creative challenge :: DIY gingham canvas tote bag

hello there beautiful people!

so i seem to have a bit of a hoarding problem when it comes to my diy board on pinterest. i pin actual tutorials of stimulating diy projects and i even pin items that i like and think i could make but are usually too expensive to justify purchasing. it can be overwhelming at times - thank you pinterest - because of the number of projects that miraculously accumulate on my board. so i decided to do something about it! after all, if you are stuck in a creative rut, what better way to get those juices flowing than to give yourself an actual problem to figure out. which brings me to this diy i did this past weekend.

i fell in love with this eley kishimoto lattice tote over at asos {one of my favorite stores!}. but there is no way in hellllll...ooo i would want to spend over $200 on a tote bag. insert challenge here. it was actually quite fun to problem solve, create something with my own two hands and then be able to actually utilize what i made. honestly, i have worn this bag every day since i created it - i love it! it's also surprisingly durable; i've been carrying my laptop and books in it!

so let's get started! all of my 'ingredients' were from hobby lobby. i suggest going to a craft store like this as a one stop shop to make things easier on yourself. remember to get creative with this - feel free to substitute any color, size or shape! here's what you'll need::

1. basic canvas tote bag 

2. thick, durable 'ribbon' for straps {i bought three yards and had some leftover}

3. something to mix/put your paint on {i have used a plastic plate for years}

4. a cup to clean your brushes {optional}

5. scissors!

6. paint brush {only one is really necessary}

7. paint {i used acrylic because of the canvas tote but you could also use fabric paint}

8. durable tape {i used stencil tape}

9. needle and thread {i used embroidery needle and thread to get a thicker stitch}

so i decided to go vertical first. i applied the tape in imperfect rows to make it more interesting to look at and to make room for error just in case. make sure tape is secured to the canvas so no paint gets under there.

you can mix up your own paint color or use a color straight from the tube. squeeze some onto a plate, mix up colors really well if needed and get your brushes ready!

take a deep breath and start to paint that puppy! i tried to randomly paint rows so that when i had to mix more paint, any differences in hues would not be as noticeable. 

once the vertical stripes have dried, remove the tape and apply new tape horizontally this time. feel free to make them imperfect again like me. 

randomly paint the rest so you don't notice any differences in hues!

i wanted to add my own straps. so all you have to do is snip off those old ones. measure your new straps according to what you want your drop length to be. i like mine a bit longer. then snip and sew with your needle and thread. i decided to do some neat 'x' patterns.

and voila! enjoy using your new tote bag!!