.  The biggest complaint they get is the sometimes longer than average shipping time.  The shipping time is long because they are located in Hong Kong.  That's on the other side of the planet, a very good excuse for slow shipping.  To me, it's worth the wait to save the money.

So after about 2 weeks my lovely and totally cheap picture canvas arrived!

I originally thought I would staple it to the back of my thick wooden frame because that's how you attach it when you stretch canvas around a frame.  Then, I chickened out.  It seemed too easy to get it attached uneven and have the canvas get all rippled and weird looking.

Hmm, what to do...  the old trusty glue gun could not help me with this one. 

Then, in a moment of brilliance I decided to attach it to an already stretched 16x20 canvas because I realized it would fit right into the back of the frame perfectly.  All I would need was some spray adhesive.

I happened to already have a canvas so was able to slap the picture canvas onto the blank stretched canvas and stick it in the frame.  It fit like a glove.  Suh-weeeet!

I was so excited that it fit that I hung it on the wall... I haven't even done the spray adhesive yet.  I am trying to find a very safe one to use on canvas... I don't want the ink to run or to somehow ruin it with the spray adhesive.  Anyone have any experience with spray adhesive on the back of photo printed canvas?


It is now in the entry way of our home. 

So let's see how much I saved...

Original Prices:
16x20 regular canvas + shipping = $100
Picture frame from Hob Lob original price = $225
Total = $325

My prices:
16x20 canvas = $17.99
Picture Frame from Hob Lob 95% off = $13.00
Blank canvas to stretch photo canvas = Free (used an old one)
Total = $30.99

My savings = $294.01 ... approximately 91% off!!!

That's pretty darn good if I do say so myself!!  :) 

I'm so happy with it and even happier that I was able to do it on a shoestring!

Don't forget to link up late Thursday night for Flaunt it Friday!

I'm linking: Fingerprints on the Fridge; The Girl Creative; Spunky Junky; It's so very Cheri